I can't do this all at once, or I'd make you wait too long.
First, my love's emails to our friends. Next a couple of photos.
Finally a link to select photos, with another link to ALL the photos...
I will add my commentary from my diary as soon as I have the time.
__________________________________________________ ___
Greetings,
It has taken a while to get a note out. Internet access has been a bit sketchy - and when we have it Evan thinks he's the priority. This is the first morning that we have had Wi-Fi in our room. and we just sent him off to breakfast - now he's back and demanding to use the computer again.
It is beautiful here, and the people are grand. We're picking up the local
dialect but still can't understand every word. What a pleasure to meet genuinely happy people with a ready smile, great humor and a readiness to share local knowledge.
Dublin is rich with history - the county's fight for independence 80 yrs ago is outlined prominently in the places we have visited. Castles, forts, museums and ancient ruins are everywhere. We traveled from Dublin to Kilkenny - one hour out realized we left all our passports and many other valuables in the safe. Ed, new to driving on the Left side of the road, right side of car and shifting with left hand had a time of it driving back to and thru the city with Evan & Michelle navigating (scary thought).
Every hotel or B&B we have stayed in has been delightful.....we are now booking places as we go to have more flexibility, and when I can negotiate access to the laptop - have been very lucky at finding lovely accommodations and warm hosts.
On Monday we drove out to the Ivernaugh peninsula, along tiny windy vertigous roads to the Ballinskelligs. Took a choppy hour long boat ride on a fishing trawler to Skellig Michael - a thousand year old isolated monastic settlement 1000 steps to the top, and bird sanctuary with thousands of puffins, oystercatchers, storm petrels, gannets and many types of seagulls.
Breathtaking.
On the way back the trawler's engine started smoking and puttered out. As we drifted towards the rocks, the weather kicked up and all 12 passengers were soaked to the bone. A couple of hours later the Coast Guard towed us to shore. We were secretly thrilled with the experience, but some of our fellow passengers were pretty green around the gills. It took us several hours to warm up afterwards, though, Evan stripped down to his skivvies in the car and we blasted the hot air on him. He had sat up front to make room forward for the women, children and older folks (his parents).
He has been a 15-year old teen trooper.....asserting his independence with new and marvel force...it's a good thing.
Ed and I are goony lovebirds, poor Evan (acts like he's grossed out but he
secretly loves it).
Well - we are off to the Dingle Peninsula for some sunny weather, then to
Galway and then up North.
We are not homesick at all except maybe a little bit for Olivia (our dog).
Aloha,
______________
Greetings
We just spent 2 days in Dingle town (An Dangien Ui Chuis - see www.dinglename.com) on the Dingle peninsula in a warm, cozy B&B overlooking Dingle Bay. Our hosts, Julie & Joe Lynch have two darling children whom we will never forget.
Irish (Gaelic) is their primary language, when they speak rapidly in their
English dialect our American ears stumble on the words. Lovely family. We wake up each morning looking out on fishing boats 75 feet from our window. From our beds we watch gulls, oystercatchers and herons fish for their breakfast. Wrens pick seeds from the waving rush fronds.
Yesterday, after patiently following us to and from little shops, Evan went his own way with 30 euros to the Aquarium, a movie and later to the village fair. We drove out to Slea Head, walked the beach collecting shells and stones (in sweaters and coats), visited a Gaelic prehistory museum and a site showing an incredible series of tableau showing life during the potato famine in the actual dwellings the farmers lived in. Sobering.
We came back to our room, drank Irish whiskey, then hit the pubs sans son. We found an incredible blues place, The Blue Zone. It was magic looking across the darkening rooftops, in beautiful old rooms, smoking peat fire and various musicians playing in front of the open mike. A night we will never forget.
This morning we are heading out to Ennis and Galway. We will ferry across the Shannon river after a harrowing journey through the Connor Pass.
It's beautiful here in indescribable ways. We might send Evan back to finish high school and stay here. Please feed the cats and dog for us.
