The Blarney Stone

Since I last updated I have been to Kilkenny, which is a great city, Waterford (just for the day. I went to the crystal factory. It was pretty fabulous), and now Cork. I'm now checked out of my hostel, so I've been left to roam the streets/use cheap internet, until I go to the airport and fly to London.

Yesterday I made my pilgrimage to Blarney, where I kissed the famous stone. It's a lot harder than in sounds. First of all, it was raining quite a bit, so before I even got to Blarney I was soaking wet. Secondly, the castle is really scary. It's not really in the greatest condition, and where the Blarney stone is located is even worse. "Pilgrims" must lie on the ground, and then grab on to bars while a man, who I assume works for the castle, pushes the "pilgrims" over the ledge and toward the stone. I'm slightly afraid of heights, so it was particularly terrifying for me, but who really likes leaning backwards over the edge of an 800-year-old castle?


Here is yours truly demonstrating how it is done.


And here is the castle. If you look straight up, the open part with the bars is exactly what I was leaning over. I guess it's safe, but it was still scary.

Regardless, it's over now, and I can officially say that I have kissed the Blarney stone. Whether or not I'll be able to say that with a new found eloquence, we'll have to wait and see.