So, in case you missed the theme of that last post, let me reiterate: we absolutely LOVED Galway and would go back in a second. Just sayin’.
But next was Cork.
We arrived there via a pleasant stop for breakfast in Limerick. Their social media doesn’t hype it, but Café Rosé definitely leans Turkish, evident in their menu and in their staff. We enjoyed our first Turkish coffees since a visit to see my Dad in Kumlubük a few weeks before his death, and the Turkish eggs killed. Perfectly poached eggs over a bed of garlicky yogurt in a bath of olive oil and red pepper flakes. Yeah, poached eggs over yogurt. Brilliant.
The Moxy in Cork let us check in early, so with an appointment at Jameson/Midleton Distillery late the next morning, that gave us 21 hours to make the best of it.
First, that orientation walk I’ve previously mentioned, which brought us to
St. Anne’s Church, where unfortunately the renowned Bell Tower was closed for renovations, though we did learn about the 11-foot long golden salmon “Goldie” atop the church’s steeple, a symbol of both the early Christian Church and also the importance of salmon fishing in Cork’s River Lee.
St. Anne’s Church, where unfortunately the renowned Bell Tower was closed for renovations, though we did learn about the 11-foot long golden salmon “Goldie” atop the church’s steeple, a symbol of both the early Christian Church and also the importance of salmon fishing in Cork’s River Lee.
The Fransican Well Brewery, nestled in a 13th-century Franciscan monastery. Decent beer, cool venue, on-site Pompeii Pizza.
The Fransican Well Brewery, nestled in a 13th-century Franciscan monastery. Decent beer, cool venue, on-site Pompeii Pizza.
Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral, the site dating back to the 7th century A.D. with various demolitions and rebuilds, the last beginning construction in 1863, designed by let’s-build-a-new-church contest winner, Willian Burges. Gothically gorgeous on the outside; wish we’d had time to see the inside.
Saint Fin Barre’s Cathedral, the site dating back to the 7th century A.D. with various demolitions and rebuilds, the last beginning construction in 1863, designed by let’s-build-a-new-church contest winner, Willian Burges. Gothically gorgeous on the outside; wish we’d had time to see the inside.
Elizabeth Fort. We arrived too late to partake in the free wall walk, but built up a thirst exploring the outside perimeter.
And we finished at the Oval Bar, designed by the Beamish and Crawford Brewery, and featuring a dark and busy interior, live music, and a crowded outside patio, the western terminus of the Oliver Plunkett Street pedestrianized nightlife corridor, as we enjoyed in Galway’s West End.
And we finished at the Oval Bar, designed by the Beamish and Crawford Brewery, and featuring a dark and busy interior, live music, and a crowded outside patio, the western terminus of the Oliver Plunkett Street pedestrianized nightlife corridor, as we enjoyed in Galway’s West End.
Elbow Lane Brew & Smoke House
On the recommendation of the Oval’s bartender, we extended our walk several blocks east for an outstanding meal at Elbow Lane Brew & Smoke House.
We lucked out again, and they were able to seat us at a two-top just inside the entrance and next to the bar, which granted us an optimal viewpoint of both the bartenders crafting their libations and the chefs conjuring up their concoctions on an oversized wood-fired grill. Bricked into the open kitchen wall, the cook space is a blackened mash-up of pizza oven and Argentinian Asado. And my oh my, did it ever produce.
Gunpowder almonds; deep fried pork belly with fish sauce caramel, chili & peanut crunch (photo, center right); wood grilled ribeye with smoked cascade butter; and slow grilled lamb rump with purple sprouting broccoli, smoked tomato, salsa verde, & jus. For dessert we doubled up with burnt honey & bourbon ice-cream, pecan, sesame & Korean chilli brittle; and malt chocolate mousse, toffee amaranth, and meadowsweet marshmallow (photo bottom left). And Nancy sipped planteray dark rum, white cacao, Frangelico, egg yolk, and salt, (photo, bottom right)) while I indulged in Redbreast 12 with a solitary rock. Truly a glorious meal.
Elbow Lane Brew & Smoke House
On the recommendation of the Oval’s bartender, we extended our walk several blocks east for an outstanding meal at Elbow Lane Brew & Smoke House.
