valeriesbookofme

Mount Congreve is actually only a half hour drive away from Dunmore. Only 23.8 kms but of course we have to wind around quite a bit to get out of our village and onto the Ring Road and then off the Ring road onto another windy road.... I am getting very confident about driving but I always remind myself not to get TOO confident. These roads are very unforgiving. Although there is a Georgian mansion in the grounds of Mount Congreve, as you can see it is very much in disrepair and is closed off to public access: Doesn't matter though because the star of Mount Congreve is the huge botanical garden. Seventy acres of garden with paths crisscrossing all around. The map that they gave us at the entrance wasn't clear so we just wandered and wandered (after having a sandwich and sharing carrot cake at the cafe of course.) The azaleas were flowering, so were some of the camellias and the rhododendrons were just beginning. Bluebells, wild garlic and so many other flowers I don'

We actually went to Birr Castle on March 27th but what with getting ready to go to Mallorca, then coming back with a load of photographs, catching up with my cemetery project, I never did post the photos of Birr. Birr Castle is in County Offaly (I think it used to be called King's County), a 2-hour drive, 155 kms. We have been wanting to see it since we arrived but it only opened on March 17th, as so many castles and gardens do. The drive was uneventful and most of it was pretty good motorway. We did pass an old abbey we were tempted to stop at but we wanted to get to Birr first. By the time we arrived, it was lunchtime so we stopped into the cafe for sandwiches before going out to the castle grounds. Birr is privately owned by the 80 year old Earl of Rosse. He and his wife rattle around in the castle by themselves with only a butler, or so we were told by the folks at the ubiquitous gift shop. In fact, I may have seen him walking ahead of me as we were going around the publi

As we didn't have to leave for the airport until 2:15, I decided that I would pay to go inside the Cathedral and the Almudaina Palace. Richard took the opportunity to sketch some more. Here are three that he has allowed me to share ;) I really like the last one, of the Cathedral. Speaking of the Cathedral, it really is quite spectacular. I have noticed that instructions about whether cameras can be used or not are confusing. Although there is a sign with a bar through a camera and a cellphone, no one stops you from using your phone to take photos. I asked someone at the Palace and they said they only object to flash photography. So I was able to take photos to my heart's content. So, the end of our lovely holiday in Palma, in pictures: Across from the Cathedral is the Almudaina Palace. This is still the official "residence" when King Felipe comes over to Mallorca. The Palace is full of amazing, h