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Monday, June 17th

I made a plan Sunday night for what I was going to see and how long I could spend at each place. Since I had lost Sunday I needed to make sure I didn't miss anything.

I started with the Shandon bells. They're your basic church bells but they let you play them when you go up the tower. They have sheet music next to the bells and they're numberd so you know which one to pull. I played the Molly Malone song.

I continued up the tower for the view from outside at the top. I've decided that basically anything is worth paying for if there's a good view. So I continued up to the bell room. Turns out that sometimes pigeons fly into the bell room. I get into this tiny space and there are pigeons right next to where I'm supposed to continue on to get out on top. Also there is bird crap everywhere and it's a really tiny space to climb up and over. I nearly chickened out. I actually turned around. Then I told myself to get over it because I'd miss the view and I'd paid to climb up there. So I climbed over the big beam and started up the last little narrow flight of stairs to the door out onto the walkway. And at the top, staring back at me is a fat pigeon. I had visions of the thing flying at my face and scratching me to death. I didn't want to give up though so I started talking to it telling it I was going to let it out the door. Thankfully when I opened the door it flew out. No pigeons or Jenns were harmed.

 

This second picture is the bell tower.

 

After the bells, I headed to the Cork butter museum. I had visions of Notre Dame carved out of butter, instead it was just a history of butter in Ireland. I did watch a short video on how to make butter. If someone wants to get me a cow, I'm pretty sure I can take care of our butter needs.

 

After the butter museums went to the Fota wildlife park. It was sort of a zoo but the animals were basically out in the open. More inside enclosures than inside cages.

I became friend with this giraffe. I also saw a lot of baby monkeys. And these giant sea eagles. Also some warm weather penguins. It was a nice way to pass the afternoon.

 

And then this happened...