Ireland - 3rd entry
Aug. 3rd, 2009 12:39 amNowadays when we're in Ireland, staying in a cottage somewhere we're never really out of civilization, but let's just say making holidays this way is a bit on the less touristic side. Now... if you visit a place like Newgrange you sort of have to mentally prepare yourself to get into the *flood of tourists*, good and bad.
So... while I LOVE these sites, I visit them over and over again, on the other hand you have no chance to spend some quality time there. You visit them and you've about 40 minutes to stay at each site - includes a guided tour where you're in a group. You're always given a tiny bit of time to explore for yourself, but yeah... it's not the same.
That's why I treasure visiting lesser known sites such as Loughcrew, Drombeg, Carrowmore, Knocknarea, etc.
And on Tara many tourists get bored as for them there's *not enough to see* and even if they stroll a bit further you can still escape them by just... walking even further away. LOL
We went to Knowth and Newgrange in the Boyne Valley together with my penpal Evelyn who's Irish and who I met up with. Yey! :D
And we were lucky not to be in too bad tourist groups. Sometimes some are really awful but there most people were nice and actually interested which is always a plus. We also had very good guides.
It was strange standing inside Newgrange again - it brought back memories of having been there for the Winter Solstice last year. THE memories. You remember mum had won us 2 places to spend the morning inside Newgrange to welcome the Sun? I just couldn't help and grinned like a looney while we were inside Newgrange now again. LOL
Later that evening we also visited Tara - and spent some real quality time there. :) Quality time for pagans and witches that is. :)
I can highly recommend going there in the very late afternoon or evening.
Maybe not on Samhain. I'm not sure what's going on there in the late hours. ;)
Here's a link to a FAB webpage:
http://www.mythicalireland.com/ancientsites/
Telling about Newgrange, Knowth and all the other Irish sites!
Questions? Ask. :)