Whatever you do, do not trust websites in Ireland.

Trip Start Jan 01, 2011
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Trip End May 20, 2011


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Flag of Ireland  , County Cork,
Thursday, March 10, 2011

    Today, Erin and I traveled to Kinsale which is a very small city located on the shore of West Cork.  It is only about a thirty minute bus ride and was relatively cheap.  The city is a port city which has many boats docked, and it is famous for its delicious food (mostly seafood since its' location).  Before we left we looked up the time for a tour that we wanted to take, the website said 10am and 3:30pm.  We got to Kinsale at about 12pm and went to the tourist office to sign up for the tour.  Here, to our surprises the 3:30 tour was not being held...  Lesson learned: NEVER TRUST WEBSITES IN IRELAND!  American culture is so dependent on the internet that no one ever thinks twice to call a place to confirm details, I know I am guilty of it.  I just assumed that here is the same way but nope!  Websites in Ireland are not always updated and it is VERY important to call and confirm details, especially since this is not tourist season.  People here do actually pick up the phone and dial rather than just clicking the link to the website...us lazy Americans
Kinsale port
Kinsale port
!
    Even though we couldn't take the tour we still had a good time!  We had lunch at a famous restaurant, walked around the extremely small town, and walked about a mile and a half to a near by tourist site, Charles Fort.  I have toured forts before and I was not too excited about it because they all look the same but I am so glad we did this one!  It was huge, inside the fort there was 12 acres and the outside looked out on the port of Kinsale and the ocean.  The view was incredible.  The fort itself is one of the finest surviving examples of a 17th Century
star-shaped fort, and much of the construction begun in 1678 remains.
The fort has two enormous bastions overlooking the estuary, and three
facing inland. Within its walls were all the barracks and ancillary
facilities to support the fort’s garrison. The fort continued in
military use until 1922.
    Inside the fort there were two exhibitions where we learned a lot about it. Erin and I spent almost two hours just exploring all the nooks inside, it was truly amazing!
Kinsale hotels Slideshow

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