Waterford - Cahir - Cork

Hard to believe we're already in Cork. The days are flying by and I'll be home before I know it! Booo.

This morning we left Kilkenny headed to Cork. Along the way we stopped at Waterford and Cahir.

Waterford is what you think it is, the home of Waterford crystal. I'm not a huge crystal fan - just something else to break - but to see how they made it - by hand I might add - and the process they go through is amazing. Super interesting and informative. I didn't think the place we were going was where they actually manufactured it, but it was. And the mass majority of what they do is by hand. There is some automation, but mostly it's by hand. We had a great tour through the factory and then had about 45 minutes to wander around Waterford.

After we headed to the town of Cahir (pronounced Care). We had a bite to eat at this little place called the Lava Rock. I had a chicken finger sandwich that was to die for. Not only was it HUGE, but I found myself eating the sandwich keeping the lettuce, tomato and cucumber on it. Odd for me. But the combination of that, some garlic aoili and some balsamic glaze on the chicken was to....die...for.

After lunch and a potty break, we toured the Cahir Castle. The castle is strategically placed on a hill above the Suir river - which I found swans and white geese in. Its made of limestone and was built sometime in the 12th century. Even typing that I'm amazed it's still standing. It wasn't nearly as big as I thought it'd be.

Tomorrow we're heading to Cobh (pronounced Cove) and then a lunch with an Irish family. Little did we know that it's expected to bring some small gift as a token of thank you. So Janet and I headed out after dinner tonight to a local grocery store.  The wind was blowing so hard...and the rain was coming down sideways. At one point Janet said, "I was just passed by a leaf." Crazy.

While in the grocery store we looked around to see what they sell. Always fun to see inside a grocery store in a foreign country. We found these chips called Bacon Streaks. Don't' believe me?