Cobh - A Beautiful Seaport Town, Co. Cork, Ireland

Cobh (pronounced as Cove), a colorful Irish port town on the south coast of Ireland and is only half an hour away from Cork city center. Briefly from 1849 - 1920, Cobh was called Queenstown to commemorate Queen Victoria's visit to Ireland. After independence from England, its name is changed to Cobh (Cove in Irish). This town played a very important role as an emigration hub in Ireland's history.

Cobh Heritage Center - The Irish Emigration Story: Heritage Center has many emigration stories to tell.  Between 1850 - 1950 over 2.5 million Irish emigrated from Cobh port to Australia, USA, Argentina, Brazil in search of better lives. Under British rule, many convicts were transported as forced labor to the West Indies and many other colonies in sailboats. Cobh Heritage Center depicts the dire conditions under which Irish traveled and hardships endured by them to reach faraway places in search of a better life. The sinking of Titanic and Lusitania was the major wreckage Cobh had seen. Cobh was the Titanic's last port of call where 123 passengers boarded the ship. A section of exhibits is dedicated to Titanic and the passengers that boarded Titanic in Cobh.

"Forgotten Irish" @ The Heritage Center

Servia Model

Annie Moore Monument:

Annie Moore With Her Two Brothers

The Statue of Annie Moore and her two brothers is at the cruise ship dock on the quay. Annie Moore and her two brothers sailed on SSNevada from Cobh to New York on Dec 20th, 1891. They reached New York on Jan 1st, 1892 and Annie Moore was the first immigrant to be processed on the newly opened immigration center in Ellis Island, USA. 

St. Coleman's Cathedral:

Alter - St. Coleman Cathedral, Cobh

St. Coleman's Cathedral stands tall overlooking Cobh's town center. It is hard to miss this beautifully detailed gothic structure. Walking uphill from the town center to the cathedral is a bit challenging. The Gothic exterior and interior architecture of the cathedral are beautiful. Entry is free and there are few free tours of the cathedral as well. Starting in 1868, this cathedral took 47 years to be built. Choirs from around the world perform their Recitals at this cathedral. The cathedral's organ has 2468 pipes is under renovation at present. The light filtered through the beautiful stain glass windows around the cathedral is a feast for the eyes.

Organ @ The St. Coleman's Cathedral

West View/ Stack of Deck:

Stack of Deck

A short walk from St. Coleman's Cathedral in West View, a beautiful row of century-old houses. The houses are stacked upon an impossibly steep hill. Apparently, each house is supported by the lower house and hence the name Stack of Deck.

Stroll Through The Town Center:

Cobh's beautiful town center has a good collection of restaurants, pubs, ice cream shops, and gift stores. Several walking tours start from the city center. However, the best views of Cobh city center are from the sea. Sailing, kayaking, and boat tours are available from the pier. Sonia O' Sullivan's bronze statue and Lusitania memorial are two quick stops on our stroll. During the time of the first world war, Lusitania was transporting passengers between Liverpool and New York. On its voyage back from New York, on May 7th, 1915, the liner was 16km away from Old Head of Kinsale when it was struck by a torpedo from the German U boat. Within 18 min, the ship sank killing 1198 people. Only 761 people were rescued. Cobh (then Queenstown) had to deal with the aftermath of the disaster. 

Colorful Cobh Town Center

John F Kennedy Memorial Park

However, my favorite thing to do is grab an ice cream from Scoops and head over to John F Kennedy memorial park. Relax and watch the boats passing by as kids let loose in the park's play area.

Titanic Memorial Garden:

The Memorial is a short walk away from the town center. A small yet colorful garden with beautiful views of Cobh harbor. It is the best place to enjoy some quiet time in the town. As a last Europian port town, Cobh has witnessed many traumatic shipwrecks in the past. Titanic was one of the shipwrecks with major casualties. 123 people boarded the Titanic in Cobh port on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York. Only 44 survived the Wreckage and reached New York.  This is a perfect place to pay homage to all the lives lost and reflect be thankful for the modern means of transport.  We skipped Titanic Cobh Experience on purpose as we are heading to Belfast and I am excited to visit Titanic Belfast.