We lucked out again, and they were able to seat us at a two-top just inside the entrance and next to the bar, which granted us an optimal viewpoint of both the bartenders crafting their libations and the chefs conjuring up their concoctions on an oversized wood-fired grill. Bricked into the open kitchen wall, the cook space is a blackened mash-up of pizza oven and Argentinian Asado. And my oh my, did it ever produce.
Gunpowder almonds; deep fried pork belly with fish sauce caramel, chili & peanut crunch (photo, center right); wood grilled ribeye with smoked cascade butter; and slow grilled lamb rump with purple sprouting broccoli, smoked tomato, salsa verde, & jus. For dessert we doubled up with burnt honey & bourbon ice-cream, pecan, sesame & Korean chilli brittle; and malt chocolate mousse, toffee amaranth, and meadowsweet marshmallow (photo bottom left). And Nancy sipped planteray dark rum, white cacao, Frangelico, egg yolk, and salt, (photo, bottom right)) while I indulged in Redbreast 12 with a solitary rock. Truly a glorious meal.
We woke up early to walk across the River Lee to explore the English Market. Not quite as expansive as we’d hoped, and clearly catering to commercial customers – restaurants and such – but plenty of local meat, seafood, and produce vendors; and the baked goods team impressed. As did the olive purveyor. If we lived in Cork, we’d surely shop there at least once a week.
On our Oliver Plunkett stroll the night before we’d pegged a legit breakfast option and walked a block to the Dulce Bun House for hot porridge with various fruits, honey, walnuts, and peanut butter!! and a tomato & peppers omelette with croissant and profiteroles on the side.
We woke up early to walk across the River Lee to explore the English Market. Not quite as expansive as we’d hoped, and clearly catering to commercial customers – restaurants and such – but plenty of local meat, seafood, and produce vendors; and the baked goods vendor impressed.
On our Oliver Plunkett stroll the night before we’d pegged a legit breakfast option and walked a block to the Dulce Bun House for hot porridge with various fruits, honey, walnuts, and peanut butter!! and a tomato & peppers omelette with croissant and profiteroles on the side.
Jameson Midleton Whiskey Experience
And then came our very reason for the side trip to Cork: the Jameson Midleton Distillery Experience. Now, you’ve got to understand, we’ve done plenty of distillery tours before. And breweries. So, we already knew the basics going in. But this was unquestionably different. First of all, Jameson is almost 250 years old. That’s a quarter of a millennium. And they are by far the best selling Irish whiskey producer in the world. And every drop of Jameson is distilled there in Cork. As are their other five whiskey brands: Midleton, Powers, Redbreast, Spot Whiskeys, and their experimental shop, Method and Madness.
So, our guide named Evarose was everything you’d want in an Irish distillery guide: cute as a button, whip smart, with a cool sense of humor, and an Irish accent that was both perfectly articulate, but lilted with Gaelic spice and caramel notes. The tour itself was truly gawkable. A mix of snug and cozy nooks jammed with levers and cranks and dials and pipes, and then huge and centuries-old chambers with cathedral ceilings and gleaming copper vessels or malt grain drying tiles. (That’s the kiln room in the throwback photo to begin this post.)
Every room was perfectly appointed with carefully placed lights and informational plaques, and all the while Evarose filled our brains with legitimately interesting factoids and contextual history. We loved everything about it. And the triple whiskey sampler at the end brought perfect closure.
Jameson Midleton Whiskey Experience
And then came our very reason for the side trip to Cork: the Jameson Midleton Distillery Experience. Now, you’ve got to understand, we’ve done plenty of distillery tours before. And breweries. So, we already knew the basics going in. But this was unquestionably different. First of all, Jameson is almost 250 years old. That’s a quarter of a millennium. And they are by far the best selling Irish whiskey producer in the world. And every drop of Jameson is distilled there in Cork. As are their other five whiskey brands: Midleton, Powers, Redbreast, Spot Whiskeys, and their experimental shop, Method and Madness.
