Cork, Ireland

Dear Family and Friends,

When we left Bath, we took the train to Southampton to board our cruise ship. Our journey would be to the Isles of Britain...England, Ireland, and Scotland. We got Wales in too, but more about that later.

Because we were traveling light, we didn't have the problem of schlepping large luggage on to the train.  We both agree it is a great way to travel.

Our cruise ship was the Caribbean Princess. This is the first cruise we have ever taken that had self service laundries on each deck.  It was because of this that we were able to carry such a small amount of luggage.

After a day at sea, our first port of call was Cobh, Ireland.  This port is where the White Star Lines office was in 1912.  After leaving Southampton, the Titanic, owned by White Star Lines, cruised to Cherbourg, France and took on 281 more passengers, then it sailed to Cobh (the city was named Queenstown back then) and took on the final 123 passengers before sailing to New York.

Just outside of where our ship docked was a museum called the Titanic Experience.  It was inside the old White Star Lines terminal building.

We took time to visit this museum before taking the train to Cork.

This statue is erected outside the museum.  Mother and sons getting ready to board the Titanic.

No pictures were allowed inside the actual museum, but this museum employee was having lunch in the museum restaurant.  She was dressed in a period costume.

This cardboard placard guided us to the entrance of the museum.

After the sobering, but very interesting visit to the museum, we took the train into Cork to look around.

A lot of red brick buildings now replaced the limestone buildings we saw in Bath.  

We walked several blocks to the the English Market.  It is Ireland's most famous covered food market.  There were tons of stalls and all were very interesting.

Here is a yummy display of all kinds of olives.

We got a tickle out of the pig tails.

We went to the restaurant upstairs for lunch.

I ordered Irish Stew.  It was made with lamb.  It tasted just like...uhh... Irish Stew.

Chuck ordered the corned beef and cabbage.

We had a true Irish lunch. 

It was served with Irish soda bread

and lots of butter.  

This Irish butter was the best tasting butter I have ever had.

We wandered a bit around town and then headed back to the train to return to our ship.

We had a nice introduction to Ireland that day.

Our next stop was Dublin and I will share about that visit next time.

Love,
Nancy