The second day 23rd June（Friday） click on the blue frame picture, you can enlarge it.
today's course　　 Stretton --- Bodnant Garden --- Holyhead 〜〜 Dun Laoghaire ---
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Powerscourt Estate --- Glencree --- Enniskerry
today's distance　　　315Km　　　today's pedometer　　　10,200Steps

Cottage Garden Rose
I had a good sleep, so I didn't feel tiredness. Though it was misty outside at that time, it would be fine in the daytime.
We could see wonderful garden filled with colorful roses and climbing pink rose on the barn's wall from our room.
On the contrary, it wasn't clean and tidy inside the room. I was disappointed to see a cobweb on the ceiling.
I think that an accommodation has to be kept their room clean and swept properly when a guest comes.
Anyway, we had a short walk in the garden after we packed up our things before breakfast.
In front of the barn with climbing rose we took some pictures. That was a place with a good atmosphere that we hope to make in our own garden.
We stood in the center of the garden for a while because that place was fragrant with roses.
There were some various kind of rose arches in that garden. Those were sold in this cottage from the request. I saw the news on it's website.
They have a lot of various size and design and in addition those are inexpensive. I am very envious of English people who love gardening.

Then we walked into the backyard. We found a wonderful white rose that was climbing on the big tree. Every branch was covered with a lot of flowers. They looked so heavy that the tree was reinforced.
The whole backyard was covered with light green grass and we could see the beautiful forest around it.
A lot of various roses were planted there, too. All of them looked very fresh and vigorous. This cottage has a shop with some kind of roses (shrub, climber, standard etc.) that were planted in their garden.
We Anyway I was envious while I was walking around the garden.

We had enough time to have a walk more, we went out of the cottage. There was a Celtic cross on the corner of the street. The name of the lane to the Cottage Garden Rose was Garden Lane directly.
Over the main street of the village there was a tiny school, in that garden a man who looked like a teacher was keeping the garden well.
When we said "good morning" at the gate of the school, he stopped his work and came toward us saying "morning!" with a smile.
He talked about the school. One hundred students were from two to eleven years old and every year a lot of students passed the examination to the famous Public School. He said "we will accept your child if you wished". "Thank you, but our grand-son lives far a way from your school.” I’m very regret."
And then we talked him about our trip and the purpose, he understood us and said "Please have a safety trip."
The school seems to be a private school having high philosophy and good plant. On the signboard "Vernon Lodge Preparatory School & Kindergarten"
The time for breakfast has come.
When we hurried to the rose cottage Teresa was cooking with the "AGA Cookers" in the kitchen.
We have heard the kitchen in England almost had this AGA and it was very useful.

While we waited for a breakfast we watched the blue willows tableware, fresh greens and roses out of the window. Our weak point "marmite" was on the table with strawberry jam and marmalade.
Teresa finished cooking and served us the full English breakfast that we have longed for one year. That's excellent! It was the first time to have a breakfast in the kitchen though we have had many times.
After breakfast Teresa took us to the shop for Organic Persian Rose and cosmetics. She showed us the rose book that was directed by her husband who lived in Germany.
She said that Japanese television crew would come here to interview her about roses next day. A young boy was painting the front door white. I was satisfied myself.

Bodnant Garden
Though it was misty in the early morning, but it became fine at our departure time.
The first destination was The Bodnant Garden where we were moved great deal last year.
We only have one hour to spend in the garden before getting on the Ferry from Holyhead.
First we went to see the tunnel of laburnum that we've felt happy under it last year. But it was too late this year.
We only saw the dead flowers of the laburnum. It's very difficult to see the flowers in full bloom. Some day I'll come back!
The long boarder from the entrance to the hall was wonderful filled with colorful flowers. I felt they were given more attention than last year. I thought all the plant would be changed with the careful attention.

Then we went to the terrace garden. The water of the lily pond was shining the same as the last year.
The stairs to the Canal Pond was arranged clearly. I felt satisfied with the clean view.
I was very happy to see the elegant Pin Mill as before. I felt that the trip would be fantastic with watching the Mountain of the Snowdonia under the clear weather.

Stena Line
One hour passed in the blink of an eye. We left The Bodnant Garden.
We drove on A5 to Holyhead where we had driven last year. We crossed The Britannia Bridge to Anglesey Island.
When we looked around we could see the mountains of Wales and beautiful Menai Bridge on the right hand.
Soon we saw the signboard of the ferryboat landing dock that was quite plain.
The necessary steps were all taken rapidly because we've made a booking a month ago. Though we had to wait for forty minutes until the departure time, there were already over one hundred cars waiting in line.
All the passenger seemed to be pleasure to wait such a long time. We will enjoy waiting with them, too.

At last we could see the ferry crossing the sea toward us. I was surprised it's enormous size. As soon as it anchored at the dock hundreds cars came down in line from the big mouth of the ferry one after another.
Twenty minutes later a lot of cars began to drive on the ferry following the front car. All the crew instructed us about the parking space with accuracy that we seldom watch in England.
Generally many travelers for Ireland fly to Belfast or Dublin Airport directly. It will be easier than our course.
But we chose Heathrow airport, driving to Holyhead and crossing the sea by the ferry to Ireland. Because we were persist in Great Britain this year, too.
We used the Ferry"Stena Line" It takes three hours and a quarter from Holyhead to Dublin by the normal ferry.
High speed Ferry takes an hour and forty minutes from Holyhead to Dun Laoghaire（Dublin city).
We wanted much time in Ireland, so we chose the high-speed ferry without hesitation.
There was a confusion in the wide cabin. We walked around in it and at last we found a table and seats vacancy.
We enjoyed the cruise watching over sea, drinking beer, tasting chicken and chips and sometimes watching various travelers.
The Ferry crossed the sea without any sway stably. After one hour we went to the prow to see the island, but we couldn't find the island though we tried to watch by the binocular.
Weather was fine and the glittering blue sea seemed to be continuous everlastingly. I felt happy.

