A Canadian in Ireland

Hola!

Just a quick post (now that I have mostly figured out these Spanish keyboards ) to let you know that enjoying myself here in Nerja The sun is "splitting the stones" but there´s a nice breeze off the Med and plenty of cold cervesa We even managed to figure out how to get an ice coffee after a few failed experiments.

We´ve been taking it easy for the most part, though yesterday we did a little road trip to see the Alhambra. Amazing place, I took lots of photos which will be coming.

Only a couple of days left here, which is nowhere near long enough, but I´ll make the best of it.

I hoped that I would be able to post this yesterday, but the server monkeys weren't having it. I spent most of the evening uploading my photos. By the time I had that finished it was bedtime.

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Pardon me while I freak out slightly

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New Albums posted

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So now you know when.

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Just a quick photo from the reunion that was waiting for me in my inbox this morning.

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Ok, been so busy with other things I haven't had the time to post an update, but this certainly merits one.

So far I've been touring around the locality, exploring the Kitsilano area and today I was downtown.

Just a short aside - I purchased a Poppy quarter at a coin shop. Apparently there's been a run on them ever since the news story.

Anyway, the big news was this evening when I went out with my brother, his girlfriend, and some of their friends to the Irish Heather for the trad. night and to meet up with two very special people

Sandy

and

hungry



Just to put things over the top they were waiting with pancake mix and syrup

We had a lovely meal, a few pints, and a great chat. It was the highlight of the trip so far. (magic)



I'm off to the family reunion in the morning, so you probably won't hear from me until I get back.

Mind yourselves and have a cracking weekend.

I made it. Long flight, couple of minor delays, but all in all bearable. Was absolutley shattered when I finally landed. Rallied briefly during supper, but it didn't last long and I collapsed into bed by 10.

And was wide awake at 3.30 Again, that was only for 20 minutes, but I was up for good about 6.30. Shower, tea, and then the brother was up and we went out for coffee and pastry. Back at the apartment we saw the Vancouver Marathon was passing nearby so we headed down just in time to see the leader passing.

Of again now to do a bit of shopping and sight-seeing. There's a BBQ tonight so I can meet a few friends of his.

Later,

Well, it would have been two if Opera hadn't crashed in the middle of writing this post.

I dealt with that red tape, so all I really have left is my packing which I'll do tomorrow/today.

I'm getting a bit nervous about the trip. Mainly because of roadworks and delays on the route to the airport. I keep imagining that I'll miss my flight because I'm stuck in traffic. Fingers crossed.



What do you think of the new blog designs. I'm torn. I like this new layout, more colorful, but my customisation needs a bit of tweaking. I can live with it for now.



My writer's group met tonight. Our topic was "borrowed" from Kay Four I want to says thanks because we had a lot of fun with it.

4 days to my big trip.

Hey, hey, first of May
Outside nookie starts today.

Every spring Dad would trot that little ditty out and I've never forgotten it... No matter how hard I try

Anyway, I did all my shopping today. There's only the duty free left. And I met my former landlady and her daughter in my travels. That was really nice since I hadn't seen them since before X-mas.

The landlady told me about a shuttle bus to the airport, she said it was very handy when she had to travel. Now Mam was willing to drive me, but she would avoid driving in Dublin if she could. So I checked it out tonight. Unfortunately, the schedule doesn't suit. Thank goodness I have the Mammy to fall back on.

Come back tomorrow and see if I've started my last minute panic yet.





I see that Opera messed up all the file names in my photo album

So here's a quick and dirty guide to the spots we visited.

We started our first trip with The Rock of Cashel



From there we continued on to Co. Cork and had lunch in Clonakilty, famous for it's Black Pudding.

After lunch we travelled on to Baltimore



and caught the ferry over to Sherkin Island



Then we spent the night in Skibbereen

The next day we went on to the Ring of Kerry



And found a little archaeological park in a place called Bonan(I think )



We stopped for lunch in a lay-by above a small beach.



And stopped for the night in a B&B overlooking Dingle Bay called Taobh Coille (Woodside)



There were newborn lambs in the fields below the breakfast room.

On to Killarney



Then back along the Copper Coast



stopping in Tramore to walk on the Strand



And finally home through Waterford town.

The next Saturday we took a day trip down to Wexford.

On the way we stopped in Clodiagh Church, it's a funny little chapel tucked down in a valley on a bend in the road.



The next stop was The Irish National Heritage Park



where we took the tour and had lunch.

Then we met a friend of a friend of our friend who lived in Wexford town. She brought us on a tour of the downtown.



It was time to head back, but we stopped at the Kennedy Arboretum, which was closed.

On to the Kennedy homestead, which was closed.



And finally the Dunbrody famine ship



which was... you get the idea.