Tag Archives: Travel

Planning & dreaming

The last few days I have been “grass-hoppering” – I ricochet from job to job, starting everything, finishing nothing. You can blame excitement.

I am planning a few days in London. At the moment my destination is a secret. I’ll be meeting a fella. A kinda date. I never met him before… only on the internet. I think he is real and not like Mr Moss!

This here mystery man even organised my accommodation before telling me.

Do not worry. I’ll have a chaperone. Not like in the old days… an elderly aunt or fussing mother in a little bonnet, high necked blouse with mutton leg sleeves over her whale bone stays and skirts that polish the floor never mind her button boots. All finished off with a tiny lacy hanky to wipe away her tears or hide her blushes!

No. my chaperone will be young at heart, young in body and with a sense of humour just like mine. He chose well. All will be grand.

I know I still have a few weeks to wait, but I am already planning my packing… only one small cabin bag with wheels. No trunks with mountains of outfits that will never see the light of day.

It will be a case of one to wear, one to wash and one for spare with the undies.* I am praying the weather will be kind and not saturatingly soggy.

Outer layers will all be mix & match – the best idea the fashion industry ever came up with.

No skirts. It will be trousers all the way, I have no intention of advertising my pallid flesh, knock-knees, corns, bunions and more blue veins that a Stilton cheese!

And when the clothing is sorted I’ll need to deal with technology:

My cell phone

.

My phone

My Tablets

My Tablets

Tablets, yes more than one.

Then there in my latest acquisition…

I have joined the world of the pad. NO. Not TENA Lady, stop smirking toyboy techies, I mean something totally different and it works. Bigtime.

My Eye Pad.

My eye pad

My eye pad

Thirty seconds in the microwave and my eyes sparkle!

*  The mention of travel and undies made me giggle. A sudden memory of disposable pants that were all the go when I was a young twenty year old. You wore one for a day and then dumped them, Great for holiday packing but oh so uncomfortable. They were made of the same paper type fabric as the disposable hospital gowns that are in use today.

Whoopie!

We are all go for another year!

I drove on the all new bright and shiny A8 to Larne, this lovely sunny morning. There were stretches where I was all alone with green fields and cows chewing away, far too busy to notice me tootling along.

Naturally I was early for my appointment. I was asked to arrive at the vehicle testing Centre ten minutes before the appointed time.  I was due to arrive at 10:40hrs, for a test at 10:50hrs.  At the appointed time, you draw the vehicle up to the line and wait until you are beckoned to move forward.

Being a little earlier than required, I reversed into a parking space with full view of all that was going on. Driving school cars with would-be drivers nervously arriving to take their driving test. then I noticed some unusual activity from the MOT hanger …

The car in waiting at Lane one, began to reverse away from the building. It was closely followed by another car and a white van.  Then ever so slowly I saw something bright yellow inching the way out of the hanger. I got out of my car with my cell phone a photoo opportunity if ever there was one…

Wait for me!

Wait for me!

One of the testers was at the wheel, he reversed in a circle before roaring off to circuit the building.  I was ready when he came round to the front again,  I hit the button not quite sure if I had the object of my interest lined up properly … he was moving fast, but with caution.  Another half circuit and the sound of the engine died, so I expect the car belonged to the driver and he needed to return to duty.

I joined Lane 2 as arranged and in no time at all I was waved forward.

Nose into the hanger so the exhaust immision was tested. I was then invited to move forward to the next position and was asked to switch off the enging and open the bonnet/hood. Happy with that it was closed again and I had the fun of trying to remember the things I do automatically every time I drive:- indicators, lights on all three levels, fog light and the horn. That was my job complete and I was asked once more to switch off. vacate the car and move to the seating area along the side of the wall. With doors open at both ends it can feel rather cold, well it does for me.

The tester took over for the next stages, the car is driven forward the front wheels are placed on a metal pad and the guts are shaken out of the front axel/wheels, they are then dropped down in to a vice like well where they are pushed and pulled with gusto. This process is repeated for the back axel. When all four wheels are back on the ground level, I sigh with relief, only one more stage to go.

On to a ramp and up she goes!

