…..travelling and connecting with family abroad
Travelling to Ireland always involves making connections with family. This year we got to know my husband’s cousins’ children better and we reconnected with our son who has been away for almost 2 years now.
My husband connecting with art.
To see more Travel Themes: Connections check out Where’s My Backpack?
….running is like riding a bike, once you start again it’s like you never stopped
On Sunday I started running again. I didn’t plan on it, it just happened.
My husband, Frances and I started on our usual morning walk but we barely left the house when my husband started to run. Frances kept putting on the brakes when she didn’t sense that I was right behind her so I started to run as well. And I kept running and running and didn’t stop until I hit the 4k mark.
We stopped at the Tim Horton’s in the park, where I bought a small coffee, asked for a cup of water and used the restroom. K wanted to run some more so I agreed to take the dog and the two of us walked the remaining 2k home. I was amazed that I was able to run so far after not running for about two months.
Today we started with a walk and started running at the entrance to Col. Sam Smith Park. Again, once I started running, it felt so natural and comfortable that I continued to run until we reached the point, turned around and ran all the way home. Another 4k of running and 1k of walking.
If someone had told me 18 months ago that I would become a runner I would have scoffed at them. I remember trying to run with my husband when I was in my 20s and put my back out. I was about 50 pounds lighter than I am now and I just couldn’t get into it. So why is it easier now? Shouldn’t it be harder? After all I’m 30 some years older and heavier.
I think the difference is that this time I started out slowly. Literally, I started with only running 50 metres on the first day and then going 100 metres the next. Slowly I added more distance and as the weight came off it became easier. The other difference is that I had a goal. I was coaching young girls to run and we were all training to do a 5k run. My goal was to finish the race and try to run half of it and walk the rest.
My first 5k wasn’t pretty but I did finish. I was exhausted, emotional and anxious about my health, all at the same time. When I realized that I wasn’t going to die from running, I continued to run periodically for the rest of that summer and in the fall I ran with the cross country team. It got easier and easier. During the winter, when running became too difficult my husband and I walked regularly in the evenings despite the cold and the record breaking amounts of snow that we encountered last winter.
I agreed to coach the girls at school again this spring and we worked toward completing another 5k race. This time I wanted to run the entire race without stopping and in under 45 minutes. It turned out to be a very warm day and I needed to stop 3 times, once for water and then again a couple of times to re-energize. Each time I walked I went for about 100 metres and then started to run again. I finished in 47 minutes and ran most of the 5k.
My plan was to run over the summer but for some reason it just didn’t happen. I did a lot of walking, especially when we were in Ireland and we continued to walk when I was in the city but for some reason when I went to the cottage I didn’t run at all and some days I didn’t walk very far either. As some of you know, we’ve had bears inhabit our island this year and even though I’ve never seen them I do know people who have. My biggest phobia in life is meeting up with a bear. I don’t know where that comes from because I’ve never had an encounter with a bear but I think the possibility of meeting a bear in the woods or on the beach kept me from wandering too far from the cottage.
This fall my goal is to run with the cross country team again and I think it’s time to search out another 5k race this fall. I started back to work today but I got in that run before I left for school. Next week it won’t be as easy to do that because I have to be at school earlier but I know in the first week back the gym teacher will start recruiting the students for this years cross country team. I’ll be right there with them at 7:45 every morning.
….my most memorable moments
Time Spent With the Irish Cousins
Checking out Dublin With Our Son
Meeting Our Son’s Beautiful Girlfriend
Our Trip to Westport
Our Day at Howth
The Museums, Art Galleries and Beautiful Gardens
Spending Time With My Wonderful Husband
….and Finally, Finding a Good Cup of ‘Coffee’ in Ireland (something we had a hard time finding 9 years ago)
…….our last day trip outside of Dublin
On our second last full day in Ireland we decided to take a bus to the seaside town of Malahide. As with Howth, it was just a city bus ride away. We left our hotel early in the morning, caught the bus to the city centre and then made our connection for the Malahide bus. Unfortunately we missed the bus by a couple of minutes and it was almost an hour before the next bus.
