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Other entries in Navan

Newgrange and Monasterboice

I got the cutest little rental car, a Nissan Micra. It's not very nice inside, though. Anything on the front seat goes flying if you brake hard (which I have done, um, a few times) because the seat is so flat. We never had the radio on in the car even once the last time, but I have had it on constantly today. It's cracking me up the way they say the letter H, as is HIV. They say "haych". I'm not making fun of it, it just kept catching me by surprise every time I would hear it.

The first place I wanted to go was Newgrange, in Co. Meath. It was one reason that I wanted to make a solo trip. I didn't think anyone else would want to go there. It was unbelieveable -- everything I had hoped and more. It's a passage tomb and is surrounded by the foundations of older tombs, stone circles, and a woodhenge. The site is 5000 years old, which is 1000 years older than Stonehenge in England, 500 years older than the pyramids at Giza. Above the entry is a structure called the "roof box". At the winter solstice, light enters this opening at dawn and illuminates the passage and the central chamber for seventeen minutes. Inside, the guide showed us a simulation of how it looks when the light comes in at the winter solstice. We were not allowed to photograph inside but I took a lot of pictures outside. The whole place was amazing, and there was a nice little museum. I wish that Knowth (another nearby site) had been open, but it doesn't open until March, I think.

I then went to Monasterboice to see a couple of high crosses and a round tower. They were WAY out on some winding roads, but marked well enough. Gorgeous! There were also two small ruined churches in this small cemetery. The crosses were very large and detailed. I wish I could have stayed a bit longer but it was getting toward dark and I didn't yet have a place to stay, so I moved on.

Then I began my search for a B&B in earnest. I couldn't count how many times I got lost before I ended up back in Navan. Even then, I got past town and had to go back. Somehow I had ended up on the Kells road where I stopped to ask directions from an old lady and a guy with the dirtiest hands I've ever seen. There were no B&Bs listed in my guide for this town, but I had seen some during my passes through town earlier. I finally just pulled into one and asked if they had a room. I'm afraid to know how much it costs (I didn't ask when I got here because I truly didn't care - I just wanted off of the road). The place is small and charming, furnished with antiques everywhere. I walked across the road to a hotel for dinner, and the whole time I just vibrated. My shoulders hurt from hanging onto the wheel so tightly. It's not easy to instantly adjust to both driving a stick shift and driving on the other side of the road, without having too many people honk at your errors and without running afoul of other laws or signs that you don't understand.

I had intended to map out my route some for tomorrow, but I can't even focus, much less think. I'm so glad that I could do Newgrange today - it was even sunny! I think I got some great pictures there. I think I'll try to take it a little slower tomorrow. I want to get to Avoca, but I also want to stop more, stretch my legs, get a drink. It is tougher driving without a navigator because I have to memorize the next step - can't look at maps while moving.

There are already baby lambs! I guess it is only five weeks earlier than the time we were here before. It's just as green as April. They were even mowing at Newgrange today.

Midnight -- I slept a good three hours, but couldn't get back to sleep because in "real life" it's only 6 PM. I've decided after poring over maps that Trim is going to be too much trouble, especially as you can't even get on the castle grounds at this time of year, much less tour the castle. And it's all small roads in and out. Instead, I'm going to head on down to Glendalough and Avoca. Then the next day I can head back to Dublin by a different route and check into my place there in the afternoon as planned. There are bound to be plenty of B&Bs in the Avoca area, too, though you never can tell which ones are open all year and which close during the winter.

I'm not feeling all that thrilled about driving all day again tomorrow, but I'm sure I'll have a different attitude in the morning. I just hope it doesn't rain, or driving in the mountains won't be much fun.

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