In Ireland - you're welcome

hello friends!
so … we arrived in Dublin after the usual long and uncomfortable flights, and transiting in the giant shopping malls crossed with bureaucratic nightmares that are airports, but managed to catch up on a few good movies so it wasn't all bad (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is a hoot). But please Lord, may I never have to transit at Heathrow again.


Now we are just about to leave Ireland after some magical days driving around the west coast. Crab claws and langoustines in Dingle - heaven! the first week of a holiday always lasts the longest, and it seems we have been in Ireland for aeons, among friendly and chatty locals, who always assure us "You're welcome".

Lobby of Buswells Hotel, Dublin

Dublin was work (the conference) and play (pubs and music). Our hotel was a touch of luxury in a great location halfway between Trinity College and St Stephen's Green, and we explored galleries museum old bookshops pubs parks and restaurants. Favourite restaurant? Carluccio's on Dawson St. Favourite bar? Whelan's, where we saw the 'Ukeristic Congress' (it seems the ukelele contagion is here as well). Favourite art? small but impressive European collection in the National Gallery, Marcel Duchamp at the Museum of Modern Art. (For anyone interested in the conference … you can read more here).

Breakfast at Carluccios

Chris drinking Sicilian sangiovese

What church is that?

Whelan's Bar

Roundstone village

Then a few days of driving, walking and (of course) photographing and eating on the wonderful west coast - Connemara, the Burren and Dingle peninsula, with a brief dip into the Ring of Kerry. What is wonderful at this time of year is the endless light - the sun doesn't set until almost 10pm, which makes for some late dinners, and the weird feeling of sometimes going to bed when it's still light. The landscapes are of course amazing, endless stone walls and rocky outcrops, ruined cottages and castles among the green green grass that is dotted with sheep. A surprising amount of new development, much of which is built to match older architecture, so you only see close up how the charming village you are approaching is actually a vast new suburban housing estate. Some rather scarily touristy towns, yet others are still charming and authentic with minimal tourism. 

Roundstone cemetery

The Burren coast

Galway is clogged with tourists and traffic detours, so we end up at Roundstone - recommended by our Dublin taxi driver - and it is perfect, a gem of a little fishing village perched on the Connemara coast. We eat salmon and hake in the bar of our hotel overlooking the main street and harbour. Next day we explore the Burren Coast, wild and craggy, down to the Cliffs of Moher, then head inland to avoid the hordes and end up late in Ennis, an attractive medium sized town with a rather upmarket heritage hotel. Chris orders the duckling for dinner, and it comes with three kinds of potato (deep fried threads, mash, chats in cream and butter). Luckily I have ordered only a soup - the ubiquitous chowder - so we manage to demolish it all.

Ennis main street in the evening

Dingle main street

Ruin on the Dingle peninsula

Dingle crab claws, mmmm

Next day - the Dingle peninsula. We check in to our room over Ashe's pub in Dingle and head out for exploration of picturesque coast and prehistoric ruins. Dinner at the hotel is possibly the best seafood meal EVER - freshly shucked oysters with home made bread, steamed langoustines with garlic oil, crab claws in ginger lime butter. Then to O'Sullivans bar for some music  - it is literally packed to the rafters (the ceiling is probably under 2 metres).

Back in Dublin we book into the Ferryman Hotel - a pub situated on the river between the city and the wharves. Nice room with view of the Liffey, breakfast and wifi included - it's a bargain. First thing in the morning we find ourselves once again eating eggs, bacon, black pudding - the whole disaster (I am becoming accustomed to skipping lunch altogether). Off we go again - ferry to Wales, then train via Bangor to Glasgow, Saucy-hall St and Gallowgate ;)

the Orient express from Dublin

It's been a long time ... since our last trip to Europe, but here we go again. The plan is to travel from Ireland to Scotland, England and France, then through Vienna, Budapest and Bucharest to Istanbul and Cappodocia:



View Orient Express from Dublin in a larger map

Scotland - Sydney

Scotland pics:
-The river at Dunkeld (north of Perth)
-Window in old church at Dunkeld
-Belinda has cup of tea (with new cardy)
-Amazing Scottish landscapes (Ben Nevis to Cairngorms)
- (For Sal) a Dunbar grave at Corgarff (between Inverness & Aberdeen))
-The River Feugh at Banchory (west of Aberdeen)
-Whisky bottle at picnic spot, Banchory
-Belinda and castles (Crathies, Dunotter)
-View from our window in Edinburgh (city skyline)
-Graveyard in Edinburgh
-Chris and E. Castle
-Belinda and E. graffiti
-Belinda in gorgeous E. hotel room

Day 1 - Drive from Gloucester, and in spite of dire English warnings about the distance, take only 4 hours to reach Scottish border (Gretna Green - enough said), another four hours to bypass Glasgow and head NE towards Perth. We end up in charming twin villages (Dunkeld/Birnam), divided by the river ...
it's pretty, old-fashioned and very civilised. We stay at the Royal Dunkeld, eat steak & guinness pie, and baked cod, and drink wine by the river in endless twilight (the sun sets about 9pm, but it's still light until 11pm). Kippers for breakfast - yum! I buy cardy in gorgeous knitwear shop.