Burren National Park, The Cliffs of Moher & Aran Islands, Co. Clare, Co. Galway, Ireland

Burren National Park: Burren comes from the Irish word 'Boíreann' meaning the rocky place and it appropriately suites the terrain. Burren National Park is 10 minutes away from Corofin village, County Clare but the terrain extends till Cliffs of Moher and to Aran Islands as well. This lunar-like landscape is out of this world. The National Park is 30 km to the East of Cliffs of Moher. But if you cannot make it this far, there are Burren mini-cliffs on the way to Doolin from Cliffs of Moher. 

Burren National Park

The National Park has several marked walking trails for the visitors to explore. The easiest of all with reasonably good views is the White Arrow Walking trail. Feel free to install the Burren app from the iTunes app store to help you through the trail. White Arrow Trail is a 1.5 km loop that passes through Ash/ Hazel woodland, on to limestone pavement, and ends in vast meadows with limestone mountains as a backdrop.

Burren Mountains - View From N67

If you are feeling a bit adventurous and have the stamina to hike these monstrous limestone mountains, there are many challenging trails like red /green /blue routes. Corofin is a very small and remote Irish village and Burren National park information center is in the village. There are no facilities in and around the national park as such. These humongous mountains can be viewed as you drive towards the cliffs or towards Galway on N67.

White Arrow Walking Trail  - Burren National Park

Burren Center which is different from Burren National Park is in Kilfenora and is often confused with Burren National Park. We drove towards Cliffs of Moher next and on the way dropped by at Vaughan's pub in Kilfenora which was an oasis. Tasty food and a glass of stout beer are all you could ask for after a strenuous hike in the National Park.

A Hearty Meal at Vaughns Pub, Kilfenora

The Cliffs of Moher - Cliff Walk

The Cliffs of Moher: The Cliffs of Moher is one of the popular destinations of Ireland. And there is a very good reason why it is so popular. Always plan a visit on a clear summer day. According to The Cliffs of Moher website, these cliffs were formed 319 million years ago and the highest point is 702 feet from the Atlantic Ocean. Feels like they have been around forever. One more reason not to miss these cliffs on your next visit to Ireland. Views were magnificent at sunset when the sunlight hits the cliffs. As you pass the visitor center, towards the right is O'Brien's Tower, and towards the left is the coastal cliff walk. Finish cliff walks first and then visit the tower later in the day. However, if you are planning to walk the 8km trail to Doolin, it starts from O'Brien's tower. 

The Stack - Up Close From Ferry Ride

Visiting the cliffs is never complete without taking a ferry ride. Cliffs of Moher ferries leave from Doolin regularly. We booked Aran Island and Cliffs of Moher cruise combination from doolin2aranferries. If you are short on time, there are a one hour Cliffs of Moher cruise too. I enjoyed the cruise much more than the cliff walk. Read my full post on Cliffs of Moher here.

After the cliffs, the night stop was at Kinvara village and then to Aran Islands the next day.

Aran Islands:

The Aran name is well known and often associated with Aran woolen wear. Aran Islands is a cluster of 3 rocky islands Inishmore (Ínís Mór), Inishmaan (Ínís Meáín) and Inisheer (Ínís Oírr) to the west of Cliffs of Moher.  The largest and more popular of all is Inishmore. Irish is still spoken widely by the inhabitants of these islands. Ferries from Doolin and Galway take visitors to these islands regularly. During the summer months, these islands are full of visitors from all over the world. All three islands have B&Bs, gift shops, restaurants, and the Aran sweater market. But pack a lot of food as the restaurants are clustered in the main areas.

Dún Aonghasa - Cliff Edge, Inishmore

All these three islands are rocky and mostly barren except for the moss and grass. It takes around an hour of the ferry ride from Doolin to Inishmore. We visited Inishmore as it had many places to visit. Even though Island can be visited in a day, staying overnight would give enough time to explore the island properly. Once on the island, visitors have a choice to explore the island on foot / by bicycle / by horse-drawn carriage or by a tourist van. 