=============
Photos in next message.
First, my love's emails to our friends. Next a couple of photos.
Finally a link to select photos, with another link to ALL the photos...
I will add my commentary from my diary as soon as I have the time.
__________________________________________________ ___
Greetings,
It has taken a while to get a note out. Internet access has been a bit sketchy - and when we have it Evan thinks he's the priority. This is the first morning that we have had Wi-Fi in our room. and we just sent him off to breakfast - now he's back and demanding to use the computer again.
It is beautiful here, and the people are grand. We're picking up the local
dialect but still can't understand every word. What a pleasure to meet genuinely happy people with a ready smile, great humor and a readiness to share local knowledge.
Dublin is rich with history - the county's fight for independence 80 yrs ago is outlined prominently in the places we have visited. Castles, forts, museums and ancient ruins are everywhere. We traveled from Dublin to Kilkenny - one hour out realized we left all our passports and many other valuables in the safe. Ed, new to driving on the Left side of the road, right side of car and shifting with left hand had a time of it driving back to and thru the city with Evan & Michelle navigating (scary thought).
Every hotel or B&B we have stayed in has been delightful.....we are now booking places as we go to have more flexibility, and when I can negotiate access to the laptop - have been very lucky at finding lovely accommodations and warm hosts.
On Monday we drove out to the Ivernaugh peninsula, along tiny windy vertigous roads to the Ballinskelligs. Took a choppy hour long boat ride on a fishing trawler to Skellig Michael - a thousand year old isolated monastic settlement 1000 steps to the top, and bird sanctuary with thousands of puffins, oystercatchers, storm petrels, gannets and many types of seagulls.
Breathtaking.
On the way back the trawler's engine started smoking and puttered out. As we drifted towards the rocks, the weather kicked up and all 12 passengers were soaked to the bone. A couple of hours later the Coast Guard towed us to shore. We were secretly thrilled with the experience, but some of our fellow passengers were pretty green around the gills. It took us several hours to warm up afterwards, though, Evan stripped down to his skivvies in the car and we blasted the hot air on him. He had sat up front to make room forward for the women, children and older folks (his parents).
He has been a 15-year old teen trooper.....asserting his independence with new and marvel force...it's a good thing.
Ed and I are goony lovebirds, poor Evan (acts like he's grossed out but he
secretly loves it).
Well - we are off to the Dingle Peninsula for some sunny weather, then to
Galway and then up North.
We are not homesick at all except maybe a little bit for Olivia (our dog).
Aloha,
______________
Greetings
We just spent 2 days in Dingle town (An Dangien Ui Chuis - see www.dinglename.com) on the Dingle peninsula in a warm, cozy B&B overlooking Dingle Bay. Our hosts, Julie & Joe Lynch have two darling children whom we will never forget.
Irish (Gaelic) is their primary language, when they speak rapidly in their
English dialect our American ears stumble on the words. Lovely family. We wake up each morning looking out on fishing boats 75 feet from our window. From our beds we watch gulls, oystercatchers and herons fish for their breakfast. Wrens pick seeds from the waving rush fronds.
Yesterday, after patiently following us to and from little shops, Evan went his own way with 30 euros to the Aquarium, a movie and later to the village fair. We drove out to Slea Head, walked the beach collecting shells and stones (in sweaters and coats), visited a Gaelic prehistory museum and a site showing an incredible series of tableau showing life during the potato famine in the actual dwellings the farmers lived in. Sobering.
We came back to our room, drank Irish whiskey, then hit the pubs sans son. We found an incredible blues place, The Blue Zone. It was magic looking across the darkening rooftops, in beautiful old rooms, smoking peat fire and various musicians playing in front of the open mike. A night we will never forget.
This morning we are heading out to Ennis and Galway. We will ferry across the Shannon river after a harrowing journey through the Connor Pass.
It's beautiful here in indescribable ways. We might send Evan back to finish high school and stay here. Please feed the cats and dog for us.
=============
Photos in next message.
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