Day 2 - Drive into the highlands - oh my god - the scenery - it's such a cliche... The driving is a pleasure - the roads are good and well-signposted, there's little traffic - a relief after crowded England. We drive through Glencoe and Ben Nevis national park, there are pockets of wall-to-wall B&Bs (Loch Ness - a good place to avoid!), but on the whole the tourism is low-key, and there are no crowds this early in the summer. North of Inverness we find a great riverside spot with a pub, but they are booked out - bummer - we go on to the next village (Maryburgh) and find a B&B in a tucked away spot, with a garden restaurant nearby. The restaurant promises 'black pudding salad', which sounds intriguing, but is disappointingly almost bereft of black pudding. I am appeased when there's a big slice of it on my breakfast plate next morning!

Day 3 - Why have we not been drinking lots of whisky? The nip we bought on the first evening was 3 quid each ($7.50), so we'd better buy it by the bottle - at 20 pounds ($50) for a 10 yo single malt it's much better value! We don't have time unfortunately to go further north or west, so head SE via Nairn and Culloden through the Cairngorm National Park. It's very different to the highlands - but equally dramatic, wild and windswept with amazing heather colours. We stop near Cock Bridge - there is a striking sculpture with a view over Corgarff Casle - and have morning tea of oatcakes, kippers and whisky (double-yum!). Just down the road at Corgarff is a beautiful cemetery - we can't resist a photo stop. Find our overnight stop (not too big, not too small, not too touristy!) at Banchory, where we buy v. good fish & chips and eat (with whisky!) overlooking the River Dee.

Day 4 - Oh no - our last day! We want to get to Edinburgh in time for a brief look around, and have to be at the airport at midday tomorrow, but first, Chris has promised me some castles! We visit Crathes castle, dating from 16th century - it's well-preserved and furnished, and the knowledgeable guides bring its history to life. Then to Stonehaven, and Dunotter Castle - the opposite extreme, it's a ruin on a craggy clifftop, very atmospheric and romantic.
Then to Edinburgh, arriving around 3pm, we start the search for a B&B - what a treasure hunt! After two hours of dead-ends and door-to-door enquiries, we are lucky to find the best room in the city - large elegant room in elegant corner terrace, with panoramic view of the city. It's already almost 6pm, but we still have several hours of daylight to explore, so we bus into the city and walk around the old town (Castle, Royal Mile) - so this is where all the tourists are! Walk back via old cemetery and Princes Park to the new town where we find some good pub grub (grilled salmon), then home to enjoy our skyline and the last of our whisky with oatcakes.

Now we're home, what can I say? It was totally gorgeous, and only enhanced by the odd whisky nip! Chris thought he was exhausted with travelling, but just a few hours in Scotland woke him up. Our new slogan for Scottish tourism - When you're tired of travelling, come home to Scotland!

Arrived home on saturday 14th to shocking cold (to think we had been telling the Scots that our winter was no colder than their summer - not true at all right now!). Then the additional shock of going back to work with jetlag! but it was worth it - what fun we had, can't wait to do it again!

Boulogne - England

Boulogne:
The best seafood restaurant
England:
Bob & Belinda in Val & Ken's flat, Brighton
Chris and old pier, Brighton
Amazing sky at Weymouth beach
Watching Wimbledon at Watchet (Somerset)
Princess at Dunster Castle (Somerset)
At The Green Dragon (our B&B - Somerset)
With family at Pat's place, Newent
View from May Hill, near Newent








