Tuesday, February 24, 2009

8. Ireland Day 6 Part 2...

Welcome to Day 6 Part 2! After Erynne and I wandered around the Sculpture Park, Erynne and I took a wander around Downtown Kiltimagh. So dear readers come and take a stroll with us... As we wandered the weather was typicaly Irish, clouds rolling in, rain for a few minutes then sunshine again so these pictures will all look different due to the weather conditions so just bare that in mind as you browse.
What struck me about Ireland is that unlike "Americans" they aren't afraid to use color! I LOVE that about the Irish.

Little houses all in a row! How utterly cute! You just step out your door and there you go, who needs a car?


As I was walking something seemed just a bit off about some of the doors. Notice the door nob? Something just a bit off don't you think? Yep, it's in the middle of the door. How cool! Poor Postman though as the mail slot is on the bottom. I'd hate to have to bend over to deliver the mail door after door, day after day.

This picture pretty much sums up the Irish climate. Moss, how I love thee, let me count the ways. Reminds me of my trip to Oregon.

This is a view of the back of the houses. This is the alley that runs behind them. It's quiet and quaint. A textural contrast to the smooth almost modern looking fronts.

I belive that I've mentioned before how much I love texture. I'd love to have such character on the outside of my home. This kind of character you just can't buy.

As an artist I was really sad to hear that even though this sculpture of a man and child is not "realistic" (my male readers please skip forward to the next paragraph) the town found his "man unit" to be offensive so, sadly, it was removed. Poor guy.

The sun came out and wow what a difference. I love this town. The shapes of the chimneys and the hustle and bustle of daily life going on all around me. The air was wet, cool and oh so clean.

The town knows the value of a piece of good art. I passed by this fellow almost every day. I wonder if he ever gets tired of reading the same articles everyday. But oh imagine all things he's seen and conversations he's overheard.
Yes his newspaper comes complete with articles. Look Bear, it's about cows and tractors!

Isn't this town just the most beautiful? I love Kiltimagh. Not only is it lovely but so is everyone who lives here. Oh how I miss it. My heart aches with the thought of the distance between us.

This church is just around the corner from Erynne and David. We walked by this church every night on our way to dinner and or the pubs. You'll get a closer look at the gorgeous tree on the left here in a second. I LOVE this tree. Shannon, I heard you were fond of it as well on your trip.
Again, I'm in love with the door on a church. I really really need to have one of these doors.
And dear readers here is "the tree". I just love how much character it has. The bell on the bottom right is from the church. David, as a child, helped to bring this bell down. Again, I can not stress how enjoyable it was to walk around town with David as he talked about the history of the town and his part in all of it.
After walking around town, that evening we went out to the grocery store. Now, I must take a moment to point something out. You know how we as Americans sometimes generalize the Irish with things like "Rachel, did you see any Lepricons?" Well dear reader I am here to say that the following picture had me first perplexed then in an eye roll, then in a belly laugh. No wonder people in other countries think we are all fat and lazy!

Intruducing "The Hot Dog IN A CAN". Let me repeat that A HOT DOG IN A CAN!!!!!! Oh dear God, really? I mean it's labeled AMERICAN STYLE. Do they honestly think that we eat hot dogs out of a can? Blek!!!
As if hot dogs in a can weren't bad enough, here is a frozen hot dog complete WITH BUN! Yes it's a prepackaged hot dog ready to eat with the friggin bun! Now, I don't know about you but okay I admit, I have been known to eat some hot dogs in my day straight from the microwave but don't you think that the bun would heat up well before the hot dog was ready? Hmm, that's some weird science they got going on here. I think I'll stick to the bunless, and canless variety thank you very much.

Hmm, I always thought these were Zucchini.
If you'll take a moment to zoom in on the picture and read the label you'll notice that everything can be "traced" back to it's origin. You can see who raised this chicken and even venture down to the farm it came from if you so chose. I think that this is brilliant. We really need to think about doing this here in the states. People make fun of us for being so wasteful but really we don't have the tools in place to make these better choices like other countries do.

Kim my dear I busted out laughing right in the middle of the store when I saw this steamer! This picture is just for you so have yourself a good giggle! I sure did.

As I stood in the Pet aisle I was really struck by just how happy all the pets looked. Boy, I want to be as happy as this pup. Do you suppose that there's a "special" ingredient in there somewhere?

Mmmm, white and black pudding. Mmmm, nuff said!

The evening ended with Erynne and David cooking me the most wonderful meal I think I've ever had. There is nothing more tastey than a meal made by friends with love in every stir. I ate a huge plate, every bite! The Bear would have been so proud of me, watching me eat a "normal" size meal. I love you Erynne and David, you really know how to make a gal feel at home. Oh, and David, you need to forward on that recipe to me so I can relive that memory and share it with the Bear!

Sunday, February 22, 2009

7. Ireland Day 6, Part 1...

Welcome to Day 6 of my Ireland adventure. I'm amazed that you all are still paying attention! It's really fun knowing that you all are reliving this wonderful trip with me. Tonight Brian has gone to bed early so as to wake up for work early and it's just me and Beanie up on the couch typing this knowing that I will have this posted tomorrow and you will be reading it. So dear reader, here is Day 6 Part 1.... Erynne and I decided to have a little girl time so she drove me down the road from her house to the cemetary. You know how I love cemetaries! Like a kid in a candy store, really.