Ireland
We arrived Dun Laoghaire harbor ten minutes behind schedule. The harbor was situated in the south of Dublin.
A lot of coaches, trucks and cars got off the ferry slowly in confusion. We passed the gate that was written "Immigration" but we didn't met any person. We immigrated Ireland certainly but we didn't have checked.
It's very regret that the first impression in Ireland was rough driving manner. I've heard that Ireland had economical growth by the support of E.U. recently.
Every road was completely repaired, but occasionally, we had to drive slowly on the road under construction work.
We have rarely heard the car horn and never watched the car cutting in the line in England.
I thought that economical growth made them rush and people didn't afford to wait others leisurely.
We sometimes watch the same situation in Japan. Self-examination we need, too.

Powerscourt Estate
We arrived at Powerscourt Estate at 16:40pm, though we lost the way as it's vast extend estate.
The Powerscourt Estate is given one of the highest evaluation in Ireland.
We found the House & Garden after a long drive around the forest from the gate. There was a magnificent Italian garden in front of the House.
The estate had seven terraces and over there we could see Great Sugar Loaf (mountains). On the top terrace there were some huge containers filled with colorful flowers and various green plants. Below the top terrace we watched gorgeous bronze fences and a blazonry.
Other terraces were covered with evergreen grasses that had flowerbed filled with red begonia.
We descended the middle of stairs step by step like a lord gazing the wide view in rapture.
On the bottom of seven terrace we were surprised by a large Pegasus statue that looked like alive and over there the fountain was playing at that time.
We only stared at the sight with wide eyes for a while without a word.

There are a lot of fountains in the garden. Dolphin Pond ( bellow the left) The tree behind the pond is Japanese red cedars that was planted in 1864.
Next is the fountain in the large lake in front of Italian garden. That is shaped The Triton.
The others are shaped a mermaid and a dolphin.

Many horses were eating in the vast extend of grassland in the forest.
We are favorite flower gardens most of all, so we are interested in the Walled Garden.
We only sighed to watch the well-kept boarder garden and the climbing rose on the old wall with a good atmosphere.
We wish we could have such a climbing rose leaded on the wall like this. We will work hard to have tendered garden.

Glencree　Oaklawn B&B
We were satisfied to see the glorious garden and left it for the bed & breakfast we would stay that night.
The way of description for a destination is slight different from Japanese do, I think.
On the home page of Oaklawn B&B "DIRECTIONS" Written about "ENNISKERRY : from the clock at the centre proceed by the Take Away and leave the village going up Killgarron hill. After 3.5km approx. turn left at the sign for Oaklawn B & B. After 1km turn right." We could not find a map about it.
I red the sentence "going up Killgarron hill", but I couldn't find "Killgarron hill” on my own map.
Only one ward we were depend on was the hill. We have been looking around for the hill restlessly for a long time.
While my husband drove on the way by his intuition, at last he found the sign for Oaklawn.
Oaklawn bed & breakfast looked like a lodge in the mountain. The host greeted us with smile and showed the room at once.
We asked him the nearest petrol station and restaurant for our dinner.
He said the petrol station was on the outskirts of Enniskerry. He recommended the pub named Johnnie Fox's Pub in Glencullen.
First we had to go to the petrol station because the tank was almost empty. The outskirts that he said were farer than we thought. We nearly stopped at the half of the way to the petrol station for running out of petrol as its long distance. The cost of petrol in Ireland was cheaper than in England. We were lucky.
Next we left for the pub. On the way to the pub we found that we lost our way. We parked our car on the side of the road to see the street sign, when the host passed by fortunately.
He pointed in the direction of the narrow path on the right side and drove away giving us a nod.
We went to the direction as he indicated and we found that Glencullen was the next village over the mountain.
The pub Johnnie Fox's Pub was larger than we have thought.

Johnnie Fox's Pub
Johnnie Fox's Pub seemed to have a lot of rooms. A waitress showed us into a old wide room that had a fireplace in the back of the room and some washed clothes were hanged above it.
On the surrounding wall there were a lot of old kitchenware, a hart that was stuffed and some farm implements.
Those old goods made me imagine an old people's daily life.

First of all we ordered one pint Guinness each. While we tasted the creamy Guinness, we chose other dishes.
We remembered that the host of our b&b had recommended seafood in the pub. We ordered Irish Smoked Salmon and Lobster Salad.
After a while a waitress brought a fish shaped glass platter holding various fresh vegetables and smoked salmon.
A large lobster was on the same platter with much cut vegetables and many prawns.
Both of them were delicious, luxurious and so much that we didn't eat all of them. We enjoyed the dinner very much.
It was just 9pm. When we checked out near the entrance, two persons were preparing musical instruments in the main bar next to the entrance.
I asked the waiter what time the performance start. "We'll have at nine thirty".
Though we wanted to listen the Irish music but we gave it up because we had to drive for thirty minutes to our b&b. It would be too late.
I'm sure that we will listen the music somewhere in our trip.

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