Cobh, Ireland
Yesterday we took the train straight to Cork because we didn’t have high expectations for the port town of Cobh. Boy, were we ever wrong! Cork was a bigger city… much like Dublin but lacking the charm. Cobh, on the other hand, was FULL of charm! As we stepped off the ship and around the corner, my first impression was very positive. The building on the left wraps itself around the corner with the turn of the street. I love that!
Not that it’s the best idea when sailing on a TransAtlantic but… we decided to join Martin and Danielle for the Titanic Museum. On a side note, we did a crossing several years ago and the movies offered were Titanic and Poseidon Adventure… slightly unnerving.
When we purchased our tickets for the museum, we were each handed a card. They represented people actually on the Titanic… the idea is to find out the fate of the passenger. I was “Agnes McCoy” 29 years old. I boarded the ship in third class with my brother and sister. Barry was “John James Lamb” age 30 boarded in second class all by himself. Our fate? I, “Agnes” survived and so did my brother and sister. Actually, my brother jumped in the half full life boat after my sister and I made it… the ship workers tried to push him off. As for Barry, “John James”... he did not make it. Very sobering…
This is an example of the “luxurious” regular cabins. The first class were very nice with much more space and amenities.
This is an enlarged photo of the Captain of the Titanic. Of course, he did not survive. We have done so many crossings… Sao Paulo to Lisbon, Spain to Florida, Florida to Copenhagen and this one to Amsterdam. I can’t even imagine! Even with our crazy rough seas, the possibility of sinking never occurs to me! The pier is the last stop the Titanic ever made. The ship never actually made it to this pier, it was parked on the other side of the closest island. The passengers were ferried over.
After leaving the museum, we headed up to the beautiful cathedral on the hill. As you can imagine, much of the town honors the fateful journey. On the walls leading up to the church, this emblem is embedded.
We walked and we walked and we walked… and then we reached the steps so we climbed and climbed and climbed. It was fun walking through the neighborhood though :-)
From above, we had a nice view of our ship. As you can see, we pulled right up into the town. Apparently, many ships come through this port. Not many are as lucky as us to get an overnight in this quaint town!
Like many of the European cathedrals, the architecture is fascinating. The grandeur of the walls and ceiling never cease to amaze me! Usually, I will plant myself in a pew and just stare… take in what I am seeing. Construction on St Coleman’s Cathedral started in 1867. Unlike many, this took many years to complete because of costs and revisions.
As we walked out of the Cathedral, we ran into Carl! Our waiter in the main dining room was out to explore this port. We noticed his camera and found that he loves to photograph his port stops and shared some of his beautiful shots! He needs to blog… although he works so many hours and internet is costly so that might not happen. Personally, I think he should do all the writing and organizing and when he gets to a place with free wifi, upload as much as he can!
Sitting outside a few of the bars, we saw loyal dogs awaiting their owners. This one caught our eye because he was there for SO long! Apparently his owner went in for an “Irish Coffee” and maybe to listen to John and Barry. Yes, Barry performed in Cobh… okay, maybe not :-)
Colorful buildings lined the shore. Sailing away was bittersweet. We really loved the friendliness and charm of this town. Actually, it’s a place we could see ourselves calling home in the near future. Since Barry is an Irish citizen, I have to live in Ireland for one day over half the year for two years in a row to become a dual. This might be the place!
