Today we set off for Glendalough. And discovered that it was an important monastic centre started by St Kevin, who led a hermit's existence until lots of disciples came to learn from him, in an early example of tourism destroying what it seeks to promote.
Nevertheless, St Kevin is everywhere. Don found more ruins up the valley, showing the long-term impact of undermining by leaking from above.
At Sallygap -- a pass between ranges, probably used by the Vikings to sally forth against the kings of Leinster or some such. We hoped to see the beautiful views people rave about, but once again we had no luck. Mists and glens don't mix for us.
We drove down to the Powerscourt waterfalls, the highest in Ireland (or Europe, depending on preferred tourist claim). We saw logging on the way down the road.
Sideways viewing! At Powerscourt mansion, a fine house richly furnished (with shops) we saw Tara's Palace, an amazing doll's house made as a fundraising attraction after Lego bought an earlier one ....
The music room even had miniature violins.
The Powerscourt gardens were lovely, Lizzie. An Italianate garden, a Japanese garden and many unusual mature trees.
The Japanese garden.
In the walled garden were some unusual plants.
A bumble bee and a wasp!
We found two eucalypts. One large and the other planted by Hazel Hawke back in 1987.
As if that we not enough, we found the memorial to Julia.... St Kevin clearly got here first too.
- Posted on the ferry back to Wales
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