Luckily we were in the centre of town and there was a lot to see and do in the space of that hour. When we finally boarded the bus we found a seat on the upper deck right at the front, so we had a great view of the countryside on our journey. I only wish that the windows had been a little cleaner, so some of the photos might appear to have a smudge or two on them.
The drive took us north of Howth and along some very pretty coastline. When we arrived in Malahide we were greeted by a small town with a very touristy feel. Down the centre of the street a small orange train made its way toward the Malahide Castle Estate, past numerous gift shops, travel centres, restaurants and small businesses.
We quickly got our bearings and started to walk towards the grounds of Malahide Castle. K’s cousin highly recommended going there and paying to see the inside of the castle.
As we walked we noticed a large number of young families with small children and babies in strollers making their way to the same place. Not only is there the castle but as we discovered there is an amazing playground and numerous sports fields around the area that is very popular with the locals.
When we got to the visitors centre we paid for the tour and made our way to the castle’s entrance. We passed the old Abby and cemetery that surrounds it along the path and off in the distance we could see the magnificent grounds that surround the castle. One tree on the grounds is over 500 years old and is quite spectacular. The photo really doesn’t do it justice.
Inside the castle, as we were waiting for the tour to start, we were able to visit the small historical museum that gave us some background on the castle itself and its inhabitants over the centuries. It turned out that this was the only place inside the castle that we were allowed to take photographs.
The tour itself was very informative but a tad short. We were allowed into four rooms.
Malahide castle has been a fortress and a private home for over 800 years. The Talbot family lived here from 1185 to 1973, when the last Talbot died. The house is furnished with beautiful period furniture together with an extensive collection of Irish portrait paintings, mainly from the National Gallery.( This is the reason why we couldn’t take photographs of the interior)
The history of the Talbot family is recorded in the Great Hall, where portraits of generations of the family tell their own story of Ireland’s stormy history. Many additions and alterations have been made to this romantic and beautiful structure, but the contours of the surrounding parklands have changed little in 800 years, retaining a sense of the past.(Copied from http://www.visitdublin.com/Asset/See_and_Do/Malahide_Castle)
After exploring the visitor’s centre, making a few purchases from the sportswear store (located next to the centre) and walking about the 250 acre park that surrounds the castle we made our way back into town and down to the quays looking for a place to have lunch.
Much to our chagrin we discovered that all the seaside restaurants were closed and were only open for dinner. We finally found a pub that my husband had been to on his last visit with the Dublin cousins and we sat down to a delicious meal of seafood entrees. Afterwards we easily found the bus stop that would take us back into Dublin and we enjoyed the scenery going in the opposite direction back into town. 
….with the emphasis on the ‘t’
When we came back from our trip to Howth and said we had been to How-th, K’s Dublin cousin laughed and told us that we were mispronouncing the name.
Regardless of the pronunciation, Howth was one of our sightseeing highlights while in Dublin. It is located north of the city centre, on the coastline and is accessible with the city bus. Our son had been there a couple of days before with his girlfriend but was happy to do the trek again with his parents.
We were actually glad that B knew about the terrain and ensured us that the walk was very doable for us. Of course the first half of the walk was all on an incline but the scenery was breathtaking. The only downside was that when we got to the top I needed a bathroom and there isn’t one on the trail. I’m not adverse to finding a secluded area and doing what I need to do but in this case we ended up at a busy parking lot. Apparently you can drive to the top of the cliffs.
Luckily for me, I’m not shy and I informed a couple of tourists who were looking at the information board with me that I needed to find a toilet. They told me that down the road (off the path) at the bottom of the hill there was a pub. What a godsend.
We found the pub easily, used the facilities, and continued back up the road to finish our hike along the trail. This part of the trail was on higher ground, with wider paths and a slight decline. Along the way we saw a few grandiose homes and as we got closer to the bottom we entered a subdivision of more beautiful homes. Eventually as we got closer to the beach area we passed some quaint stores and pubs and we decided it was time for some liquid refreshment. 
As with all pubs in Ireland the atmosphere was relaxed and welcoming. After their pint of beer and my half pint of cider we continued towards the beach and made our way to our bus stop for the half hour trip back into Dublin. In total the walk measured 7k.
