A Trip to the Coast, Part One

 

8 August 2012

Anne and I promised her son and daughter-in-law we would meet them for lunch.  They were in Waterford for a few days on holiday with their baby daughter. The day promised to be sunny and off we took.  It was a wonderful drive down and roads are great - that's thanks to the EU money.

 

Waterford City is the capital of the Sunny South East of Ireland and Ireland's oldest city. Wateford City was founded by Viking traders in 914.  Also the home of Waterford Crystal.

 

Just the day before I had seen a special of the city on TV. So, I was excited to see Waterford. When we arrived we found a car park on the river front. Only 5euro for all day parking. And it was off to find the family, have lunch, and explore.

 

 

 

 

So after a great lunch we were deciding what to do next.  I, of course, had my agenda planned before we left home.  I wanted to see Waterford Crystal and some historic sights around the town.  Anne is not interested in any of that.  She is happy wondering thru the shops.  I'm not a shopper.  So we decided we would go our separate ways and meet up at a designated spot at a designated time.  First I needed to get directions, a challenge in Ireland.  Finally, a very nice young lady, from Boots, gave me directions and a rough map. She was third we had asked.  So, I left Anne and away I went. The directions took me thru some of the older parts of the city - gave one a felling of being back in time. I found several small interesting shops.  One was a small design center where you could stand and watch them working with glass.  Finally, I found Waterford Crystal.  I wasn't interested in the tour, but just walking through the display room. It was a sheer delight. 

Some added history - Waterford City has been the home of Waterford Crystal since 1783. In January 2009 its Waterford base was closed down due to the bankruptcy of the Wedgwood Group. After several difficulties and takeovers, it re-emerged later that year. In June 2010, Waterford Crystal relocated almost back to its original roots, on The Mall in Waterford City. This new location is now home to a manufacturing facility that melts over 750 tonnes of crystal a year. This new facility offers visitors the opportunity to take guided tours of the factory and also offers a retail store, showcasing the world's largest collection of Waterford Crystal.

 

 

 After about an hour of looking, I decided I better start back as I had a few more places to see before meeting up with the family. So across the street to my next stop on the Viking Triangle. 

See Part Two.