Leaving London was a bit heck tick. We lost track of a time over lunch and at 13:42 realized our tickets said the gates close at 13:45. Oops.  For those of you that have been to Heathrow you know how large it is.  So we ran, and ran. Thank God someone noticed we were missing and they held the plane.  We got on huffing and puffing all red in the face. We actually made quite a spectacle of ourselves.  I don't think my heart stopped pounding until we were half way to Ireland.

Leaving England I was so fortunate that the sky was clear.  I could see all the land below. I thought about how old this country is, or more like how long man has lived on this side of the ocean, and realized there is probably not a square inch that has not felt the foot of man.  The land scape below looked like snake skin with all the farmers fields.  Even the hill sides have the same look.  In our course today a comment was mace of how all living things that cross the land leave an imprint.  Once again I think of stories that this land must hold.

As we head out over the ocean I can see the seashore,  I have flown over the sea many years ago but it has always been cloudy so this is the first time I have seen it from above, a very impressive site.  The ocean is so blue you can not tell where ocean ends and sky begins.   As we continue over sea the clouds come in, but not like I have seen before these clouds look like a field of wind swept snow.  This is when I close my eyes to absorb all I have seen and done in the last three days.

I could feel the cabin pressure building so I knew we were starting our decent. I watched out the window to catch my first glimpse of Ireland.  It was so cloudy, the fluffy ones now you would expect. But I watch and wait.  Finally we bust out of the clouds and all I see green so much green.  I knew it was a lush land but I had no idea how much.  It's a bit misty as we land and I realize the moisture is want keeps this land green.

We board our bus and head to the Maryborough Spa. It is an old mansion on an estate that has been converted into a hotel and spa, a new wing has been added so it is very luxurious and modern.  Nothing like we had in London,  we were greeted at the top of the massive staircase and taken to a greeting room while are bags were unloaded and delivered to our rooms.  We were then given hot chocolate and baileys.  In our rooms slippers and bathrobes awaited for when we were ready to go down to the thermal pool for a soak and a massage.  What a treat. Maria tells us to enjoy as in Killarney we will not have such luxuries. our hotel there will be more like what the locals will experience.  She wants us to have a true Irish experience.

Tonight we took a walk to the little town of Douglas (I think) to have dinner. I loved walking along the stone fences/walls. They are full of green vines and plants. One even had a tree root growing in it (see my Facebook post)
We had a lovely dinner. It is an adventure to order as things all have a different name. English is not always English it seems.  Our walk home we got to enjoy a light rain. It was very pleasant and smelled so fresh.  However after thirty minutes we did feel the damp and cold. On my Facebook post you will see a picture of two of us by the fire so cozy. Then off to the thermal pool again to end our evening.

My posts for here on in will be labels a little different

They will either be titled Travel or Journey
Travel will be about the places I will be visiting and experiences
Journey will be the spiritual journey I am on.

I respectfully ask that if you feel you cannot read my journey postings without judgment or ridicule please skip past them.