Imagine being laid to rest with this view. I could have sat here forever soaking it all in while pondering the meaning of life.

The shapes really caught my eye.

I'm not sure what the building was at one time but the remaining wall had such character.



All the millions of different textures are fascinating. The stone, gravel, dirt, moss, tree stumps.
Me again, The Traveling Bean striking a pose for Erynne.
I've found Jesus yet again! How did he get out of that velvet painting in Alabama? I bet his plane ticket was cheaper than mine, I mean he's Jesus for Christ Sake! (Sorry mom but that's funny)

Again the shape of the crosses are wonderful.
I saw the reflection and I just had to capture it. I think it came out rather well.
Like sentries guarding the souls and soaking up the rays of the low sun warming the hearts of the mourners who come to grieve and remember.

This picture captures the old living with the new. Left side is the old and right is the new.

A view looking over the new section towards the old.

After the cemetery visit and a brief stop at home Erynne and I stepped out of her front door to walk to the Kiltimagh Sculpture Park just a few blocks from her house. This place is so cool.

This lovely lady had her hair broken off by vandals. I don't care I think she's still beautiful. Can you see the little fuzzy moss growing on the top of her hand? It made me wonder if there was a tiny colony of little people living on her hand and those were their trees.

I think that I would like to have her lay over top of my grave when I finally leave this world.

Wouldn't she be better than a boring old headstone? I think I'll have to look into that.

The sculpture park is by the old Train Station. There's a museum inside but closed when we were there.

This lovely lady is on the back side of the building.

At the end of the Park are these fellas. I think he looks like Mister Magoo.
Part 2 of Day6 will be coming soon. Thank you for hanging in there with me for this long. See you soon with Part 2

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

6. Ireland Days 4 and 5...

It's really not that I'm getting lazy by putting 2 days into one post, it's just that we took it easy over the weekend and didn't venture too far from the house. I mean you have to take some time off even on vacation, right? Brian and I are not "sports" people so we rarely watch a football game. I mean the only reason I even tuned in to the Super Bowl this year was because they lured me in with a free pair of 3-D glasses for the commercials, really, I'm just being honest here. So, to get back to my story David and Erynne were very excited to escourt me to the pub to watch my very first Rugby game, Ireland vs. France. I must say that I really enjoyed the game. I did my best to learn some of the rules but mostly I have to admit that watching those beautifully built guys run back and forth across the field in those tight rugby shirts is rather easy on the eyes! Plus they really know how to keep a girl interested by not taking a time out every friggin minute like american football oh how that makes me soooo bored!

I was deemed good luck for Rugby as Ireland won 30-21! Yay, go Irish!!! Sorry Jason, just can't break David's wee heart by routing for Enland :) I've been considered such good luck that I have been contacted twice since returning home and told what time to cheer! Still Good Luck, I'm the Rabbit's Sock! Yay!


Later that night Erynne was offered a chance to learn how to "Pull a Proper Pint" at the local pub The Electric Mouse. This pub open special just for a Birthday Party for a local girl. We got there early so that Erynne could settle in and get some practice before it got busy.I'm really sorry to report that I don't have a picture of her actually pouring a pint but I think you get the idea.


I think she looks quite at home here. She was a bit nervous but David and I pulled up a stool and did our best to cheer on in support of our favorite red haired bartender!

As the night got rollin David took some opportunities to capture the festivities. You may recognize the lady on the left side of the picture, that's Mary from Post #4 Ireland Day 2, Part 2.

And here is Me, Mary and Erynne getting our party groove on!

It's amazing how many people you can fit in this place.

I finally said "Screw it, no one knows me here or is even paying attention" so I stood on my bar stool and took some pics of the crowd, and yes I even had the nerve to use a flash!

These pictures do NOT show how many people ended up fitting in here. Now, this pub is a large pub. It has been remodeled and it where the younger crowd hangs out. Just letting you know that the other pubs I visited did not look like this. But I will tell you we were out partying this night till after 3am and having the time of our life. The evening ended with youngsters standing in a circle pounding their heels on the wood floor loudly singing rebel Irish songs they heard their grandfathers sing. What a rare moment that was to witness.


And here is the lovely David of tour guide and sandwich making fame. He truly is well rounded. You could not ask for a better person to watch over your favorite leather Michael Kors bag while you run to little girls room! Thanks babe, you are the best!

No it's not my birthday. Erynne snapped this lovly pic of us just hangin at the bar.
That night I met some lovely new people and ran into some that I'd already met. Remember Bill Blake that recited poetry my second night in town? Well this night I met one of his son's Ginger (cause he has a red beard, even Erynne can't remember his real name). He's another lovely man I was so glad I met. I really started to understand the Irish Pub Culture. It's all about the friends. It's what you do, it's where you get your news, it's where it's at, really! It's NOTHING like here in the states. I get it now and now I have a deep vein of need to get back to that time and space. An itch that is just out of reach.