Stone Walls In The Island - Inishmore

As we walked out of the ferry, tour vas was available for hire. We visited in the summer months of July. With scorching heat and 2 kids, hiring a van was a no-brainer. The tour of the island cost around 10€ per person. Our tour guide, who also happened to be a native of that island, gave an in-depth tour of the island and we got to hear him talk in Irish as well. 

Stone Walls - Inishmore

Island dwelling, especially in the remote parts and with harsh weather is not an easy task. Even the basic goods are hard to come by and critical medical care becomes a luxury. Man of Aran was filmed on this island. It is a fictional documentary filmed in 1934 depicting the hardships of daily routines like fishing, farming on the Aran Islands. Our guide pointed out all the filming locations and advised us to watch the movie.

The Seven Churches - Inishmore

Inishmore is famous for its ancient stone forts and churches. Seven churches are one of the prominent sites and ancient ruins of churches. The churchyard has graves of several families that live on the island. Whichever island you choose to visit, they all have beautiful beaches to spend an afternoon in.

Kilmurvey Beach - Inishmore

The most impressive stone fort in Inishmore is Dún Aonghasa. Perched on the edge of a cliff, is an 1100 BC fort with stunning views and equally dangerous cliffs. This is the only fort with an on-site visitor center. 1km hike to the top of the hill is quite challenging. The path was rocky, slippery, and steep. The rocky cliffs are quite dramatic with a 100ft drop into the Atlantic.  

100 ft Plunge Into The Atlantic Ocean - Dún Aonghasa, Inishmore

Hike Up The Hill - Dún Aonghasa, Inishmore

There are no barriers and visitors can go to the very edge of the cliff. Strong winds make it even more dangerous. According to many tourists, the best way to see is lie flat on your tummy and get a good view. The views are to die for. I overheard a visitor joking about Irish sending their kids to the cliff and only the brightest return. 

Cliff Edge & Beautiful Views, Inishmore

Inisheer is the smallest of all three islands and popular after Inishmore. It is an outcrop of the Burren landscape with abundant flora and fauna. It is a heaven for bird lovers. With some of the best beaches, this island attracts an equally large number of tourists. The famous places of interest are O'Brien's castle, The Plassey shipwreck, Inish Oirr lighthouse, and beautiful beaches. Don't worry if you can't visit the island in a single visit. You can see Plassey Shipwreck, beaches, and the castle from the ferry. 

O' Brien Castle & Beach - Inisheer

Golkonda Fort, Hyderabad, Telangana, India

Golkonda Fort is in the south Indian city of Hyderabad, Telangana. Built by Kakathiya Dynasty in the 12th century, this fort was under the rulers of Musunuri Nayaks, Bahamani Sultan, Qutb Shahi Dynasty, and was finally conquered by the Moghul Empire in the 17th century. Many famous diamonds like Koh-i-Noor, Hope Diamond were excavated from the mines surrounding Golkonda.

Fort Gardens

Even though it just ruins that remain today, the architecture of the main fort is still intact. The stone perimeter walls of the fort are around 15 feet high and are still standing strong. The thick cast-iron gates with pointed spikes on top were supposed to protect the fort from enemy attack. These gates and entryways became an integral part of modern roads.

Archways Inside The Fort

The architecture and acoustics of the fort are admirable. The clapping at the front portico can be heard from Darbar Hall, which is the highest point of the inner fort and is 1 km away. 

Walkways Inside The Fort

Summer days can get very hot in Hyderabad and won't be comfortable for a hike. It is better to plan the trip on a relatively mild day. Tour is self-guided but still, hiring a guide is always a good idea as they tend to know better.

Rani Mahal

It can easily take 4 hours to climb up the hill, visit all the places in the fort and climb down. Entry fee varies for Indians and foreigners. Indian citizens pay a minimal entry fee while people from other countries end up paying 10 times more. Purchase tickets for sound & light show if you can. It is a spectacular show to sit back and relax. The influence of Hindu and Muslim architecture is quite evident.  

