I spent roughly a week in County Kerry on the West Coast of Ireland,
first in Tralee then in Dingle, accomplishing what I set out to do, which was
next to nothing. I read (I am on my sixth book; the luggage is getting
heavier), hung out in cafés, took some walks in the countryside, (of course)
went to a number of pubs, listened to traditional music sessions, and, oh yeah,
watched the Red Sox win the World Series.
Some quick comments:
- (I hate the expression but...) Dingle Peninsula is god's country. (Or gods' country, depending on your views. Or logic's country. All right, now you know why I hate the expression.) It is gorgeous: pastoral, very green farmlands jutting out into a very blue sea, which hammers some rocky coasts below, usually with some rocky islands in the background.
- I had my best non-World Series Championship night of the trip so far on the Friday night (November 1), hanging out until all hours in the hotel bar with some locals, some Americans (including a group of four guys from New England with whom I repeatedly celebrated the Red Sox WS win), an Irish group of lads who were commemorating the second anniversary of a buddy's passing and others. Many songs were sang (not by me, of course), beers were quaffed, rounds were bought well into the night. Just a lovely evening.
- The pamphlets and literature on the hikes that one can take in the Dingle peninsula contain many warnings and recommendations on making sure people had the proper footwear and clothing, maps, and compass, as well as to be aware of the ever-changing weather. Reading these, the only thing that stuck was 'No bear warnings? Ha! How dangerous can this be...'
- And for those of you who are wondering, I was able to stream the Fox feed of the World Series on my laptop (the best $4.99 I ever spent prior to leaving), as I was considered an International viewer. I watched the Red Sox clinch in my hotel room at Benner's Inn in Dingle. It really helped that clocks were turned back here a week before North America; watching a game from midnight to 4 AM is a lot more easier than watching a game from 1 to 5 AM.
- I love saying 'Dingle'.
Some pictures:
 |
| Farming on the south side of Tralee Bay (October 28) |
 |
| Tralee Bay in the background; ubiquitous Irish sheep in the foreground. (October 28) |
 |
| Dingle. |
 |
| Dingle Peninsula, south coast. (October 31) |
 |
| Cliffs on the south coast of the Dingle Peninsula. (October 31) |
 |
| Dingle Peninsula, west coast. (October 31) |
 |
| Finally, Irish traffic tend to be more illustrative... |
Aucun commentaire:
Publier un commentaire