My little Beauty

My little Beauty

Not bad for a car manufactured at the start of the century. Yes, the year was 2000 and the milage on the clock this morning? 70,474 miles.

I was talking to Elly when I came home she will be spending the wekend at the Sea of Galilee. When I told her the milage on my car, she replied “I will propable cover more than that on my working trips to Israel, by the end of the year”!

Elly has promised …I did hear her … not to try walking on water! Knowing her, she will probably dip her toes!

Stay safe my my love!

 

A busy week

It has been a long week. So long, it had two Saturdays, two Sundays and two Mondays. Alas, to day it comes to an end and I head for home.

Saturday: We made Christmas puddings – You already know about that.

Sunday: We had a visitor for morning coffee. After lunch the landlady walked the legs off me. We dandered to the Basin.

Blessington St Park

Blessington St Park

We watched a mammy duck teach her three tiny balls of fluff, no bigger than cotton balls, to swim.

Learning to swim

Learning to swim

Their tiny legs were going a mile a minute under the surface of the water, until….. a large bird swooped down…. Then there were only two balls of fluff for the mammy duck to quack instructions at, to swim faster than time to the protection of their hidden nest on the island in the middle of the lake.

The island

The island

When we left the basin, we passed the Black Church  where legend has it that if you run around the church clockwise three times, then enter the church and stand by the altar, you will see the devil.

The black church

The black church

I never quite had the courage to test that theory when I was young. The building was deconsecrated in 1962, and is now occupied as offices.

The Black Church is mentioned briefly in the novel Ulysses by Irish author James Joyce, in the chapter entitled ‘Oxen of the Sun’, as the location of one of Bello’s many sins: He went through a form of clandestine marriage with at least one woman in the shadow of the Black Church. Joyce lived for a few months only yards from the Church in Broadstone, at 44 Fontenoy Street, one of the Joyce family’s many temporary homes around Dublin. He stayed there with his son Giorgio from July to September 1909 and again alone from October 1909 to June 1910 while trying to set up the first cinema in Dublin.

Monday: Did I mention James Joyce earlier? Well, on Wednesday I met him! Honest. Here is a pixture to prove it:

He called me Nora

He called me Nora

He even called me Nora!

It was Bloomsday.  In Dublin, Joyceans in full Edwardian costume mark June 16th 1904 literary events of ‘Ulysses’ We met them on the Dart,  on the Streets and in the shops. Eileen and I went to Dún Laoghaire. They were there ahead of us.

Joyceans on way to Sandymount

Joyceans on way to Sandymount

I have to tell you what happened on the Dart. You will never believe it. Eileen, nudged me with her elbow and said “That guy over there winked at me!” I looked at the Toyboy and said, pointing at my sister “Did you wink at her?” He nodded. I looked questioningly and asked “Where’s my wink?” Grinning, he winked at me. Holding up my mobile phone, I asked if he wanted my number. He burst out laughing. With that, the engines started and we were moving…. Our Dart moved south, and his on the other track moved north!

No visit to Dún Laoghaire is complete without a visit to Teddy’s for a 99 – a whipped ice cream cone with added flake chocolate.

The evidence

The evidence

Eileen with ice cream cones.

The view while we eat 99sThe view as we sat and enjoyed our treat.

Tuesday: I spent the morning in the National Botanic Gardens, Dublin, with my eldest brother. We saw a Viking House

Viking House

I suggest scrolling to the bottom of the link above and working upward to follow the work in progress. I found it fascinating. I am trying to image life in Dublin 1,000 plus years ago.

'Gro' the Viking Boat

‘Gro’ the Viking Boat

I also saw a replica Viking boat ‘Gro’ on display. It was constructed from Irish oak in 2006 at the Irish National Heritage Park by Danish boatwrights using techniques employed in Dublin 1,000 years ago, the boat is on loan from the Ferrycarrig Heritage Park.

I drove my sister to Howth for an early dinner, which was delicious, and we were home in time to see one of the Football matches.

Looking down on Howth from the Churchyard

Looking down on Howth from the Churchyard

Wednesday: We were entertained to lunch by Brian, who sent us each a text as we were leaving home to say, he had just realised it was forty years since we first met, so a good job we looked like we did all those years ago! Is it really forty years since I was given the handle Grannymar? Yes, it is.