All in all, a great way to spend our last day with our son. The next morning he would be flying back to the Netherlands, where he works and lives. Hopefully we’ll see him and his girlfriend again at Christmas. But in the meantime good luck B with your job interview in London, England. What a great reason to plan another trip overseas.
…..in search of the Atlantic Ocean
When we woke up this morning we discovered that our ham had been stolen from our window ledge. Oh well, nothing ventured nothing gained. I hope that whoever or whatever took our meat at least enjoyed it.
We knew that breakfast was waiting for us downstairs so we quickly got dressed and made our way to the breakfast room. As with most B & Bs, the counter was stocked with croissants, bread for toasting, jams, butter, cereals, milk, fruit salad and juices. What we weren’t expecting was to be handed a menu with more breakfast options, such as the full Irish breakfast, smoked salmon, eggs and bacon and oatmeal.
We placed our orders and were brought a carafe of freshly brewed coffee. While K enjoyed his full Irish breakfast and I my smoked salmon we discussed what we wanted to do for the rest of the day. We had pretty much decided that a hike was in order and I really wanted to see the Atlantic Ocean. One of the things that caught my eye as we perused the travel brochures was a boat tour of Clews Bay.
Overlooking the town along the Greenway.
After our hearty and delicious breakfast we went back to the room to get ready for the hike along the Westport Greenway. This is a popular walking and cycling path that used to be the Old Railway Line. It goes from the city centre down to the The Quays, a distance of 2.5 k one way.
Before we left we bought some water and a couple of sandwiches from the local grocery store and we still had the salad from the night before. The walk was relatively easy and the scenery was magnificent. The mountain in the background is Croagh Patrick.
Croagh Patrick (pronounced Croke Patrick) stands at 764m (2,507ft) and is the third highest peak in Mayo. Best known for its association with Saint Patrick, Ireland’s patron saint, who is said to have fasted for 40 days at the summit in 441AD, Croagh Patrick has been a pilgrimage destination since pre-Christian times.
When we reached the Quays I was disappointed to see that the tide was out and there were only beds of mud and rock to be seen. We rested for a bit, ate our salad and drank our water before we continued on our way. We walked along the Quay and followed the signs to Westport House, the home of the infamous pirate, Grace O’Malley.
The trail and road towards Westport House took us through some beautiful woodland areas. At one point we had a lovely view of the house from the far end of the pond. My only regret is that I didn’t take a photo here because once we got into the park we no longer had a view of the house. The only way to see the gardens, the remnants of the original castle and the house was to buy a pass. Once again my husband wasn’t interested in paying to see a few rooms. After checking out the website, here, I wish we had taken the time and spent the money to see it. The video is quite interesting.
We continued to walk around the park and eventually found ourselves back in town. We stopped to eat our sandwiches and then headed back to the Elephant House. I have to admit that I was a little disappointed that we didn’t see the boat tour and I wasn’t sure what we were going to do for the rest of the day.
When we got to the B & B, our host met us at the door and asked what our plans were for the rest of the day. I told him that I had wanted to go on the boat tour of Clews Bay but I knew that we would never be able to walk back in time to catch the boat. To our amazement, Dez, our host offered to drive us back to the pier. We hopped into his SUV and in a few minutes we were back at The Quays.
The tour was 15 Euro, each, for the 1 1/2 hour boat cruise through the bay. This was something I really wanted to do so I paid for both of us. I was really glad to be wearing my hat and having sun screen with me. Not only did we use it but the two passengers next to us also used it on their fair Irish skin. It was a perfect day to be out on the water. It was calm and the tour guide was informative and witty. Did you know that John Lennon actually bought one of the islands there and stayed there for an extended period of time? I can’t really imagine why anyone would want to live on these treeless islands. No power, no water, nothing. 
John Lennon’s Island. I wasn’t kidding when I said there was nothing on it.
At the end of the tour our host was waiting for us. He asked us if we would like to go for a pint at his favourite local pub outside of town. Well you don’t have to ask my husband twice. When we got to the Sheebin, K had to insist that we pay
for the round. It was very relaxing sitting outside overlooking the water. It was great talking to our host, learning about the town, how the B & B came to be, and how the town became so famous. As is often the case the success of the Westport can be attributed to the vision of one person.
