Category: Travel
How did we get to be so lucky?
May 12, 2014
I remember gazing longingly at perfect pub hotels when travelling at 20 – and very occasionally staying at a cheaper one. We would splurge on afternoon tea at the Great Russell Hotel when we went to London. Coming down the stairs to the lobby as a grown-up guest (at special bargain rates for one night)…
Continue Reading How did we get to be so lucky? »
I know…you all warned me it was wet in Ireland.
May 10, 2014
The girls and I all love maps. Glorious detailed ones. Preferably showing all the roads. Jessica says I can find roads that are not on any map and that navigating a car from hiking maps is not her idea of a fun time. Jessica is now in Paris so I am free to indulge my…
Continue Reading I know…you all warned me it was wet in Ireland. »
A Day at the Beach
May 10, 2014
After the Ring of Kerry we needed a quiet day, so we headed off to one of the beautiful local beaches, and curled up in the sun for an afternoon nap. Of course, the weather was a bit cool and windy for bikinis, so we made like the toddlers in their weatherproofed strollers and enjoyed…
Do the locals really drive that fast?
May 8, 2014
This is a tribute to every man in my life who has ever thought that driving on the UK side of road was a challenging – and therefore fun – part of a vacation. Not that I don’t. Here is the thing. Staying on the wrong side of the road is the smallest part of…
Roots, Rocks, and the Ring of Kerry
May 8, 2014
In the first post, I mentioned my Great-Grandmother Kells, and her mother, who emigrated from Ireland. They were strong women with great clarity, and for several decades, I avoided returning to Ireland because I thought I might discover that it was home and not want to leave. This was not unreasonable. The country is beautiful,…
Giant Azalea
May 6, 2014
Well folks – tonight we went out hiking in the rain and the dark just to get you all a picture of a blooming azalea! (Some clever person may tell us this is actually a rhododendron – never fear – we saw both. It was getting dark so we didn’t slow down for the full…
Trinity College Library
May 5, 2014
Some places fill everyone there with reverence. Chartwell (Winston Churchill’s home in England) is one of those places. Westminster Abby is another one. The Long Room at Trinity College is another. I am not sure which image l like best (I have to choose one). The first is the red bicycle below a sign pointing…
From Snow to Spring
May 5, 2014
It started to snow just as we were leaving Edmonton on Saturday evening, prompting shouts of victory from many passengers on the plane. Sure enough, the country side was lush and green when we landed in England. In Dublin, we found gardens full of tulips, a fuschia tree 10 ft tall, and a thick hedge…
Brickwork in Dublin
May 5, 2014
Sunday night we walked the city, working our way through jet lag and getting our bearings. The details of a new place often hide in the architecture and craftsmanship – like the perfectly rounded, sculpted, and octagonal brickwork in this complicated rooftop.
We are going to Ireland!
April 25, 2014
I come from a line of strong Irish women, full of laughter, insatiably curious, warm, and loving. For many years, I have thought I would go back to Ireland but did not know how or when. The mystery is about to unfold.