Thursday: I visited Drimnagh Castle, but that adventure is worth a special post. I hope to have it ready for Tuesday.

Drimnagh Castle

Drimnagh Castle

Friday: was a rest day, playing with Buffy and finishing a project that I was working on. I forgot to take a photo of the finished item, so when I get that photo, I’ll write about it.

Saturday: Was the longest day, so where better to be than on the Hill of Tara,  Home to the High Kings of Ireland. The panoramic view in my Header is from the hill at Tara. We were there to celebrate the life of Emma Sharma Hayes. It was a beautiful day, the sun shone and nature’s choir of bird song & gentle breezes sang around us for most of the day. We picnicked outdoors

Lunching Ladies with Vijay Sharma

Lunching Ladies with Vijay Sharma

and I found a very comfortable seat to rest my legs before we climbed the hill.

Tractoring Grannymar

Tractoring Grannymar

I nearly got a job too! One old guy asked if I would plough his back field? I told him I was busy and it would have to be next week!

Sunday: I went to work! Really. You have heard of ‘Bring your daughter to work days. Well this was a bring your family to work day, at Intel. Do you like my outfit?

Intel Open Day

Intel Open Day

Grannymar in a Bunny suit! These are actual uniforms worn by those who work in the clean-rooms. Buses took us on a tour of the site and we had a window tour of a clean-room. Elly showed the corridor she walks everyday, at least twice. It is a mile in each direction. We were introduced to the gym, where I could not miss an opportunity to sit on the equipment. I tested a massage chair, it felt like Ramana Rajgopaul’s masseuse was dancing on my back.

The staff looked after us royally and had fun & games for all ages. Thank you everyone for making us so welcome. Now the holiday has come to an end and I am homeward bound once more. I am covered in a healthy outdoor glow and my legs must be at least six inches shorter from all the walking. It was a wonderful week.

Planning & Scheming

 

Has wheels will travel:

 

Betty Rubble

Betty Rubble

Betty Rubble image credit to: images.cryhavok.org

One event booked I know the ‘when and where’.

A ‘Phone me when you are free, and we will meet for coffee’, I know the where. Last time we met at 11:30 and several coffees later we parted at 16:30…. not quite hoarse!

Lunch engagement – know the ‘who & where’ but not yet the ‘when’.

It all depends on the main reason for my visit…

A total new experience, but I have yet to find out the ‘where and when’.

Blogging might be light next week, so please forgive me.

Dashing away with a smoothing iron.

On Saturday, in a light hearted short post, I admitted that I had been wrong to iron my clothes. The graphic I produced told me the freshly pressed clothes showed up the crease lines on my face.

The comments were fun.

Col asked: “How can you steal hearts away if you don’t go dashing away with a smoothing iron?”

Immediately I was back in the house of my youth with a mountain of shirts, blouses, sheets, pillowcases, half a dozen linen tablecloths and napkins, tea towels and a mound of handkerchiefs…..

Sitting by the fire was my granny singing this little number:

I replied to Col, with: “I have evidence of one young lady who took that idea to the extreme! Watch out on Monday”.

So here is the evidence.

Elly taking housework seriously. ;)

Elly taking housework seriously. 😉

Elly ironing on the Giant’s Causeway!

I had to go digging to find the photo and while there I reread the post that went along with it A Political Guide for Tourists to Ireland written four years ago. It applies even more so today, I think you might enjoy reading it.

No. I am not lost!

Contrary to speculation, I have not evaporated from the face of the earth (yet), or run away with a soldier, I am just having fun. Fun. FUN!

Sunday: I was dumped, but it became a Pink day.* 

Monday: Buffy learned how to use my sewing machine, then it was time for a long rest in preparation for the busy stuff….

Tuesday: A little retail therapy, finding little gems of shops, all noted for further investigation.

Wednesday: It was Ladies Day – Lunching, driving, talking, walking, visiting and even more eating, all interspersed with great big helpings of laughter, hugs and doggy licks. Three dogs in total.

Thursday: Today it will be the turn of not one but two Grannymar Toyboys! There is no point in doing things by halves. No. I will not tell you what we plan to do. It might be a looooooooong day!