So, our guide named Evarose was everything you’d want in an Irish distillery guide: cute as a button, whip smart, with a cool sense of humor, and an Irish accent that was both perfectly articulate, but lilted with Gaelic spice and caramel notes. The tour itself was truly gawkable. A mix of snug and cozy nooks jammed with levers and cranks and dials and pipes, and then huge and centuries-old chambers with cathedral ceilings and gleaming copper vessels or malt grain drying tiles. (That’s the kiln room in the throwback photo to begin this post.)
Every room was perfectly appointed with carefully placed lights and informational plaques, and all the while Evarose filled our brains with legitimately interesting factoids and contextual history. We loved everything about it. And the triple whiskey sampler at the end brought perfect closure.
After our whiskey experience we headed for Kilkenny in hope of exploring a legitimate Irish castle, but those hopes were dashed in the insane traffic clogging every road into that city. So, we rerouted and made our way to Dublin, where – surprise, surprise – the entire metropolis was garbed in the colors of Counties Kerry and Donegal, in town for the Final of the GAA Gaelic Football League.
But that’s another story.
We’ll be in touch.
Drank a Punk IPA on the top of a hotel in Bangkok!
Indeed, they are everywhere!
I would still be walking from the Firenze train station to your first airbnb!!!!
I’m sooo sorry you had to suffer through the gelato tastings to find the One. Somebody had to do it!
I totally agree about the sangiovese grape. One of my favorite wines is a Super Tuscan. Mainly made with indigenous grapes blended with non-indigenous vines like Cab Sauv and merlot. One of the top wines in the world! And a bargain price.
In Nancy and your honor, I made a Tuscan chicken dish the other day. Except it didn’t look like the food you pictured….and didn’t taste like it, I’m sure!
Enjoying your trip with you!
Hey Jim, love that you’re following along, and appreciate your comments. The Tuscan wines are truly a joy, though we did enjoy a Puglian red this evening while in Vieste. Awesome town. You’d love it!! A festival tonight with music or comedy every night a stone’s throw away.
Ah, the Pantheon, one of my favorite buildings, especially considering its age.
Yes, we’ll be back in Florence in Wednesday and Thursday next week. We’ll tour the Pantheon then.
Okay! I will have the house tagliere board for two! For myself! And 2 glasses of wine??? You can’t fool me.
Just read an article about the area where Nancy’s family lived. An area known for its unique buildings with a purpose to evade taxes!
Trullo buildings in Alberobello! Also, now B and B’s. May your safe journeys continue!
Ahh, the Trulli of Alberobello. We won’t be lodging in one, but plan to spend a morning or afternoon visiting Alberobello. Thanks again for your comments, Jim. We head to Montecino and Montepulciano today. Puglia in a week.
We loved Dublin (actually ALL of Ireland!) but didn’t have enough time there.
The library was amazing as well as the Book of Kells but I see the books are all gone! Must be renovating.
Big fan of Jamie…..sooo jealous!
Totally agree on Guinness tour.
They’re restoring (un-dusting) the books in the library at Trinity College; only about 10% on display. It’ll be a several-year project.
Glenn, not surprisingly your lilting eloquence embellishes the accompanying pictorial fare and invites one to pour a wee dram with which to enjoy both!
My hope has been to capture the spirit and flavor of the places and people we encounter on our journey. I’m glad you’re enjoying it.
Wow, that all sounds so lovely, except for the driving part! That would make me so nervous.
I’m really not trying to dominate the comment section but………
Where you are brings back sooo many memories of Derry (wife, not place!). She, also, was my navigator and her job was to pick the ivy off the passenger side mirror because I was so close to those damned rock walls avoiding a lorry coming at me @ 100Km/hr on a 1 & 1/2 lane road!
We went to Connemara National Park, climbed up most of the way, and went to visit the great love story that Kylemore Abbey represents.
The walled garden was amazing, too.
I have watched the very perplexing movie “The Banshees of Inisherin”
I agree, Galway is awesome!! We did indeed have a brew or two @ Monroe’s!
Keep your comments coming, my friend. We love having you along for the ride.
I love vicariously eating and sight-seeing with you two! And I’m glad I’m not splitting the bill!
Asheville and the Blue ridge Parkway were the some of the highlights on my trips around there. We, also, skipped the Biltmore tour. $50-head to see someone else’s ostentatiousness!
