Don't Kiss The Blarney Stone

Seriously, don't kiss it!

That is my husband bending over backwards

to kiss the Blarney Stone.

We just returned from a trip to Ireland to 

celebrate our 25th anniversary and while there 

we visited the famous Blarney Castle built in the 1400's.

Legend has it that if you kiss the Blarney Stone 

you will be blessed with the gift of gab.

First of all, my husband is the last person on earth

 who needs help in this category!

Second of all, he is somewhat of a germophobe.

So I was a little surprised that he would kiss a stone 

that hundreds of thousands of people kiss each year.

But he kissed it...

and 2 days later he had the worst cold 

he's ever had in his life!

After doing a little research before writing this post,

I found that the Blarney Stone is ranked as the most unhygienic tourist attraction in the world!!!

So, if you go, just blow it a kiss!

That's what I did.

I did, however, do something that is uncharacteristic for me!

I actually climbed to the top of Blarney Castle.

I'm slightly chlostrophobic AND I have vertigo.

To get to the top of the castle,

you climb a steep circular staircase in very tight quarters.

You are basically spinning in a circle! Not a good thing for someone with vertigo. But my sneaky husband convinced me to go up just a little ways to check it out. Well, once you go up "a little ways" you have to go all the way up. There is no coming down the same way!

So, I did it!

And, I'm glad I did.

But, I will never do it again!

The view from the top...

I have to say, the countryside reminded me a lot of

Georgia and Tennessee!

After we climbed back down the 90feet, we toured the grounds.

There was a beautiful fern garden...

And, some cool trees...

I love the moss on this one.

This redwood is from the U.S. and has only been planted at

Blarney Castle for 100 years.

It's huge!

It even had a spur that created another large tree...

I the 1800's, the family who owned Blarney Castle, 

lost their first children and the wife demanded a new house built on elevated ground.

This is Blarney House...

Suzan (Simply Vintageous...by Suzan),

could you live there?

Lots of nice detail...

If we can't get in the door, 

can we go in through a window?

I want this little guy above my gutters!

How long would it take to grow a hedge like that?!!!

This was a wonderful trip!

If you ever get a chance to go to Ireland,

visit Blarney Castle,

but just blow a kiss to the germy stone!

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