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June 30 – Waterford and Tramore

Click a picture to see a larger view.

 

The View from atop the Vee

 

After our visit with Douglas, we headed for Tramore, a seaside town below Waterford.

 

 

The midst turned to light rain as we neared Waterford. Waterford is a riverside town of about twenty square blocks of business district. Again, a city in Ireland impressed us with its well-heeled appearance. Several streets were turned into pedestrian-only walks and we followed one of these searching for a restaurant on High Street called The Wine Cellar. A gentleman in a crisp, white shirt, shorts and sandals with white socks, dapper, but in need of significant dental work, saw we were lost and walked us to the right street. He may have been missing a third of his teeth, but he was charming and friendly.

Charming and friendly are characteristics found throughout Ireland. In small towns, people wave at you as you drive past. All are open and ready for conversation. Relax in Ireland, you’re among friends. Hum, perhaps I should suggest that pitch line to the tourist bureau.

The Wine Cellar is true to its name. There is a street-level table area, but if you go, do as we did and be seated in the Wine Cellar below. This historically old cellar is cozy and romantic.  It’s on High Street. A man with a white shirt and shorts will show you the way.

We were staying in a bed and breakfast in Tramore overlooking the sea. Actually, it was …overlooking other houses overlooking the sea… and overlooking the sea. The B&B was called Glenorney by the Sea. Google that name for more information. We highly recommend it. The room was spacious and a well-equipped living room and den at our disposal. The breakfast was excellent.

One warning: Be sure to note that this establishment as well as many others in Ireland quotes prices based on per person per night. Should you check web sites, you may not even see this little detail. We did not. The hotel in Dublin was Cassidy’s and they quote a price as we do in the States for a double. Once you leave Dublin, all hotels are priced on a per-person basis. We underestimated hotel and B&B costs by half!

Raining the night we drove from Carlow, we were a couple of weary travelers when we arrived in Tramore. We drove right by the B&B without seeing it.

After turning around and finding it at last, we asked for a recommendation for dinner. We set out again along the road we came in on, but turned back to the B&B when the road turned very rural. Another lesson was learned. There may be a lot of seemingly rural little roads connecting villages. The innkeeper assured us that we had the right road and the second time we found the elegant dining establishment above a pub. When dining in Ireland, you will find small gems in unexpected locations.

After a good night’s sleep and a substantial Irish breakfast at the Glenorney, we headed for a tour of Waterford Crystal. This tour, unlike the one for Guinness, was the real deal. We saw furnace workers and glass blowers making actual product. The positions along the tour line were perhaps a fraction of the total operation, but it showed how all Waterford crystal was made. It was fascinating to see a process requiring the same hand crafting used a hundred years ago.

The craftsmen who etched the glass followed rough markings outlined in wax pencil, but the true design was held in their heads and their hands.

Of course Waterford has a factory store. Of course, we had to buy something. Especially since some designs are not available in the US. Do not look for seconds here or anywhere else. If a piece is considered a second or blemished, it is melted down.

I was surprised to see that the more modern designs were among those not available in the US. They seemed to be a design that would appeal to tastes in the States. Perhaps the American market believes Waterford designs are for little blue-haired ladies and not for the urban gentry. So, this less-young, urban gentry couple bought a set of wine glasses and had them shipped to our home.

The day was young when we left the Waterford factory and we headed to the country. We drove to Carrick-on-Suir where we toured Ormond Castle. Ormond was partially a Norman castle ruin and partially an Elizabethan manor house. The house belonged to Thomas Butler who I kept thinking was portrayed by an HBO series as Elizabeth’s lover. Checked that out when I returned. Thomas Butler was a close friend of Elizabeth, but it was Jeremy Irons, err the Duke of Leicester, that was Elizabeth’s lover.

Our guidebook recommended we take a scenic route called The Vee. After frustrating Ellen with my misunderstanding of the route as The Bee, we found directions and set off. Driving rural Ireland is much like driving in Europe, with the notable exception of driving on the wrong side of the street. The country does a good job pointing you towards things (City Centre, town names) but fails to let you know where you are at the moment (no street names at intersections, few route markers along the road). Driving towards the start of The Vee, we finally realized our goal.

The Vee is one of the most impressive drives on public road I have ever taken. After crossing a village bridge decorated with flowers, we ascended a road with flowering rhododendron on each side. The road appeared to be the manicured drive to a manor house rather than a public road. After rising through a series of switchbacks, we arrived at the most breathtaking view of the Irish countryside one could hope to find.

After passing some sheep on the way, we headed back to Tramore.