Lesley, we didn’t believe the chap in the PitStop repair shop either, so when the Sixt guy didn’t call back last night, we booked an alternative rental car with a different company and cancelled the rest of the contract.  This morning, the cheerful and very amenable Enterprise people provided us with an almost identical vehicle and leaving the keys to the broken down VW with the hotel in Tralee, we set off for Kenmare in the Seat replacement.  We can’t afford to be stuck in some remote area of Ireland whilst they get their act together to sort something out.

We’d read that things were going to be buzzing in Kenmare today, with the annual fair in full swing.

Sure enough, by the time we arrived the streets were full of activity.  The first part was mostly market-style stalls, selling fairground type trinkets.  But then we hit the main part…

Want to buy a puppy?  Just 70 Euros a piece, we heard.

Well, yes, they are very cute but none of us were confident that this was going to be the best place to make such an important purchase.Later, though, we saw a young woman carrying one of this pair in the street looking rather pleased with her purchase and with an older Jack Russell on a lead beside her.  I must say I felt happier knowing that one puppy appeared to be going to a good home, but then what do I know?

If puppies weren’t on your shopping list today, then how about a few chickens?

A goat, maybe?

A cow…?

A horse?

A donkey (or two?)

Or a pair of Fallabellas?

Anything and everything was here for the purchase, everything and anything was haphazard and tied to a bit of railing or a car bumper.  Oh my.

If you weren’t in the market to buy something, then how about a raffle ticket?

The prizes were in the pen alongside.

No, Mary, you can’t take one back to California with you!

Having perused the livestock department, we chose to take a look up the main street and see what was on offer there.  It was getting near to lunchtime and perhaps there’d be a pub with a bit of entertainment or something?

What we found was stall upon stall seeing “pre-loved” power tools.

Row upon row of them set out on the roadside, each one looking very “pre-loved” indeed.  Of course, we wanted to know where they had all come from!!

And yes, of course, you know exactly what we were thinking, don’t you?  I was thinking of friends who have builders in right now, who have had full toolkits stolen, never to be seen again. 

There must have been hundreds of them.

The little street had some interesting shops along the way, too, not to mention a good place to enjoy a bacon buttie for lunch.

As we made our way back to the car, we spotted a different selection of puppies on offer and a small boy getting acquainted with one as his father did the deal.

Alongside, another stall had been set up…

Our hotel tonight is in Killarney, so our route back to the hotel took us over part of the Ring of Kerry and in particular, past another Avoca shop.

Inside was an interesting book with a familiar feel to it.

But actually, it wasn’t the book which caught my eye (again) but the blankets.

Glorious rich colours; having petted them in every store I’ve been in, it was time to make the purchase.

I’d already made my choice at an earlier stop

We are so happy we came here and delight in the glorious scenery and the wonderfully friendly people we’ve come across.

This evening, we sat in our beautiful hotel enjoying the view and wishing we could stay here longer.

Thinking we could stay here longer in fact.

So, with a couple of phone calls and emails made, we’re going to stay an extra night.  After all, not all changes have to be enforced – some of them can be made from choice!