Farewell Annapolis!

The boat and I have been here too long. The engine and new transmission have been installed. In the process of doing that, a few parts were broken. So we waited for those repairs. My friend Jon Edwards told me to get off my ass and fix it myself. He was right, I could do that. However, they broke it... they fix it! It's a good thing I took that approach too, because another connecting part was also broken. That was discovered when they tried to top off the coolant in the engine. This meant another delay, but I wasn't responsible.

Grace came down for a 10-day visit. She was expecting to sail the boat down the Chesapeake with me. I ended up driving her home. At that time there was no end in sight for the repairs. While she was here, we completely rebuilt the refrigeration system on the boat; including re-insulating the frig! We also did a few other tasks that required two people. I was sad to see her leave.

So... I spent a couple months in Annapolis. I'm sure you are wondering where are the pictures? Everywhere I go, I take pictures.

For me, there has to be a feeling, an emotion to cause me to take the picture in the first place. Now, I obviously take lots of snap shots.. point... focus... shoot. This blog is loaded with them. but I am always looking for that "Good Picture". That's the one where I look at the print, or computer screen later, and similar emotions are stirred up inside me as when I first took it.

While in Annapolis, I took two pictures: one of my boat; one of a dismasted boat. I was worried about the symbolism of the dismasted boat.

A 44' race boat came in... dismasted. I hate the symbolism just before my journey

So, "why no pictures?" ...I wondered to myself. I reversed my thinking hoping to find something to photograph. I asked, "When I leave Annapolis, what will I miss most?" I kept coming back to the same thing. Something intangible, something that was impossible for me to get a "Good Picture".

It was a smile. A smile that would brighten my entire day. A smile so bright, that one rainy day, I turned around to see if the sun had poked through; half expecting to see a rainbow. It had't it was still dreary outside. The brightness was in my head.

The "Good Picture" would be impossible because I could never feel the same emotions stir inside me just by looking at a photo. The smile was from Laura, the Waitress/Hostess at Grump's, where I had breakfast a few times a week.

I will depart Annapolis in about a week, missing Laura at dawn...  Hey! That could be a country music song!

First, I have to rent a car and drive to New Jersey for my cousin's wedding this weekend. I will depart the day after I return.

The next update will most likely be from Bermuda.

Ireland - Last Full Day

We are still on the west coast of Ireland and have to drive back to Dublin for flights tomorrow morning. Brynn and I talked at breakfast about how much we had seen over the past week. I mentioned that the only thing I never saw was a thatched roofed cottage. I expected to see them in the country; away from the highways.

Brynn, being herself, arranged a route back to Dublin that would bring us to some thatched roofed cottages!

First, there was Bunratty Castle; a 15th century tower house. On the grounds leading up to the castle, there are thatched roof cottages. This is a living museum park.

A couple of thatched roof cottages

Brynn and Matt in front of another thatched roof cottage

The thatched roof cottages have a sod roof tied to wooded braces and slats. The thatch is then attached to the sod by weaving the bundles of thatch to the sod with straw, reeds or twine. "Musty" would be a gross understatement of the smell when you enter the building! I can't imagine what it would be like with a peat fire going in the fireplace.

Bunratty Castle

A couple enjoying the view of Bunratty Castle from the garden

The nicest thing about this castle was the interior. It has been restored. So you can see exactly how the interior was arranged!

Brynn and Grace sitting at a table in the main dining hall

Main Dining Hall

An old tapestry hanging from the wall

The Solar Room where business was conducted

A merman hanging from the ceiling

View from the top of one of the towers

Since this was a living museum with a lot of tourists, Brynn decided we should stop in Adare. It's just off the highway on our way back to Dublin, and the village is known for its thatched roof homes that people are still living in.

We caught a glimpse of some thatched roofs as we drove into the village. The streets, the roads, the shops were all packed. This is definitely a tourist town. First order of business was lunch. So we took a stroll looking for a suitable place.

Even without the thatched roofs, this is a very pretty village.

After lunch we walked back to where we saw the thatched roofs.

First, we came to a very nice park. It had a sign stating this was originally a washing pond where the women of the village came to do laundry.

Now, it's a very nice park. There were several painter's plying their craft.

After the park, we came upon the cottages. All had thatched roofs. Even some of the business establishments like restaurants had thatched roofs.

Lovely gardens in a small space

A personalized roof-top

One more stop for coffee. We stopped in a small village of Port Laouise.

Now, back to Dublin. We fly out in different directions in the morning: Brynn and Matt go one way, Grace and I another. It was a great vacation where we saw a lot in a short bit of time.

Ireland - Cliffs of Moher

After the Ring of Kerry, we drove to a nice little village that out us close to the Cliffs of Moher, which are farther north than the Kerry Cliffs. The Irish west coast, being fully exposed to the fury of the Atlantic Ocean is very rugged. This is really exemplified by seeing both the Kerry Cliffs and the Cliffs of Moher on consecutive days.

All the guides said the best time to see the Cliffs of Moher were at sunset. All the photographic advice was to go for sunset when all the tourist had left. It sounded like a perfect time!

There are several viewing location s along the cliffs.

Last light at the Cliffs of Moher

I went one way; Brynn, Grace, and Matt went another. They wanted to go up and see O'Brien's Tower. Cornelius O'Brien, a local landowner, built the tower for 19th century visitors.

O'Brien's Tower

Grace photographing the cliffs

Matt taking a picture of the cliffs

Cliffs of Moher near sunset

O'Brien's Tower

Kevin photographing the cliffs

Cliffs of Moher after sunset

Ireland - Ring of Kerry

The Ring of Kerry is not a specific place, or a ring you can wear on a finger. Rather, it's a large geographical area. The ring is a drive around one of Ireland's southwest peninsulas in County Kerry. It's famous for the beautiful scenic value.

Here are a few pictures from along the drive.

Coastline looking right: at low tide

Coastline looking left: at low tide

The Beach, which is directly behind me. I liked the rocks and mussels

A Beach cottage for rent

Unknown castle ruins on private property

At the end of the peninsula, you reach the Kerry Cliffs. From there, you can see the Skellig Islands. Monks once lived on Skellig Michael. I was disappointed to hear that it was closed to visitors.

Kerry Cliffs

Kerry Cliffs

Skellig Islands in the distance on the right

Kerry Cliffs

Heather growing on a slope along the cliff

Kerry Cliffs

From the cliffs of Kerry we drove into Kenmare. We would stay at a B&B for the night. Here is a view from my bedroom window.

Traditional Irish music at the bar in Kenmare

The next morning, we were off to Limerick.

Side street in Limerick

Office building next to King John's Castle in Limerick

The office building shown above, adjoins with King John's Castle. As I was taking the photo above, a woman who worked in the building invited me to go to the back of the building. They have a unique view of a castle tower; shown below.

King John's Castle tower

Brynn and Matt Enjoying the view from atop the castle

Ignore the man in the foreground. This is a nice picture of the castle grounds

Medieval main gate

King John's Castle from across the River Shannon

King John's Castle from the Castle Street bridge. St Mary's Cathedral in the distance on the right.

Brynn, Matt, and Grace went ahead to St. Mary's Cathedral while I went the other way to take photos of the castle from across the river. I caught up with them at the Cathedral.

A corner pub in Limerick

St. Mary's Cathedral

St. Mary's Cathedral

Celtic Cross at St. Mary's Cathedral

St. Mary's Cathedral