Summer reading - after Ireland and Surgery. . . . . . . . . .

How lucky can I get!

No cancer, so very thankful. 

No major housework.

No lifting and bending.

No traveling, oh NO - just for a while though.

BUT. . . . . . all the time in the world to read wonderful books this week and next. 

These, waiting to be opened and have their pages turned, are full of promise.

Since coming home from Ireland a couple of weeks ago, I have been eager
 for the mailman who has showered me with new books. . . . . . . 

. . . . . . other than FALLEN by Lia Mills, a Dublin writer, which tweaked my
 curiosity when I photographed this Dublin street banner, and which
 I was able to purchase later at a tiny Killarney bookshop, my books have come
 to my mailbox. FALLEN is set in Dublin at the time of the 1916 Easter
Rising and is an historical story of a young woman coming of age amidst
 violence and loss.

MEADOWLAND - The Private Life Of An English Field
by John Lewis-Stempel somehow appeared online when looking for something else.
 I had to have it!

"In exquisite prose John Lewis-Stempel records the passing seasons in an

 ancient meadow on his farm."

That singular sentence was enough to tweak my appetite for learning more
 about my much loved English countryside - the fields of Devon were my
 playground and I will always remember and love them for ever.

ON AN IRISH ISLAND - The Lost World of the Great Blasket 
by Robert Kanigel. 
The story of Great Blasket Island is a must read because I'm now besotted by
 the history of this Irish island (the largest of a group named The Blasket Islands
 off the Dingle coastline) which was inhabited until the 1950's.

The House on an Irish Hillside by Felicity Hayes-McCoy is the
 new book I've decided to read first.
 It is so wonderful I plan to do a full post on it later.
 Just know I'm really happy to have found this book by this amazing author - and that
 I have been fortunate to have just visited the Dingle Peninsula where she lives
 for much of the year.

. . . . . . lastly, a new book about the extraordinary record-setting woman aviator,
 Beryl Markham, caught in a passionate love triangle with safari hunter
 Denis Finch Hatton and Karen Blixen who, as Isak Dinesen, wrote the
 classic memoir Out of Africa.
Circling The Sun by Paula McLain.

My read and reread dog-eared copy of West With The Night was written by Beryl
 herself and published in 1942. It has always been one of my favorite books
 about adventurous women and life in Kenya back in the 1930's.
Hmm, Kenya, Africa, Masai Mara, Safari, Big Five. . . . .some day!!!

All photos by me - thankfully a small camera is not very heavy!

The train south to Wexford. . . . . . . . .

Here on the County Wexford coast, about 70 km south of Dublin, the beach scenes
 in two wonderful movies, 'Saving Private Ryan' and 'Brooklyn' were filmed.

We went by train to Wexford for the day yesterday and had a fabulous time.

Will be telling more later about the little town which welcomed us with open arms.

James Joyce - 1882-1941

Walking around Dublin I stopped to say "top o'the morning" to Ireland's 

famous novelist and poet, James Joyce.

Today is our last day in Dublin. We head to Galway by train tomorrow.

How lucky we are to have enjoyed our first five days in Ireland in brilliant 

sunshine and comfortable - around 58F - temperatures.

We made some lovely new friends today - Marilyn & Noel from Australia's

fabulous Gold Coast, Queensland (where I've visited), they are actually

 New Zealanders; and Barbara & Doug who recently move to South Carolina

 from New England.

One of the great perks of travel is meeting new people and enjoying some 

fun conversations.

More details and stories when I have more time.

Dublin Evening Cityscapes. . . . . . . .

Just a few snaps from our first evening in the city. Luckily our great hotel is right

 in the center, on the River Liffey and within walking distance of much of interest.

Crowds arrived yesterday, just like us, some crossing the Liffey by the 

pedestrian Ha'penny Bridge.

We managed to stay up all day - the best way when missing a real night's

sleep on the previous overnight flight - just showered late afternoon and then out

for a light pub bite and a long walk. The sunshine and comfortable temperatures

certainly made arriving here most enjoyable. . . . . . . and the friendly and 

incredibly helpful Dubliners have already made things really fun.

Looking forward to discovering more of Bob's paternal family roots.

Having an Irish name here seems a great way to make new friends.

I've only brought my little Nikon point and shoot again - it's does OK and is

 so much easier to carry/charge etc. 

Off now on a busy day full of local sightseeing here in the city.

Entire weekend weather forecast continues to look really perfect - a true

Irish blessing I do believe!

Enjoy your weekend wherever.

Raleigh to London to Dublin. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . really was a long journey, about 23 hours door to door.

Smooth flight but oh those main cabin seats - they get more uncomfortable 

every time we fly. Needless to say, little or no sleep during the 7.5 hours

aloft all night. 

But we made it and are now unpacked and comfortable in our 

bright and spacious Dublin hotel room overlooking the 

River Liffey.

At Heathrow during our layover I looked but didn't buy! 

Leaving very busy Heathrow and heading West across the Irish Sea.

Coming in for our landing in Dublin - what a perfect day for flying.

Almost too exhausted to take photos, but snapped the river outside the hotel

 before coming in to unpack and have a short little rest. . . . .lying flat rather than

 scrunched up in an uncomfortable plane seat. We'll pop out early evening for a look

 around and a light meal. The weather is absolutely fabulous - and it should remain

 this way for our entire five days here in the city. Then we'll be touring around the

 beautiful countryside south and west of Ireland. . . . . .more likely in rain.

My first Irish experience has been very nice - the welcome at the hotel was

wonderful, and a sweet Irish lass just delivered chocolates to our door.

What more can one hope for!