EUROPE 2008: INDEX

EUROPE 2008, May 18 to June 27.
CLICK HERE

• MAPS. CLICK HERE

WEEK 1: May 19 to May 25. CLICK HERE

• VOLVO. CLICK HERE
• COPENHAGEN. CLICK HERE
• HOLLAND. CLICK HERE
• AMSTERDAM. CLICK HERE

WEEK 2: May 26 to June 1. CLICK HERE

• BRUGES, BELGIUM. CLICK HERE
• LONDON. CLICK HERE
• FRANCE. CLICK HERE
• PARIS. CLICK HERE
• RHINE RIVER. CLICK HERE

WEEK 3: June 2 to June 8. CLICK HERE

• COLMAR. CLICK HERE
• FRENCH NATIONAL RAILROAD MUSEUM. CLICK HERE
• FRENCH NATIONAL AUTOMOBILE MUSUEM. CLICK HERE
• SWITZERLAND. CLICK HERE
• ALPS. CLICK HERE
• BERN. CLICK HERE
• ITALY. CLICK HERE
• VENICE. CLICK HERE

WEEK 4: June 9 to June 15. CLICK HERE

• AUSTRIA. CLICK HERE
• GERMANY. CLICK HERE
• MERCEDES BENZ MUSEUM. CLICK HERE
• ROTHENBURG. CLICK HERE
• BERLIN. CLICK HERE

WEEK 5: June 16 to June 22. CLICK HERE

• DENMARK. CLICK HERE
• NORWAY. CLICK HERE
• OSLO. CLICK HERE

WEEK 6: June 23 to June 28. CLICK HERE

• SWEDEN. CLICK HERE
• TUSENFRYD AMUSEMENT PARK. CLICK HERE
• LISEBERG AMUSEMENT PARK CLICK HERE
  

Ireland 2009 Map of the Tour.

Ireland 2009 Map of the Tour.

Ireland 2009 Blog INDEX

Index to Ireland 2009 blog postings.
Click on the links below to view pictures grouped by categories.

IRELAND 2009, ALL POSTINGS
JUNE 07, 2009. DAY 01.
JUNE 08, 2009. DAY 02.
JUNE 09, 2009. DAY 03.
JUNE 10, 2009, DAY 04.
JUNE 11, 2009, DAY 05.
JUNE 12, 2009, DAY 06.
JUNE 13, 2009, DAY 07.
JUNE 14, 2009, DAY 08.
JUNE 15, 2009, DAY 09.
JUNE 16, 2009, DAY 10.
JUNE 17, 2009, DAY 11.
JUNE 18, 2009, DAY 12.
JUNE 19, 2009, DAY 13.

LIMERICK CONTEST.
VIDEOS, ALL.
MAPS, ALL.

Ireland 2009 Group Photo.

A great bunch of tourists!!!
Group photo by TOM.

LIMERICK CONTEST

To keep us entertained, Leader Pat would have contests while we were on the bus. One day we had a Limerick contest. We all voted Marcia's Limerick as the best. Here are the 15 entries received in alphabetical order following Marcia's two entries. Thanks be to Gail for transcribing them for us.

Click on any image to view a larger version.

MARCIA'S WINNING LIMERICK

Marcia's Limerick, voted best by popular vote by all of us who were awake on the bus. Thank you Gail for the fancy calligraphy. The rest of the Limericks were reproduced by me pushing all the right buttons (most of the time).

Return to Index.

June 19, 2009: PORTRUSH to DUBLIN.

Today, our last travel day, we drive from Portrush & return to Dublin. Being our longest drive of this trip, we have limited time to stop. We stopped in Belfast for lunch & to see the sites. Later, we stopped at the old monastic site, Monasterboice to see some more old relics from Irelands long ago past.

Click on any image to view a larger version.

June 19, 2009 Map

June 19, 2009, Map.

Our longest & last day on the bus.

June 19, 2009: Belfast.

Our first "photo op" in Belfast.
The Queen's University Student Union building to make a "Pit Stop".
I hope the Queen doesn't mind if we use her "Loo"!

Belfast.
The "PEACE WALL".

Like Derry, the city of Belfast had it's share of political unrest during the 60's & 70's. We toured the Catholic & Protestant areas, which are still divided by a wall with large metal gates. In these areas we saw various murals & monuments dedicated to this struggle.

Belfast brick row houses.

Belfast in the rain.
Glen, John, Marcia & Jo Ann.

Belfast.
Sinn Fein office.

The Belfast Wheel.

Belfast.
City Hall.

Belfast.
City Centre.

Belfast.
Victoria Square shopping centre.

The last bus ride in Ireland. Portrush to Dublin, the longest drive of our Ireland tour.

See the VIDEO below: "The Last Irish Bus Ride"

June 19, 2009: Monasterboice

Monasterboice.
A monastery was established her in the 6th Century. The oldest 10th Century monuments here are the three high crosses & the tower.

Monasterboice.

Monasterboice

June 19, 2009: Ireland in 14 wonderful days!

Our last bus ride brought as back to the Harding Hotel in Dublin. After moving our luggage & settling into our rooms, we gathered in the lobby & went to have our last group meal. 14 days previous, we had a similar group meal. Our first. At that time we were strangers. At this last meal, I was aware that we were no longer strangers. It's been a wonderful journey with wonderful touring companions. Like everyone else here, I had to leave for home. I'll miss you all.

VIDEO: 14 DAY FAMILY.

VIDEO
14 DAY FAMILY

A replica of a "Coffin Ship", Liffey River, Dublin.

After our group meal I walked down the Liffey River with Chris to look at the tall ships that we spotted from the bus ride into Dublin. The next day, four of us (myself, Pat, Becky & Chris) shared a cab to the Dublin airport. I flew home with no problems.

This time, I didn't lose my camera!

Dublin. New building on the river front.