Friday: Goodness knows what I’ll get up to tomorrow! 😉 😉

Saturday: I’ll try very hard not to get thrown off a Bridge!

It might well be next week before I have time to sit down, draw breath and catch up with all my blog reading and commenting.

Here is a little of the Pink to keep you going.

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

All the bicycles (over 1,000) brought to the recycling centre over several months, were gathered, cleaned up and painted pink. There is another tree like the one above, adorning a roundabout/rotary elsewhere in the Borough and umpteen placed on streets, outside or inside shops to celebrate the Giro d’Italia‘s first visit to Northern Ireland.

Years ago, before recycling became the norm and a’ money for rubbish’ income for all city and borough councils, we took our rubbish, non bin-able, to the local dump. Renamed, upgraded and money making, they are busy working hubs providing employment and cutting down on lazy dumping across the countryside.

 

Céad Míle Fáilte

Ireland, the land of A Hundred Thousand Welcomes, – Céad Míle Fáilte, it  is a pronounced like this:

How would you like a welcome to Dublin like this:

I bet that got your toes tapping! It was a flash mob of Irish dancers from the cast of ‘Take The Floor 2013’ at Dublin Airport recently.

Now there’s a grand way to get rid of jet lag!

Trip to Paris

Reading The Incident on the Champs-Élysées at Nelly’s Garden It brought back a memory for me.

Over forty years ago I was invited to join a group who were going to Paris for a five day weekend. The dates worked for me and I had a valid passport. So I said “Yes, I would love to go along”!

My name was added to the list and accommodation booked, so all I had to do was decide what to wear, pack a bag and turn up at Dublin Airport at the appointed hour.

My knowledge of Paris, at that time, came from the movies or books. I knew little more about the small group of girls I was to spend the few day with, all booked into same hotel. In fact The only person I knew on the whole trip was the friend who invited me. We were part of a much larger group, scattered about in different hotels. By the end of the five days I knew at least twenty five by first name and we had plenty of fun & laughter as well as great food, vino and much shorter legs!

Our hotel was central, good for walking from place to place, quite small with lots of stairs. Thankfully we were booked on a Bed & Breakfast tariff, so once we came down those stairs, we returned no more that once in the day and that was usually to freshen up and change before dinner.

We covered most of the popular tourist attractions:

Arc de Triumph, Eiffel Tower, Champs Elysées, and Place de la Concorde, where the guillotine took the life of King Louis XVI and Marie-Antoinette, and where today Tour de France runs its grand finale.

Notre Dame Cathedral where, because of the great number of tourists, I did not feel the spiritual magic of the cathedral, but enjoyed the quirky, funny, scary, and spiritual details of the artwork and the architecture. All those Gargoyles and flying buttresses were something else!

We visited the Louvre Museum not quite covering over 35,000 pieces of artwork, we had only allowed three hours for our visit. We waved to the armless beauty of the “Venus de Milo,” and “Winged Victory,” before joining a long queue to see the Louvre’s most famous work – Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa. This small, iconic painting, only 21 by 30 inches (53 by 77 cms) was covered with bullet-proof glass and flanked by guards; with not a hope of getting anyway near it – the result of it being stolen in 1911. (It was recovered in 1913.) Is it any wonder her smile is a little faded! 😉

We drooled our way along Place Vendôme – where owning a store is a haughty statement and every shop window is worth over €1 million. You may remember Place Vendôme the 1998 movie starring Catherine Deneuve. We however, moved on and found time and shops with prices more suitable to our fast emptying purses.

We allowed more time for The Château de Versailles, which 30 years ago was added to the UNESCO’s World Heritage List. I have visited again (when Elly lived in France) and my memories of Versailles are from that time.

We explored back-streets where ordinary tourists don’t generally venture. We felt the real Paris as we passed elegantly dressed young mothers escorting their dancing or skipping young children to or from school or kindergarten.

We found time to eat, drink and pause to soak up the atmosphere and one evening we went to the movies. Last tango in Paris, had been banned or cut to ribbons by the censors in Dublin, so we wanted to take the opportunity of seeing the film in Paris. We found a cinema with the film in English so booked for a late showing.

