Our week in Ireland via Air France La Première
Aug 30, 2016, 7:44 pm
#151
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We bid adieu to the wonderful and special Ballyfin staff and headed out for a day of touring on the way to Killarney, with our driver Patrick and a pretty cool set of wheels. Just a little fog this morning.
Which quickly dissipated once we left the valley.
Blue skies! An apparent rarity in Ireland.
Our first stop this morning was Limerick.
And St. John's Castle.
From the castle, back thru Limerick centre...
And then to Adare.
Where we stopped to lunch.
Nice atmosphere...
...but terrible, and pretty much inedible food.
We walked up the street to the main part of town.
OK, this looks more like it.
The Irish Stew was much better.
Which quickly dissipated once we left the valley.
Blue skies! An apparent rarity in Ireland.
Our first stop this morning was Limerick.
And St. John's Castle.
From the castle, back thru Limerick centre...
And then to Adare.
Where we stopped to lunch.
Nice atmosphere...
...but terrible, and pretty much inedible food.
We walked up the street to the main part of town.
OK, this looks more like it.
The Irish Stew was much better.
Aug 30, 2016, 7:45 pm
#152
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Join Date: Nov 2007
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Our next stop was the highight of the day... the Aviation Museum at Foynes, dedicated to the Pan Am Yankee Clipper and recogniton of Foynes' place in aviation history as the 1st aviation bridge between Europe and America for passenger service in the mid to late 1930s. Today, it is home to one of the original Yankee Clipper Boeing 314 flying boats.
Talk about leg room!
And aviation's first First Class suite.
On board dining room.
And the galley!
Upstairs on the flight deck.
With cool simulated view from the cockpit.
Back on the road again.
Thru Listowel, on our way to Killarney.
Talk about leg room!
And aviation's first First Class suite.
On board dining room.
And the galley!
Upstairs on the flight deck.
With cool simulated view from the cockpit.
Back on the road again.
Thru Listowel, on our way to Killarney.
Last edited by SFO777; Sep 1, 2016 at 4:12 pm
Aug 30, 2016, 7:48 pm
#153
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Aug 30, 2016, 9:12 pm
#154
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Bargara Australia
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Another awesome TR from SFO777.
I will add my comment that I think SFO777 made the appropiate decision re the face bluring.
As a F pax - Mr and Mrs SFO777 were entitiled to the peace of the F lounge, if others have access but not flying in the F cabin - and then behaive as if they have no class or respect for the benefit of being in the F lounge - they deserved to be shamed.
Privilege has its responsibility - in this case to your fellow lounge guests.
I know that when we are lucky enough to travel in J - we dress and behave in an appropriate manner.
I can remember the good old days when even Y pax dressed in their Sunday best to travel by airplane.
Having just flown SYD MEL return on Tiger a LCC - the experience was like travelling on Greyhound - very feral
I will add my comment that I think SFO777 made the appropiate decision re the face bluring.
As a F pax - Mr and Mrs SFO777 were entitiled to the peace of the F lounge, if others have access but not flying in the F cabin - and then behaive as if they have no class or respect for the benefit of being in the F lounge - they deserved to be shamed.
Privilege has its responsibility - in this case to your fellow lounge guests.
I know that when we are lucky enough to travel in J - we dress and behave in an appropriate manner.
I can remember the good old days when even Y pax dressed in their Sunday best to travel by airplane.
Having just flown SYD MEL return on Tiger a LCC - the experience was like travelling on Greyhound - very feral
Aug 31, 2016, 12:04 am
#155
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Tokyo
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Posts: 596
Aug 31, 2016, 1:09 am
#157
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Geneva, Dubai, Paris
Programs: Disillusioned Cent
Posts: 1,880
Great choice of destination, SFO777, Ballyfin looks wonderful and very Downton Abbeyesque indeed...
The Relais & Châteaux guide on my nightstand has one more dog ear as of this week. Looking forward to the rest!
The Relais & Châteaux guide on my nightstand has one more dog ear as of this week. Looking forward to the rest!
Aug 31, 2016, 5:34 am
#158
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: Meh
Posts: 2,598
Another awesome TR from SFO777.
I will add my comment that I think SFO777 made the appropiate decision re the face bluring.
As a F pax - Mr and Mrs SFO777 were entitiled to the peace of the F lounge, if others have access but not flying in the F cabin - and then behaive as if they have no class or respect for the benefit of being in the F lounge - they deserved to be shamed.
Privilege has its responsibility - in this case to your fellow lounge guests.
I know that when we are lucky enough to travel in J - we dress and behave in an appropriate manner.
I can remember the good old days when even Y pax dressed in their Sunday best to travel by airplane.
