Traveling Europe // Blarney Castle
A few years ago, while being confined to my bed with the flu, I watched an old movie on Netflix called "Top O' the Morning". It stars one of my favorite actors, Bing Crosby, and was the perfect sick-day movie. In this movie, they talk about "the Blarney Stone". This tale has stuck with me ever since, and kissing this stone became a to-do on my bucket list.
There are many pieces or versions to the legend of the Blarney Stone, and while each are very different, they all end up with the same conclusion about the stone itself. The legends state that this stone holds magical properties (it is said to have been Jacob's Pillow and to have saved a witch from drowning), and all who kiss the stone will be blessed with eloquence. However, the stone isn't exactly in a convenient location...
At the very top of Blarney Castle, along the outer wall, is where the stone has been placed. These days, tourists can enter the castle and make their way up to the roof where they can then kiss the stone. Of course I didn't go all the way to Ireland just to look at the stone, so you'd better believe I kissed it. A few days later I did develop a cold sore... so whether it was worth it or not is to be determined... However, the experience and the bragging rights most likely outweigh the unsightly sore, which probably developed out of stress, anyways.
to be continued...