Adventures of Cathy

  Last item on the list: The Aran Islands.  And not a moment too soon as I have but 2 days remaining.   The ferry leaves from Doolin Bay, above, and sails to your choice of 3 islands: Inis Oirr, population 150; Inis Meain, population 250:  or Inis Mor, population 750.  Give me the Big One! Inis Mor is home to about 3 pubs, 2 cafes, gift shops selling trinkets (and Christmast ornaments!!) gas station, small grocery store and 3 retailers selling what the islands are famous for: Aran Sweaters.   A couple of ferries drop off  several hundred tourists during the day into the waiting arms (and pocket books) of 20 tour mini vans,  half a dozen Trap & pony  and 2 bicycle rental shops.  Which means the 2 roads around the island are chock full of vans, carriages, bicyclists and hikers. When they made the no-bigger-than-3-golf cars-across roads, they forgot to factor in that everyone of these tourists were going to share them , not always ...

If you can read the road signs in Gaelic, you're doing much better than me.  I only learned two phrases: Dia Thuit.  Pronounced: Gia Gwich.  Translation:  Hello Ta Me Go Maith.  Pronounced Tommy Go Ma.  Means: I am good. Oh, that's what that means!: Crash Repair                                                                      Body Shop Toasties                                                                                   Grilled Cheese  Sandwich Hoovering            ...

  It's Saturday and we are leaving Dublin for my 'home' in Ennistymon.  Have reserved seats on packed trains, first to Galway and then to Ennis where Brian/Philip/Michael from The Taxi Company will gather us up for the 25K trip back to my apartment. We have a 2-1/2 (ish) layover in Galway (the departure board reads 'on time') and it's pouring rain now but fortunately there are 3 pubs within a pitching wedge distance outside of the trian station.   Returning to Galway station with about 25 minutes to spare, I see no waiting train or any milling about so I approached a station attendant to confirm that this was the track for the train to Ennis.   "ah, lassie.  oiv'e gat sume bad newwws  far ye.  Ye see thot traaain hos uperational issues and wooon't be ruuning taday.  Boot dooon't warry.  Oiv'e gat buuses organoized ta callect ya ta teck ya ta Innis and it's sure yule be arroiving a wee bit arly." A) I've been reading faces for a ...

  The Book of Kells, Trinity College It is impossible to describe the beauty of the Book of Kells, an illuminated manuscript of the four Gospels.  The intricacy of the drawings is astounding.  These pics don't do it justice and I copied the ones below.  Even this, not nearly enough when seen in person. Speaking of religious experiences, anyone who loves the written word will be moved to jaw dropping rapture when entering The Long Room library at Trinity College.  It is much photographed and this is a stock photo as there were too many people to get a great view.  I could be in this room for hours.  It SMELLS like a library of wood and paper.   Ahhhh..... But wait...there's more.  This is the foodie kind of religious daydream.   During the hop on/hop off touring we simultaneously spotted a "must do" pub called the Bull & Castle.  Booked a table, the only way to dine there before 9:30 pm.  Is it rude to lick the pla...

  Tourism is alive and well in Dublin, population 500,000 and half again that many tourists. Friend Rose Lynch, 35 years playing golf together at Cherokee CC, took up the "call" and joined me in Ireland to share the adventure.  She flew in to Dublin, so I met her there for 2+ days of site seeing.  We wisely oriented ourselves to the city by doing a hop on/hop off bus excursion.  We instinctively choose the same shops, pubs, attractions to enjoy and she makes a wonderful travel partner. #1 Tourist attraction in all of Ireland is the Guinness Storefront.   Given that we make beer in Wisconsin, we're not inclined to take a tour to see how beer is made.  Ditto the Jameson and Teeling distilleries, Teeling being literally across the street from the hotel.  I'd rather you just pour me a glass. We are lucking in to the cutest and most fun dining and pub spots.  The bartender at Lundy Foot's was a show all on his own and informed us that Lundy made s...

  Monday night is jam session night at Marrinan Bar.  Mary Marrinan's Great Grandmother moved to Ennistymon and leased the building in 1902 and started the enterprise.  Which was passed down to her daughter, her son (Mary's father) and Mary.  She and her husband run the bar without outside staff.  So on Monday nights, when the place is packed to the ceiling, they have a constant stream of glasses filling with Guinness. For those of you who turn in at 8:00pm, the "band" doesn't begin until 9:30.  Or so.  Musicians just start showing up and after everyone has ordered a pint, they start playing.  While more musicians arrive and squeeze in.   Last night swelled to symphony size of around 12 including 4 flutes, 1 tin whistle, 2 fiddles, a drum, 3 squeeze boxes, a mandolin, a banjo, a guitar and some bagpipe thing.  It was an amazing night of music and at one point I was treated to a tenor singing acapella.  As they say here, "brilli...