Aug 2 2017
Well, we did it again. After failing to update our host with breakfast preferences, another Irish Fry promptly appeared before us as soon as we sat down. I managed to sneak my sausages and one of my “rashers” over onto Mitchell’s plate when nobody was looking.
Due to scenic-route-exhaustion, we took the motorway straight to Cork today and were so early that we drove straight through to Midleton to go to the distillery where they make my favourite Irish Whiskey, Redbreast. We followed google maps to Midleton Distillery and ended up at the actual production facility, which is not the place where they conduct tours. A couple of cute young Irish guys in worker vests set us straight, so we backed tracked only to find out, to my great disappointment, that it’s NOT the “Midleton Distillery” at all, it’s actually the “Jameson Experience”. Whaaa??? Jameson is decidedly not my favourite and I was a little startled to discover that they, in fact, are the makers of Redbreast. Damn!
After some humming and hawing, we decided what the hell and bought tour tickets anyway. And turns out the tour was wonderful! Our guide was a cheeky Jewish Irish girl with a great sense of humour. There’s a very large water wheel on site that wasn’t turning, and she explained to us that this was because Ireland has a very special event for 2 weeks out of every year when the water level is too low to turn the wheel, and this very special event is called “summer”. Hilarious! Even more hilarious is that the weather we’re getting is what they’re calling summer.
At the end of the tour, I quickly volunteered to be one of 8 tasters who would be asked to compare the difference between the top selling Irish Whiskey (Jameson), Scotch (Johnnie Walker) and Bourbon (Jack Daniel’s). In a nutshell, and in order, they were smooth and caramel-y, hot and peaty, sweet and woody. Of course, I’m taste-adjusted to prefer the Irish. The tour also entitled us to one complimentary glass of the Jameson’s which Mitchell downed with ginger ale. I’m not actually sure we are preparing him in the best way for heading off to University …
The rest of the day was spent in the city of Cork. After we checked in to our B&B (bedroom on the 3rd floor, hauling our suitcases up the stairs reminded me of our stay in Florence), we wandered around downtown. We visited a very lovely old church, St. Fin Barre’s cathedral, built in the late 1800’s. There was a very cool meditation path in back of the church which I would love to have in my yard. Mitchell walked the path and just watching him walk it was kind of zen and relaxing.
We were fortunate to meet up with Dave, Sofia, Andi and the boys for dinner at a pub where we drank more beer than usual (!!) and got caught up on each others’ activities. Tomorrow we head to Blarney Castle and they are off to Greece!
Great hat Mitchel.
The path is a labarinth. There is one at UBC
Excellent, thank you, I did not know that! I’ll have to check it out.