Read, Write, Ramble

 The best taxi drivers, we have found through extensive research,  not only like people, but are genuinely interested in people; care about where you came from and where you are going; want to engage; find common bonds (‘I have a brother in Australia; I was out there last year! What part are you from?’); and want to share their knowledge of the area, ensuring the traveller learns about the ‘not to be missed locations’.  This said, we have had a mix of good and bad during our stay in Ireland. One sprayed his taxi with air freshener as soon as we got in, and we weren’t sure if it was a comment on us, or the state of his taxi. Another shouted at Wallsy for being too rough putting his bag in the boot, and then at Julie for not having got her seat belt done up before he started moving. But then there was Brian, and a few others like him, who restored our faith in taxi drivers because they cared and were happy to help.  Bus drivers however,  were a different breed alt...

 The days are winding down and so are we. Tiredness and heat are catching up with us. We all packed our cases this morning, despite not leaving until tomorrow, as we have strict weight restrictions on our Aer Lingus flight to Bristol. Everyone managed the 20kg for checked in luggage and kept it under 10kg for carry on, but Wallsy had a few books that were going to be problematic, so he and I set off for the Cork City Post Office.  On the way, we met Julie and Mark who had been to UCC for a guided tour. We had lunch in the cafe in Fitzgerald Park before all catching the bus into the city. Our friends having decided to visit Blackrock Castle for the afternoon.  Our almost 3kg of books cost the earth to post home, but probably less than the excess fees Aer Lingus would charge us for overweight luggage.  Job done, Wallsy and I wandered home via the Perch Cafe on the river just down from our apartment, where we enjoyed a cool drink and an icecream. We watched the fisherme...

 It was going to be another laid back kind of day as we prepare for departure from Ireland, but as they say, even the best laid plans go astray.  Julie and Mark took the opportunity to tour the Ring of Kerry with a local bus company while Wallsy and I planned a visit to the Blackrock Castle Observatory out at the end of the Cork Marina.  It took us two buses to get there, but we saw some other suburbs, which is always interesting, especially from the top deck of the bus. Each area we go through seems to differ in terms of type of housing and size of garden, if there is any garden at all. The suburbs of Beaumont and Blackrock certainly had fewer rows of terrace dwellings and bigger garden plots.  Arriving at the closest stop to the Castle we walked a section of the relatively new Greenway walking and cycling path to reach the impressive building which now houses an Observatory operated by Munster Technological University (MTU). Built in 1582 as a fort to protect the P...

 It was going to be another warm one,  but it was Saturday, and Saturday means parkrun. Normally I would say that beginning at 9:30am was more civilised than our 8am time slot back home, but not in this heat - an earlier start would have been preferable.  Wallsy and I had decided to share ourselves around and visit a different parkrun event today, this time at Ballincollig, to the west of Cork City and a fifteen minute bus ride from our neck of the woods.  We set out to walk to the Victoria Cross Bus Stop at 8 am and found ourselves in the clean and bright suburb soon after 8:30. We navigated our way to a coffee van before walking to the Regional Park which was the home of the local parkrun.  It was already hot. Although the weather app said it was only 20 degrees, the humidity here makes it feel much hotter. I could have sworn it was already at the forecast 29.  The run director gave us a warm welcome at the briefing and as there was another family there f...

A more laid back approach to today enabled us all to have a bit of a sleep-in, enjoy a leisurely breakfast and then assess our options.  We were booked in for a midday walking tour of Cork to solidify our knowledge of this city we have used as our base over the past month, and see if there was anything new to be learned, but on the way, we thought we should pop into the Old Cork Waterworks Experience, which is only 5 minutes down the road from our apartment and something we walk/drive past every time we go out.  It was a very well executed exhibition, full of information on the history of the development of Cork and its water infrastructure.  Following a coffee in the Waterworks Cafe, we journeyed on to the bus stop and then met our walking tour at the Tourist Information Office.  My biggest take away from the tour was that there is apparently only one Art Deco style building in all of Cork, and that’s the old Savoy Theatre. I’m sure I learnt other things as well, bu...

 A day tour seemed like a good solution to fit in some more Cork scenery in our last few days here. We selected one that covered Bantry and Clonakilty, both places that had been recommended to us, but it would have had to be one or the other if we were relying on public transport.   The trusty Brian collected us at 8am and dropped us at the designated meeting point in St Patrick’s Quay. We were very early, as is our habit, but the Cronin’s tour bus arrived at 8:45 and the 13 passengers quickly boarded. It was looking like a pleasant day weather-wise.  Our first stop was the tranquil Gougane Barra, site of an Oratory and  Church originally established by St Finnbar.  The beautiful spot, ringed by the Shehy Mountains, is also the source of the River Lee which runs into the sea at Cork City. It was easy to see why the saint chose this peaceful place to establish a place of worship and monastery.  Situated on the Wild Atlantic Way, we had a brief time to explor...