Tuesday, June 13, 2006

What do you call a fake Emerald - a 'Sham Rock' :)

The last couple of weeks have gone by in a flash!! Our Ireland Trip just kept getting better and better, as we headed up the West coast and over the Northern coast, then back down to Dublin. I can't remember exactly where I was last time I wrote, but I think it was somewhere in the south (think hedgerows, green fields, cows and sheep, ruins of centruies-old castles in the middle of a field, birds singing, quaint towns of whitewashed or brightly coloured terraced houses, very friendly people, overall very pretty). I liked the North even better - the landscape becomes more rugged, with rocky hills, deep Fjords, spectacular cliffs and coastline, gorgeous in the sunny warm weather we had, but clearly would be very bleak in the middle of an Irish Winter. There were more and more sheep, shaggy looking ones, that sometimes decided that the road would be a nice place to sit and chew their cud - which kep us on our toes in the narrow windy roads!

Our hostel experienes were varied, from standard rooms of bunks with all the mod-cons, to the 'Old Millhouse' in Westport, which is a centuries-old stone building with cozy little rooms and friendly staff. My favourite hostel was the 'downhill Hostel' in NortherIreland, run by a Northern Irish guy and his Wife who is from Seattle, and makes beautiful pottery. They have restored an old country house and decorated it with a lovely cozy feel, making it feel more like your relllie's place than an actual hostel! The other great thing about it was that you step out the front door and walk about 10 metres and you are on a beautiful stretch of beach (no, I didn't think of beaches when I thought ofIrleand either, but they are beautiful here in the sunshine!).
Speaking of which, I never did get that surfing lesson. Apart from the fact that we really didn't have time with all the things we were trying to see, apparently the perfect weather we were having is associated with a high pressure system, which is not conducive to decent
swell for surfing!

There is just so much to write on here, and I have to run. I'm in London now, and am heading North to my new place of residence on Friday. I have sent my new address to lots of people, but if you didn't get it, please leave me a comment message or email me, and I'll send it to you (along with my British phone number when I finally get it!).

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