The best seafood restaurant in Boulogne is closed, and the place we finally find on a slow, rainy Sunday night is pretty awful - the worst oysters ever (and not cheap at $16 for 1/2 dozen!). Oh well - we'll be out of here first thing.
Next morning we find that the ferry doesn't take foot passengers. Emergency call to Chris's brother Bob, who is taking his car on the ferry later today - phew - we book in to ride with him, and will have lunch with him. The best seafood restaurant is now open, so we book in. Bob arives late - we have only 20 minutes for lunch, but go for it, guzzle wine and food (fabulous this time), dash to the wharf, and ... miss the ferry. BUGGER - the next is in 4 hours! Maybe we should go back and finish our lunch ...
Finally get to England and Bob drives us from Dover to Brighton where we stay over with Val and Ken - who have known Bob for 30 years. It's still cold and rainy but the art deco flat is fabulous, and Val is cooking roast chicken stuffed with lemon. a lovely relaxed evening, and a great (re)introduction to England.
Next day - a quick promenade and fish'n'chip lunch, then we pick up our car and are on our way west along the coast. It doesn't take long to realise that driving close to the coast is crowded and slow, so we pick up an A-road to speed our journey. First stop Weymouth (Weymouth Sands by John Cowper Powys is a favourite book), it is very picturesque, but very touristed, and even in this weather is so busy that it takes 20 minutes to get into town, another 20 to get out again. We rethink our idea of sticking to the coast. End up for the night in Bridport, west of Weymouth and just off the coast - it is more 'real' and we have no problem finding pub accommodation. Pub dinner is inexpensive, but a bit boring - we vow to start picnicking again if only the weather improves!
Two more days - we decide that rather than driving the coast right down to Cornwall, we will explore Dorset, Devon and Somerset, and find inland towns to stay. There are a multitude of tiny beautiful picturesque villages in a labyrinth of hedged laneways - it's a bit like Venice only bigger! We stay in larger towns that are less toytown than the villages, and get stuck just on one night, when we end up driving into Exeter for accommodation - maybe rained-out campers are filling the pubs?
Finally up to Newent, a little village NW of Gloucester for a couple of nights with my Auntie Pat, and to catch up with a miscellany of rellies, and have a yummy pub lunch (sausages and mash with onions in a yorkshire pie crust - real comfort food!). Poor Chris is surrounded by Brummies - we decide that England is endlessly filled with charm and chat and warm, flat beer! Although the weather has greatly improved, and we do end the visit sitting by the lake drinking aussie cab sav with my cousin Kay and her boyfriend Paul, which is fun.
Leave on sunday for the big drive up to Scotland - we have only four more days and must make the most of it!

Genoa - Arles - Boulogne

Train through French Riviera
Arles:
Belinda and Roman amphitheatre
Chris and posters
Full moon picnic by river
Chris in Vincent's bedroom
Street scene
Card players









After a hot and arduous journey from Nocelle to Genoa, we arrived at 11pm and found the nearest cheap hotel. It was rather seedy, and Genoa looked interesting, but we were back at the station at 8am so didn't see much of it. The train ride around the coast to Nice through the Riviera is very beautiful, we pick up picnic food and red wine for lunch on the train, and continue on to Arles. Hurrah - we are back in France and the trains run on time!
We want to stay put for a while after a mad week of nonstop travel, but arrive in Arles to find it dirty and infested with tourists. Planning to move on, we check back into the train station the next morning - but there is a strike on routes west and delays on routes north (what? this isn't Italy!). Resigned, we explore the town periphery and find a charming hotel near the river, far from the madding tourist crowd. We lunch at the local bar - phew! we are the only tourists in the village!
Good Arles: Picturesque (faded shutters, swallows nesting in terracotta tiled roofs), interesting history, good size for walking, good picnic spots on the Rhone, creative vibe.
Bad Arles: Rubbish, dogshit, tourists, not pedestrian friendly (too many cars, few pedestrian precincts), many galleries closed because their major photographic festival (and Lou Reed in concert) are on NEXT week (Good, says Chris, I've had enough galleries!).
We have fun spotting candidates for the 'Van Gogh Lookalike Convention' (criteria: essential - eccentric and dishevelled air; desirable - beard, hat, red hair, baguette and/or bottle of wine under arm ...). We see plenty! Eating in Arles is not as interesting as hoped (more restaurants = less interesting food?). I have chevre (goat's cheese) with everything - even on pizza! Figs are €2 a kilo at the market! Best meals are picnics by the river, we have a great local wine shop, wine is good and cheap.
After five restful days we relucantly head north to Boulogne sur Mer, a last quick stop before leaving Europe, we are determined to have a good seafood eat-up.

Orvieto - Positano pics

Orvieto
Belinda and Duomo
View from city
Chris at cafe
Street party

Positano (Nocelle)
Bus ride
Nocelle restaurant
View from our terrace
Us on breakfast terrace
Positano tourists
Positano lunch
Nocelle laneway