We returned along the Champs-Elysées late that night chatting animatedly about the movie, on the way to our accommodation. The street was busy with people walking in both directions, when a man bumped heavily into me. He almost knocked me over. He mumbled and staggered past, and as I looked over my shoulder I saw him lurching through the crowd behind me. We walked on, I had no handbag/purse to think about. My money was in my gloved hand, a trick I learned from my mother. It was only when we got back to our hotel, that I discovered I had blood all down my new, first time airing – dry clean only -trouser suit. We were going home the next day so the stains had to wait until I reached Dublin, to be sorted.

We never discovered the ‘what or why’ of the incident, from the amount of blood, I assume the guy had been stabbed.

Old friends from the back…

Back at the beginning of the month I wrote a Post about Grey hair and wrinkles, it reminded of another tale from the past.

Many years ago on a Dublin bus, I climbed the stairs and walking along the aisle I saw a friend sitting in a seat. I sat in beside him and nudged him with my elbow, while enquiring how he was.

You guessed it.

It was not my friend, but a total stranger.

I am not sure which of us were the more surprised. I know I blushed with embarrassment. What to do? Move away to another seat, or brave it out, apologise and hopefully turn it into a conversation starter?

Yes. That is what I did and we had a great conversation all the way home.

Bell ringing

The other day I wrote about trying as many of the modes of public transport available to me in Dublin.

Today I want to cover items 2 &18 from my ‘To Do’ list for 2013:

2. Take an unplanned, spur-of-the-moment trip.
18. “A Day In My Life” in photos.

Travelling by train was the mode of transport I chose.

Map of the main train lines from Dublin to stations across the land

Map of the main train lines from Dublin to stations across the land

Monday 22nd July, saw me up early and ready for the road good and early.

Where to choose?  I wanted a train with the opportunity to hop on and off or change direction.

Where to choose?
I wanted a train with the opportunity to hop on and off or change direction.

I decided to take a train from the local Station in Adamstown and see how far I could comfortably travel in one day.

The adventure begins!

The adventure begins!

Leaving the house at 09:32 hrs, I walked to the train station. The next train to Portlaoise was due at 09:36 hrs

Thirteen minutes makes for an easy stroll to the station up ahead.

Thirteen minutes makes for an easy stroll to the station up ahead.

Thirteen minutes to reach the train station in the distance. That makes for an easy stroll. 😀

My ticket to Portlaoise

My ticket to Portlaoise

Although my Northern Ireland Senior Smart card is valid for all public transport in the Republic of Ireland. I need to get a train ticket for access to and from station platforms. It also records the journeys we take in order to charge Translink, the Northern Ireland transport system for our usage.

Here she comes!

Here she comes!

The train on the right is the fast Inter City, My train is further back on the left hand track.

The wheels are turning.

The wheels are turning.

The wheels are turning and we are on our way.

 Into the wild.

Into the wild.

The fields are well bleached by the sunshine of the past ten days.

View on the window across the carriage

View on the window across the carriage

View on the window across the carriage, I had it all to myself at that time of day. Anyone in a hurry went back to Dublin to catch the non stop Inter City train.

He didn't get on board!

He didn’t get on board!

He did not get on the train, the next stop was the final destination for this train.

Portlaoise Station

Portlaoise Station

Now to find my way into town, have a cup of coffee and do a little exploring.

Plastic people to make the street look busy!

Plastic people to make the street look busy!

Shop mannequins display the clothes sold in a nearby shop. Trees lined the street and were rather a nuisance. They must have dropped a wide circle of sap during the night. My shoes literally stuck to the pavement every time I passed a tree. I heard the locals complaining too. It was like walking on moist glue.

I felt I had traveled back in time about fifty years. Nothing really changed since I accompanied my father on journeys across the country all those years ago. Time to head back to the station and catch the next train to Cork on the south coast.

Cork City from the train

Cork City from the train

Not sure why this one was so ‘blue’ I blame the train window! 😉

Engine No 36

Engine No 36

Engine No 36 is on Display at the entrance to Cork Kent Station. Built one hundred years before I was born, this old workhorse is looking well!