Rani Mahal

Ramadas' prison is a popular site along with Akkanna and Madanna offices. Wikipedia has the full story of Ramadas. 

The Fort

Climbing down the hill was equally challenging. Over the years, this fort had seen heavy foot traffic. The smooth and slippery granite stairs are evidence of several visitors to this place. Enjoy the architectural details on the fort walls, the intricacy of fort structure, and beautiful views from up top.  

View From Above

Fort Walls

The Cliffs of Moher, Co. Clare, Ireland

Cliffs of Moher

Cliffs of Moher is one of the popular destinations of Ireland. And there is a very good reason why it is so popular. Always plan a visit on a clear summer day. According to The Cliffs of Moher website, these cliffs were formed 319 million years ago and the highest point is 702 feet from the Atlantic Ocean. Feels like they have been around forever. One more reason not to miss these cliffs on your next visit to Ireland.

                     

I personally prefer driving my own car rather than visiting on tour buses. As you enter the car park, you pay 8€ per person. Cliff's entrance is to the other side of the parking lot. The visitor center has plenty of craft stores, gift stores, and cafes. We stopped at a stall of handmade wire necklaces. For 10€, the artist proficiently bent wire in the shape of letters we asked for and added small clover leaves at both ends. But hey, it was custom made. The visitor center is neatly tucked underground and looks like it is part of the Cliffs. But the facilities inside are current. The delicately yet thoughtfully carved Cliffs of Moher Experience wooden sculpture outside the visitor center says it all.

O'Brien's Tower

As you pass the visitor center, towards the right is O'Brien's Tower, and towards the left is the coastal cliff walk. Walking to O'Brien's tower is a bit of an uphill. Be prepared to climb a few stairs but the path is paved and not very hard to walk. Cliff's views from O'Brien's tower were amazing. Admission to the tower itself is additional but not necessary. Views were magnificent at sunset when the sunlight hits the cliffs. Finish cliff walks first and visits the tower later in the day. However, if you are planning to walk the 8km trail to Doolin, it starts from O'Brien's tower.

Regular Summer Noon @ O'Brien's Tower

To the left of the visitor center is the coastal cliff walk. Cliff walks stretch from Liscannor (a village south of cliffs) to Doolin (a village north of cliffs) for around 20km or they can be as short as you want them to be.  Cliffs of Moher Visitor center is in the middle of Liscannor and Doolin. Best views of The Stack and O'Brein's tower can be seen from the coastal cliff walk towards Liscannor.  The cliff walk has two paths. The designated path has fields to it's left and stone wall to it's right. Guarding against the fall. Whereas, the undesignated path is open to the elements.

Magnificent Views

Most tourists choose an undesignated path because of the beautiful views which can be missed otherwise. This path is not for the faint of the heart. Winds can be very strong based on the weather and there were few landslides in recent years. While enjoying the views, pay close attention to your path as well.

Cliffs Coastal Trail

Visiting the cliffs is never complete without taking a ferry ride. Cliffs of Moher ferries leave from Doolin regularly. We booked Aran Island and Cliffs of Moher cruise combination from doolin2aranferries.com. If you are short on time, there is a one hour Cliffs of Moher cruise too. I enjoyed the cruise much more than the cliff walk. 

Beautiful Views From Coastal Trail

On our way back to Doolin from Aran Islands which I will cover in another post, we took Cliffs of Moher cruise. The ferry ride covers all beautiful views that the cliff walk falls short of. These cliff formations can never be seen from the cliff walk alone.

Cliffs - Up Close and Personal

The stack, which looks like a stack of rock from above, houses thousands of birds. These birds managed to comfortably nest between the layers of rock. Apparently, Cliffs of Moher holds the largest mainland colony of puffins. With the waves splashing, cool sea breeze touching your skin, and birds chirping around you,  this is an experience never to be missed.

The Stack - Up Close

A sea arch under Stag Head, The Stack, and magnificent cliffs can be viewed up close from a ferry ride.