And I now have to put Curate on my list…..love me some Spanish tapas!
No doubt, our joy of good food has us reevaluating the dining budget! 😉
Have been hearing a lot lately about Charleston’s foodie scene!!!
I want a raclette burger and order me the trout with crawfish at Vern’s!
And be careful driving out there. Might get a little wet!
Stepping out of Vern’s last night it was dumping!! Thankfully they loaned us an umbrella for the short walk home, but with sandals . . . pretty sloppy. And yes, both of those food items were incredible.
Excellent post! I love how the architecture helps avoid the taxman… brilliant!
What a fun day!!! And then, to a Spanish restaurant serving some of my favorite tapas and vino!!
A new post after just 24 hours? You spoil us, and set a high bar for the detailed story-telling of your adventures! If the rest of your trip is half as enjoyable as your first day out to be, you’re in for a treat. Love you both and enjoy the humidity (and everything else, of course).
Hola to you two!!
A word of caution, kinda. Watch out for Travis Decker in Leavenworth!
Not that I have vast knowledge for packing for long trips, I would think taking along some “tradeable” clothing you can bargain with! Like a nice BBB shirt in exchange for a nice Italian sweater! And save room for souvenirs and fun stuff! No one will care if you wear the same shirt three days in a row, except Nancy!!
Also, I can partner with you about losing family. It certainly speeds up as we get older.
Yeah, definitely one of the downsides of aging!
What a great surprise it was to have you and Nancy swing by Green Lake, looking forward to hosting you both in Tucson next year! I had forgotten to mention during our conversation that there are two new Matador restaurants in S. Carolina if you are feeling nostalgic. Thanks again and safe travels, already excited to follow along!
Thanks for the heads up re. the Matadors. I see it’s actually a restaurant with a separate “Mezcaleria by Matador” next door. It’s 1.5 miles from our AirBnB. We’ll definitely go there. Glad to know you’ll be following along on our travels. Take care.
Wow! I bet you’re both getting excited for your continuing adventures. Love reading about them. We miss you guys!
So excited! Already loving our “vacationing” in our hometown, and chomping at the bit to truly hit the road. Miss you two, as well. Glad you’re following along. Hope your summer’s starting off great.
Whooohoo! You’re on your way! 👏🏼🌟
Looks like you two are loving and living life well. Love the narratives and the photos
Thanks, Sandy. Yes, life’s awesome.
(And Kirkland is just so cool, as I’m sure you remember.)
We love Kirkland, especially Isarn Thai 🤤🤤🤤 One of my favorite Thai restaurants! It looks like your adventures are off to a great start. Enjoy your time with family and friends!
Thanks, Kelsey. Isarn Thai is one of our daughter Kylene’s favorites, as well.
Hope you and Scott are enjoying your early summer.
Godspeed my friends. See you soon, hopefully it will involve libations and excellent conversation. Miss you guys!
So very excited for you two and looking forward to being on your adventure with you! I must be on your roster twice as I received 2 email notifications. Enjoy every minute and I hope to see you at one of your visits to BB!
Jealous…can’t wait to see and hear all about it
Bon voyage, and we’ll see you in Asheville!
I could not be more excited for you both! Have an amazing time in WA (wish I was joining for graduation) and on your stateside portion of this adventure. Can’t wait to see you in the Burgh in a few months. Cheers to new adventures!
Thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge and experience, Best of luck Glenn and Nancy. Safe travels🙏🌺
Thanks, Al. Glad you’ll be following our adventure.
OMG this sounds absolutely amazing!!!!!!
Thanks, Lisa. See you soon!
Hello Nancy and Glenn!
What an exercise in travel planning and what a tremendously exciting and interesting journey it will be.
From reading your update, I’m not clear on the exact date you will be departing the US and/or Mexico and when you are scheduled to return. Could you confirm, please.
Are you going to be measured for your dress Gordon kilt while in Edinburgh?
Looking forward to ‘sharing ‘ your adventure.
Love, Angela
Safe travel and dr8nk a few for me!
Thanks, Michele. See you at the shop in a couple of weeks.
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I think I already signed up but…maybe not? Anyway, should be signed up now
You’re golden.
Add me to mailing list pls!
You’re good to go.