Bye to Bray

It can't last forever, time to say goodbyes and have a one last look around Wicklow. We will miss the Langrell family especially the furry one (Martok the one eyed cat).

I couldn't go home without having had a wander around Glendalough (early monastic site). It's got plenty of good tracks and lovely picturesque countryside but is very cold ( walk faster?).

I can't remember the last time I had such a big break. It's been a really enjoyable trip for Shell and I, The batteries now recharged ready for the Christmas chaos.

The trip home is fairly easy these days, straight to Abu Dhabi then home. I don't own a PS3 but airline retro games kept me amused, Neil didn't stand a chance against little Geoff. 

Hope you have enjoyed the travels via this little blog. You may have to wait a while for the next one or should I just pawn the musket and go again?

Lock, stock and one smoking barrel

I'ts getting near the end of the trip and were still doing the hellos. We went off to the Red Cow Inn (famous meeting place) to catch up with an old pal, Dave Kelly. Glad to see he's well and climbing television's Everest of sports.

Shell went off to Dublin to see old friends from UCD. Dublin's an old city with many sights to see.

Christmas is approaching so it's a mad scramble to try to get the shopping done before we head back. Shopping in Bray is only interrupted by the need for a tea break. I had the opportunity to try  some local cuisine, a batter burger, yes that right folks a burger that has been fried in batter, yum.

Shell, Laura and Karl went off to Belfast. I've had a bit of a cold and stayed indoors instead, wasn't wasted as I assembled the new kitchen table and chairs (flatpack). While in Belfast they visited the Titanic museum, only a new venue, tracing the history of the voyage of the Titanic (built in Belfast).

Why lock, stock and one smoking barrel? The musket is coming home !!! Finally got all the paperwork done, it's a real hit and miss with airline security but Etihad have given me the permission for transport although I am having trouble checking the details/paperwork as it's in arabic. 

Bray wanderings

Holidays in Bray always contain the 'hello I'm home' visits. Top of the list is Michelle's auntie Lillie. At 101 and still living in her house. A visit home is not complete without a cuppa at her place. I'ts been 7 years since I last saw Lillie and she's still as tough as nails.

Laura and Mark met us for a few drinks at the Martello pub down on the seafront. Great to see them and catch up on the fortunes of the Bray Wanderers (local football team). No trip home from the pub is complete without a stop at 'Henry & Rose'(chipper). Nothing like curry sauce & chips to soak up the grog. I am also very pleased to share with the world Michelle's Sidney Nolan tribute photo. ( Sidney Nolan's paintings are currently on exhibition in Dublin - shell really liked it).

As well as the social there is the practical. The boys (Michelle's bothers) always value their sisters desire to redecorate the house ( ha ha). A trip to Ikea was in order (Michelle and Mark) but I don't think the Daewoo Matiz is the best vehicle to transport the furniture home.

I'm consuming alot of time trying to figure out how to get my antique, that I purchased at Mullins, home.
I don't think this antique (early example of a balkan miquelet musket) would be considered as carry-on luggage.

Whilst on holidays I feel a bit like a sponge (not the free accommodation), always soaking up the new environment. It's the little things to notice. Bray is starting to introduce electric recharge points for cars around the town, they look just like parking meters. Apparently it's been a bit hit and miss with people being stuck out in the middle of nowhere with no charge and having to get a special vehicle to recharge (electric tow-truck?).

I'm also on the lookout for good graphics and am still laughing at this poster.

Around Roundwood

We had an invitation (from the Byrnes/Gintys) to stay a couple of days up in the country (Roundwood). Theresa is a great host, plyed us with much food and drink! I recommend the Wicklow Heather as it does a great pepper steak with garlic mash, plus the grogs good ( the more you have the better it gets). Paddy (Theresa's brother) is still building his house and his attention to detail is a real credit to him, that stonework is a work of art.

The countryside is beautiful and combined with the fresh air even had me out walking. I couldn't spend all the time walking, so took up a more traditional sport, shooting, and cracked a few off at the local range.

There is always time to stop for tea and cake, Avoca handweavers being the usual destination, great food hmm... black pudding quiche!!!. We (Shell) always keeps an eye on the local antique auctions so a visit to Mullen's was in order. These are something to behold, 900+ items sold in a day. The biding starts at 11.00 am and runs till late evening. Picked up some Wedgewood and a lovely Moorcroft vase. Jewels in hand it's time to head back to seaside Bray.

Bye bye Barcelona

The weather in Barcelona was great and that made for a more enjoyable trip. Barcelona is a lovely city nestled by the seaside.Managed to drop into the Catalonia museum in the morning which is right on the sea (old port building)

.

It's a bit like St Kilda but with a port attached to the beach, I'm not talking cargo ships but yacht clubs and ferries  Oh, and unlike St Kilda the people are nice and not full of themselves. The city has a massive intake of tourists and most Catalans are bi-lingual which makes it easy to communicate, they were also very helpful and polite. There are lots of warnings about theft but the police presence was heavy and we were careful (no different from any other city). We spent an afternoon by the seaside just sitting and eating/drinking and generally letting the world go by. I guess that's what a good holidays about, jumping off the rat race and just 'chilling' for a bit. This was not to last forever as there was serious shopping to be done.

We had an apartment in the centre of town ( Carrer Petritoxl ) and fortunately or unfortunately (for the wallet) this allowed for easy shopping. There is an amazing variety of food to eat especially for a carnivore like myself. The amount of chocolate /nougat shops is amazing and we had to stock up for the trip home.

Shell the shoeaholic was in her element, a vast array of every colour imaginable and some that should never have been (my opinion) were sprawled amongst the twisting lanes (streets) that made up the east side of Barcelona. Theses twisting lanes of shops usually end in 'placas' were I guess you are supposed to grab and coffee/tea, rest, then continue on your shopping safari.

No trip to Barcelona is complete without mentioning 'Gaudi' (the architect). His design influence is across the city, very organic forms combined with the rigid block construction of modern cities. Possibly his greatest work , the Sagrada, is a towering church of immense complexity/detail that is currently covered in cranes as they attempt to restore/finish what could be classified as the '8^th' wonder of the world. It reminds me a bit of the tower of Babel, a truly epic and unique structure.

There is plenty more to see an do in Barcelona, let alone the countryside, but the wallet won't survive so it's time to head back to Ireland.