Breathtaking Views

Howth Village And Cliff Walk, Dublin Co., Ireland

Howth Yacht Club Marina

Howth is a charming village half an hour away from Dublin. A short trip to Howth village is a perfect way to spend an afternoon. DART ride is the easiest way to reach the Howth village. However, a car is a good choice too.

Howth Village: Howth village is a cute little fishing village very near to Dublin airport. As soon as we arrived in Dublin, we drove directly to the Howth village. There is no point in wasting time elsewhere when the sky was clear and the sun was shining brightly. I fell in love with this charming village right away. Nothing can challenge its beautiful views, utterly delightful shops, and the best marina walk.  

Howth Marina Walk

The village has plenty of coffee shops, eateries, and taverns. There are a couple of golf courses in the Howth peninsular as well.  Also, a few small beaches to relax on a summer afternoon. Claremont beach is right next to the DART station and is easily accessible. The Balscadden bay beach is next to the marina walk and very good for rock pooling. As we relaxed on the beach, local kids geared up with the buckets and shovels in search of coastal treasures. Rock pooling in Balscadden beach is famous among locals.

Howth Lighthouse

Ireland's Eye: Ireland's Eye Ferries operate from Howth to Ireland's Eye almost every day from 10:30 - 5 PM. There is an option to just go around the island or land on the Island. Landing on the island might not be a possible option for everyone. We took a short 10 min. boat ride around the island. With amazing landscapes, beautiful birds, and a seal or two, Ireland's Eye boat trip was worth the visit.

Ireland's Eye

Howth Cliff Walk: Mesmerized by the charming Howth village, we decided to walk from the village center to the cliff walk trail in anticipation of beautiful views. The walk was long and steep. To our disappointment, most of the beautiful views were blocked by houses and high compound walls.

Howth Cliff Walk

Driving till the start of the cliff walk is the best option as you would save energy for the cliff walk itself. Plenty of free parking is available at the start of the trail. There is no paved path for the cliff walk. Nevertheless, the views from the top of the cliff were beautiful. Catch a glimpse of Ireland's Eye, lighthouse and beautiful Celtic sea from the top.

Butlers Chocolate Experience, Coolock, Co. Dublin, Ireland.

Butlers Chocolate Experience

If you are planning a trip to the chocolate factory, book the tickets for the morning tour between Monday - Friday. If you are considering touring the facility on a weekend, save your self some money and skip it. During my planning, the first thing I did was to buy Butler Chocolate Experience tickets. Being a chocolate enthusiast, and traveling with young kids, this was my first choice of things to do in Dublin. As I was trying to squeeze in a lot of activities, I had to schedule the tour on a weekend and it was a disappointment. Tour started right on time. All the guests were supplied with a white coat and hairnet. On weekends, tours would be along with a bunch of kids celebrating birthday parties. 

Decorated Elephants

The tour started with a short introduction video to chocolate. Kids enjoyed the samples before and after the video. The tour group was divided into half. One half visited the factory while the other half spent time in the museum. Museum had information about chocolate, and Butler's history and some fun things for kids. The major disappointment was the factory tour itself. There was absolutely no production on weekends. So you won't find even a single person on the factory floor and all the machinery was completely shut off. All you can see is videos of chocolate manufacturing on an average-sized TV screen. When our tour guide, who was otherwise amazing, asked us to use our imagination and understand how the factory works, I didn't know whether to laugh or to cry! Maybe that is why it is called Butlers Chocolate Experience instead of Butlers Chocolate Factory Tour.

Chocolate Samples From The Tour

Our tour ended with decorating hollow elephant-shaped chocolate. Guide gave a brief demonstration of how it was made. All guests, get to decorate their hollow elephant (Easter bunny, Santa for Christmas, bear, etc based on the time you visit). Nice packaging was provided along with the chocolate. Overall, it was a pleasant experience. However, It would have been ideal to visit the factory while it was operational. If you like to buy more chocolate, the ćafe has an exceptional collection.

Chocolate History