Dez bought the second round for the guys; I was still nursing my first drink. One of the other things that we talked about was how we missed our vegetables with our meals. He had some great suggestions of where we could eat and probably find what we were looking for. One of the suggestions was the Wyatt Hotel where they had a dinner special for 60 Euro for two.
We checked out all the places that our host recommended but in the end we decided to try the Wyatt Hotel. We weren’t disappointed. We opted for the dinner special that included three courses and a complimentary bottle of wine. The atmosphere and decor were relaxed chic and the food was amazing. Even the wine was good but the best part was the large platter of vegetables that appeared on the table as part of our meal. We were in heaven. 
All in all our two day stay in Westport were outstanding, partially due to our wonderful hosts at the Elephant House. We would definitely recommend visiting Westport when you’re in Ireland. Next time we would stay a couple of days longer and check out some of the other activities that the town offers, such as sea kayaking and the 42 k cycling path along the Great Western Greenway.
Time to leave Westport. We’ll be back.
….2 days away from the hustle and bustle of Dublin
Heuston Station in Dublin. We decided to catch the early train to Westport so that we would have some time to explore when we arrived.
On Thursday, July 18th we booked out of our hotel in Dublin and took a cab to Heuston Station to catch our train to Westport. The train was fantastic. The seats were comfortable and we had a table between us where we could rest our electronic devices, books, magazines and drawing pads. The best part was that we had access to WiFi on the train, so that we could check our emails and write to our family back in Canada.
When we arrived in Westport, 3 1/2 hours later, we walked from the train station into town. Along the way, downhill (thank goodness), we walked past a huge stone wall and growing in between the stones we noticed these lovely flowering plants.
We found our bed and breakfast easily and even thought we were too early for check in, the owners kindly let us drop off our bags so that we could explore the town and get some lunch.
Westport is very much like Niagara on the Lake in Ontario. It’s very touristy and the streets are lined with numerous pubs, restaurants, cafes, and gift shops. All the shops are decked out with flowers and the streets are very clean. It literally did win the Tidiest Town award.
A beautiful small river runs through the town and on the south side, next to the large Catholic church a cozy pub, called the West Pub, advertised their prize winning chowder. Not only did it win once but two years in a row. It sounded like the perfect lunch to me. I wasn’t disappointed.
K had a bowl of mussels and he raved about them; said they were the best mussels he’s ever eaten. High praise coming from someone who is very particular about his mussels.
After lunch we checked into our room. It was very small but they had managed to squeeze a king size bed, a dresser. wardrobe and two night tables into this tight space. It also had a self contained bathroom with a toilet, sink and toilet. It was beautifully finished in tile from floor to ceiling. With the windows closed the room was absolutely sound proof from the street below but because there was no air conditioning we had to open our window. This wasn’t a problem the first night but on the second night (Friday) we were entertained by the sounds coming from the pub across the street. 
We spent the rest of the day checking out all the stores. K purchased a new over the shoulder bag to carry his camera and our lunch and water for the hike we had planned for the next day. I bought myself a cap to keep the sun off my head. It never occurred to me that Ireland would be so warm and sunny when we were packing our bags for this trip. Luckily the cap was only 4 Euro but I could easily have spent 40.
We were in a bit of a quandary as to what to do for dinner. We didn’t want a big fancy meal and we didn’t want fast food or junk food. We came across a small cafe that advertised a cheese board and wine. Perfect! Well almost perfect. Two things that we were really missing on this trip were fruits and vegetables. After our meal we stopped in the local grocery stored and picked up some veggies and dip and a couple of apples.
Our first night in Westport was quiet and relatively uneventful, outside of losing our package of ham from the window sill. To be continued……..
….with fitness and eating
We did an incredible amount of walking when we were in Ireland but my eating patterns were out of whack for me. I rarely drink beer so when we went to pubs I would have a pint of cider. I would rarely drink more than one glass and half way into the trip I realized that I could order half pints. With most meals I ordered mineral water but occasionally I enjoyed a glass of wine and one evening my husband and I shared a bottle of wine that came with the meal.