Having just flown SYD MEL return on Tiger a LCC - the experience was like travelling on Greyhound - very feral
I will add my comment that I think SFO777 made the appropiate decision re the face bluring.
As a F pax - Mr and Mrs SFO777 were entitiled to the peace of the F lounge, if others have access but not flying in the F cabin - and then behaive as if they have no class or respect for the benefit of being in the F lounge - they deserved to be shamed.
Privilege has its responsibility - in this case to your fellow lounge guests.
I know that when we are lucky enough to travel in J - we dress and behave in an appropriate manner.
I can remember the good old days when even Y pax dressed in their Sunday best to travel by airplane.
Having just flown SYD MEL return on Tiger a LCC - the experience was like travelling on Greyhound - very feral
The 'good' old days are long gone, now flying around in metal tubes vast distances is open the masses, feral or not which is open to one's high opinion, which is only a good thing.
Aug 31, 2016, 5:54 am
#159
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Great pics SFO777. Really cool flying boat and memorabilia from that era! I've never seen the inside of one of those before but the spaciousness is remarkable, especially compared with aircraft that are 3-4x that size today. I wouldn't mind traveling by flying boat every now and then (or perhaps always)!
I mean, I laughed...
I mean, I laughed...
Aug 31, 2016, 6:42 am
#160
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Thanks very much adampenrith.
Thanks so much JohnRain.
Thanks cmd320. I would have loved to have been able to fly the Clipper. It certainly has amazing space but other than the First Class suite, the cabin was a little spartan and those seats sure don't look or feel very comfortable. I sat in one and although it did have some cushion, there was no recline function. Ten hours would be a long time to sit straight up. 
Nevertheless, it sure would have beaten 4-5 day on a boat if speed was important. Given the novelty and cutting edge high speed travel for 80 years ago, it was pretty cool to see.
Perhaps based on how you travel, the good old days are long gone. 
But most assuredly, for those that travel in First on top tier airlines like AF, LH, ME3 and select Asian airlines, the good old days are still here and even better. Not sure how one can get much better than connecting in CDG on AF, being coddled from arrival to departure and flying their gorgeous 77W with a single row of 4 seats in F. Certainly not open to the masses, feral or not.
Great pics SFO777. Really cool flying boat and memorabilia from that era! I've never seen the inside of one of those before but the spaciousness is remarkable, especially compared with aircraft that are 3-4x that size today. I wouldn't mind traveling by flying boat every now and then (or perhaps always)!
Nevertheless, it sure would have beaten 4-5 day on a boat if speed was important. Given the novelty and cutting edge high speed travel for 80 years ago, it was pretty cool to see.But most assuredly, for those that travel in First on top tier airlines like AF, LH, ME3 and select Asian airlines, the good old days are still here and even better. Not sure how one can get much better than connecting in CDG on AF, being coddled from arrival to departure and flying their gorgeous 77W with a single row of 4 seats in F. Certainly not open to the masses, feral or not.
Aug 31, 2016, 6:55 am
#161
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: SEA
Posts: 3,955
Perhaps based on how you travel, the good old days are long gone.
But most assuredly, for those that travel in First on top tier airlines like AF, LH, ME3 and select Asian airlines, the good old days are still here and even better. Not sure how one can get much better than connecting in CDG on AF, being coddled from arrival to departure and flying their gorgeous 77W with a single row of 4 seats in F. Certainly not open to the masses, feral or not.
But most assuredly, for those that travel in First on top tier airlines like AF, LH, ME3 and select Asian airlines, the good old days are still here and even better. Not sure how one can get much better than connecting in CDG on AF, being coddled from arrival to departure and flying their gorgeous 77W with a single row of 4 seats in F. Certainly not open to the masses, feral or not.
Aug 31, 2016, 8:52 am
#162
Join Date: Sep 2011
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Well done, Sir! I've just finished with the heli transfer to Ashford on your website. The scenery was gorgeous and to avoid a 5 hour car transfer was absolute brilliance!
I can only hope that you'll be avoiding the 380 on your return...please tell me there's another 77W in our reading future?!
I can only hope that you'll be avoiding the 380 on your return...please tell me there's another 77W in our reading future?!
Aug 31, 2016, 9:31 am
#163
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 1,357
I'm really enjoying your trip report & can't wait for the next instalment.
However, I'm must confess that despite being a native of 35 years I haven't seen much of the areas in your report. Shame on me, they look fantastic & highlight the outstanding beauty & genuine warmth Ireland has to offer
However, I'm must confess that despite being a native of 35 years I haven't seen much of the areas in your report. Shame on me, they look fantastic & highlight the outstanding beauty & genuine warmth Ireland has to offer