Busy St Patrick's Street, Cork City

Busy St Patrick’s Street, Cork City

I took the bus to St Patrick Street, the main thoroughfare. It was buzzing and lively. I enjoyed my dander and kept going until I came to the end of the street.

Is that Shandon I see before me?

Is that Shandon I see before me?

I wonder if that is the Tower of St Anne’s Church, Shandon? Do I hear the famous bells? There is one way to find out…

The River Lee, Cork

The River Lee, Cork

I crossed the river Lee and up some steps!

There are plenty of stepped alleyways to be found in Cork City.

There are plenty of stepped alleyways to be found in Cork City.

I spoke to those two gentleman and they assured me the steps would lead me to the Shandon Bells. I took my time. It was a very long climb for knees that live in a bungalow!

Not far to go now

Not far to go now

Once at the top I followed the directions i was given.

Nice car

Nice car

Pity I didn’t meet this guy at the bottom of the hill. We spoke for a few minutes but a call to his phone brought word of a burglary at his home. He needed to rush off.

I finally found the tower.

I finally found the tower.

I finally found the clock tower.

The clock was made in 1847 by James Mangan, a Cork clock maker. It was at the request of Cork Corporation who paid for it then and to this day still maintain it. The clock is known locally as “The Four Faced Liar” because in days gone by, the four faces seldom showed the same time.

The four dials are painted on the stone of the tower with each face having a diameter of 15 feet 7 inches. The roman numerals are 3 inches high, made of timber and guilded. The minute hand is seven foot three inches from centre to tip.

St Anne's Church of Ireland, home to the Bells

St Anne’s Church of Ireland, home to the Bells

Even more steps!

Wooden steps to lure us further up.

Wooden steps to lure us further up.

The wooden steps take us to where you can ring the famous bells.

visitors ringing the bells

visitors ringing the bells

This young family working the bell ropes had come all the way from Alaska. The ropes are numbered one to eight like the notes in a music scale. A book sits on a lectern with several simple recognizable tunes for people to play on the numbered ropes. The young girl was calling the numbers for her family to play. This time it was Happy Birthday and I discovered that they were playing it on the birthday of the little fellow in the middle.

I let the family go ahead of me

I let the family go ahead of me

These steps needed thinking about – narrow very steep and with only a rope for help. It was a “Will I, won’t I” moment…

Rough flagged curve to the next level

Rough flagged curve to the next level

Now you know my answer.

View from a narrow window

View from a narrow window

View from a narrow window looking at the North Cathedral.

still more steps

still more steps

Look at how steep those steps are.

How time was & has changed

How time was & has changed

There are five barrels attached through pulleys to five weights which provide the power for driving the clock. Five is unusual as three are the norm. The clock ran for four days and had to be wound up by hand twice a week. The weights have now been disconnected and small electric motors are attached to the barrels, keeping the clock wound and running.

The pendilum

The 14 ft pendulum of the clock

The 14 foot pendulum of the clock hangs through the ceiling from the clock works on the floor above. It takes two seconds to swing from side to side. The total weight of the clock is in the region of five tonnes. I would not like the weight of that time on my arm! 😉

The clock bears an inscription:

The clock bears an inscription:

“Passenger measure your time for time is a measure of your being”

The eight bells were installed in 1752, a gift from Daniel Thresher. The played out across Shandon on 7th December for the marriage of Henry Harding and Catherine Dorman. They were being played as I passed, and although I was given ear protectors, I didn’t dally to try and photograph the moving clanging giants.

Each bell carries an inscription

Each bell carries an inscription

The eight bells weigh a total of six tonnes and each one has an inscription. They were cast at Rudhalls foundry in Gloucester, England.

The final steps to the viewing gallery were a little precarious for me so I cried off made the sensible decision not to climb any higher. I still had to work out how I was going to unclimb all those steps.

If you are curious the view, professional photos and more history can be found here.

It was time to head back to the station if I wanted to make it home in time for dinner. The journey home was short, my head was buzzing with all I seen and the wonderful people I spoke to on my day of adventure.

I had a wonderful welcome waiting for me when I got off the train at Adamstown:

Welcome home

Welcome home