Sunday evening

6 hours to drive an hour and half distance... Hm. Absolutely gorgeous scenery. We only went about an hour out of our way. But we found the most delightful marble gift store - Joyces Connemara Marble. Thinking of Jay! Mountains all around as we went, with lots of streams, sloughs and lakes. Pine tree patches here and there. So eventually found the castle (it really IS a castle!), met at the gate by the gateman and checked of his list, and then greeted at the front door by a valet (all older men) who said he would park our car and bring the suitcases in.... Inside a young woman 'processed' our registration along/ credit card swipe and said we were upgraded to suite. Sheet in drawer says 475 euro per person not including breakfast. Is someone playing games with us??? Huge room - seating area with divan and chair, super king-sized bed, turn down and truffles, slippers and robes. Feels like something out of the John Cleeves movie Hotel whatever. No wireless except in public places, no ice machine (room service ya' know...) Can connect with cable which is at Brian's, reservations only for any dining but the bar. We didn't know what we wanted to eat, drove back to little town, didn't like that, reservations in bistro an hour later - we'll pass. No thanks. So - we went to the bar and had the whiskey sampler trays. I can now say I've had Laphroaig (I did pronounce correctly, although one of the guys at the bar made it sound like frog on the end :-) Very peaty background as did the Connemara Irish Whiskey (3 samples - M wants the glasses :-) He'll post pix on his post. I can't get 'em to here unless I take pix with it. I sure need to learn text type. We had a wonderful late lunch so truffles (choc on pillow) and dried apricots and Jill's choc/craisins/nuts and our M&Ms are fine. M said he's losing weight, I might be too - we have big breakfast, late lunch at pubs, and have been splitting something in the eve. It's the Irish fast food :-) Guinness and whiskeys. And prolly all the walking? Pix count increases daily: 80, 90, 200, 300- nobody s going to want to see them all. Feels like bed is feather bed - M says it's not. Scented room, too oh good grief. Will send off in the morn. Sandman calling.