We were hoping we would be able to have a few light meals in our hotel room and only eat out once a day. We quickly discovered, however, that our rooms did not come with bar fridges and we couldn’t keep anything cool. One evening in Westport we went into the local grocery store to buy some vegetables and fruit. We also bought a small bottle of salad dressing and some ham to put into our salad.
Earlier in the evening we stopped at a small cafe and enjoyed a platter of cheese and a few crackers and a glass of wine. After we brought our selection of veggies and fruit back to our room we discovered we weren’t as hungry as we thought we would be. We ate the raw vegetables and hummus.
What were we to do with the salad, ham and dressing that we purchased? I think I’ve mentioned this before but Ireland was going through a heat wave while we were there and the hotels don’t have air conditioning. Well it was a few degrees cooler outside the hotel than in the room so I opened the window on the second story and placed the perishable foods on the window ledge.
The next morning the ham was gone. When I looked down to the street I saw the ’empty’ ham container lying on the sidewalk. We’re not sure what got on the ledge but there were a lot of very large blackbirds in the area. Do they eat meat?
Today, before breakfast, my husband, Frances and I started up our usual 5 k walks again. Frances was in a bit of slump since coming home yesterday. I think she was missing her buddy, Lucy. Going for a walk to the lake was just what the doctor ordered. Frances was in a better mood after she had her swim and K and I were energized for the rest of the day.
….there certainly is no scarcity of either structure in Ireland
Ireland offers a myriad of church buildings and statues honouring city founders and heroes. One evening and then again the next day, while waiting for a bus I walked up and down the boulevard on O’Connell Street and took photos of the statues that one sees when coming into the city centre.
The churches in Ireland are old and predominately Catholic but one of the most famous churches in downtown Dublin is Anglican; St. Patrick’s Cathedral.
Built in honour of Ireland’s patron saint, Saint Patrick Cathedral stands adjacent to the famous well where tradition has it Saint Patrick baptized converts on his visit to Dublin.
The parish church of Saint Patrick on this site was granted collegiate status in 1191, and raised to cathedral status in 1224. The present building dates from 1220. The Cathedral is today the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland (a church of the Anglican communion) and also serves as a popular tourist attraction in Ireland.
I don’t have any photos of the interior. This was the second church today that charged to walk through the doors. The cost to see both churches would have been 18 Euro for each of us or about $25.00. I understand needing the money for renovations but we found the prices were prohibitive, especially when there were three of us. I would have been happy to make a donation but that wasn’t an option. If you check out the website above you can see some interior shots and get some more history about this magnificent building.
The first church we stopped at was the Christ Church Cathedral. It is the oldest medieval church in Dublin and was founded in 1028 by the Norse King, Sitriuc Silkenbeard and associated with many important figures in Irish History, including the infamous Strongbow (Richard de Clare) and Dublin’s own Patron Saint, Laurence O’Toole.
Here are a few more churches that we came across in our travels throughout Dublin and Westport.
….after two glorious weeks in Ireland
We just got off the plane a little over two hours ago. I went through all the mail, threw away things in the fridge that I should have tossed before we left (yuck!!!), picked some vegetables from the garden and charged up my laptop. I’ve really missed the laptop. The iPad was okay but it gave me a lot of grief when I tried to keep up with my blog. I think I will write a critique about using an iPad when on vacation.
I’m anxious to upload the photos from my camera. I wasn’t able to do that with the iPad. I’ve a lot of wonderful moments and photos to share. Give me some time to sort myself out here at home (friends to phone, family to visit, and laundry to do) and I need to organize my thoughts and not repeat things that I have already posted.
First thing I need to do is go to the drug store and see if I can get some over the counter medication for pink eye. My poor husband managed to pick up a nasty case of it on his last day in Ireland; how or where he contacted it we’re not sure but I don’t want it. Poor Mr. Burgerhead. Don’t ask. It’s a name his cousin’s sons came up with after we spent some time with them. K actually loves the nickname and we miss the boys already.
Mama Cormier 
