2008- New York, the Wedding, Ireland and elsewhere
Friday, November 4, 2022
Day 30 - 25th July – To Galway
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Day 41 - 6th August - Leaving Dublin
The other weather arrives – Dublin scurries to escape the rain – we gather at the Cox’s to rearrange our bags and to make space for Trudy’s shopping excesses – Graeme pretends to be cranky – Trudy pretends to be unconcerned about her expenditures – they both seem to have had a great time.
Day 40 - 5th August - Wicklow to Dublin
We agree the plan for the day – a quick visit to Wicklow jail – back to Mary’s for a final cup of tea - then off to Dublin – visit the jail – a museum of the conditions faced by Irish prisoners before deportation - features Michael Dwyer a leader of the United Irish and a famous son of Wicklow - interesting – liked the role playing by the tour guide – loved the AV presentations – laughed at the display of wild creatures faced by the transportees upon arrival in Australia – Emily will be pleased we visited – she descends from Michael Dwyer now buried in Waverly Cemetery in Sydney.
Back to May’s - Mary is not to be denied – we must accept her tour of Wicklow including a visit to the original family home and the farms of her brothers – I was intrigued by the interplay between Mary as the eldest of the family and the sister in law who now occupy the family house – Mary is accepting of the traditions that see the family house pass to the male side of the family and equally the sister in law see herself as the custodians of the family home on behalf of all of the remaining family members. She sees it as the family house rather than just her home! – very special!
The house has generous sized rooms with the passages and corridors filled with photographs and memorabilia that have remained as part of the house long after the prior inhabitants have moved on.
Day 39 - 3rd August - Wexford to Wicklow
We rise at a respectable hour – I wander out to look at Nicholas’ thoroughbred colt – magnificent animal – takes an interest in me – head over the fence –what is in your pockets? - sniff all around – nothing? – here is a little nip to remind you not to forget something next time you come!
We are bundled into the back of Moira’s small Mercedes for the Whitty Clan tour – we visit the Whitty castles at Kilmore – the grave of Walter Whitty (1642) in the cemetery at Kilmore Quay – we visit the traditional lands of the Whitty’s – Graeme is forced to stand on the land and be photographed.
Day 38 - 2nd August - Cork - Waterford - Wexford
We rise late – the trip is becoming tiring – we pack and restore Peadar’s house to an acceptable state and head off to off for Wicklow through Wateford and New Ross.
We arrive at the Whitty “Estate” at Wexford – is this the right place? – cars everywhere – people everywhere – Bernie ventures to the front door – out comes Moira – they are having a pattern - A pattern? – the blessing of the graves – an opportunity to families to meet to remember their departed – the Whitty clan has gathered after the blessing to remember Nicholas’ brother – we are welcomed and introduced, introduced some more and welcomed some more – where have you been? - where are you going? – are you going to Kilarney?
Day 37 - 1st August - Back to Cork
Onwards towards Rosscarberry – turn right to the Dromberg Stone Circle – Druids – what were they upto? -
Day 36 - 31st July - to Baltimore
Into West Cork - pause at the picture card that is Rosscarberry - natter with locals - photograph them feeding the white swans - anticipation grows - we pass through Clonakilty and move on toward Skibberine - much smaller than we remember - traffic chaos hasn't changed - onto towards Baltimore.
Deviate to Lough Ine - it remains a mystical place - a sea lake in an inland environment - access it along twisty and very narrow hedged roads past the Well of St. Brigit - cast our eyes around the environment - remember the hours spent walking, climbing and wandering its environs.
On to Baltimore -
We park the car on the cliff top – we revisit the descent that we so enjoyed during our 12 weeks at Baltimore in 2000 – the 43 steps to Bushes Bar – down the lane – view the old O’Driscol Castle – round the corner – Bushes Bar – has not changed a bit save for the hordes of tourists hovering inside and out – it is as delightful as ever – still I wish the tourists were not here – I yearn for winter when the town returns to be itself.
We walk to the Beacon – Graeme impressed – Trudy impressed – the harbour waters calm and serene – the Atlantic – windy but not angry – trawlers look impressive as they exit the harbour past Clear Ireland and the harbour entrance.
I sit on the cliff edge looking down at the Atlantic – no seals to be seen today – I contemplate the afternoons I spent here – crave for the absence of even the small number of tourist who are here today.
We wander back to Bushes Bar – it remains crowded inside and out – the bar staff frantic but polite and efficient – I manage to catch up with Marian – she remembers me as having a fascination with Lough Ine – the locals still sit inside the bar – they sneer slightly at the tourists – prepared to tolerate them but anxious for them to leave – we chat with a young fellow waiting to go home on the Clear Island Ferry – he is much friendlier when we reveal our attachment to the area.We drink just a little too much of the atmosphere and product of the bar and adjourn for dinner overlooking the wharf. We adjourn to the residential rooms of Bushes Bar - generous in size and very reasonably priced
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Day 35 - 30th July - Cork
Day 34 - 29th July – To Cork
Slowly, slowly away – tiredness is setting in – Mike ignores every instruction Tommy issues – Mike gets lost – eventually we escape Limerick and head for Tipperary in search of Tipperary Crystal – no wonder Tipperary Crystal is hard to find – it has gone belly up with its remnants receding to Dublin and Blarney –
Day 33 - 28th July – Galway to Limerick
The Irish weather sets in and the tourists hide away in their B&Bs - my love affair with Ireland is rekindled - away – away – away from Galway –“ have you ever been across the sea to Galway” – yes – I will return one day in the depths of winter to enjoy the solitude of the Connemara but to do so I will need to find my way even deeper into the back country..
The Cliffs of Moher – a waste of time – I look forward to wandering the sea cliffs around Baltimore.
Lovely morning – stop for lunch at a pub and high tail it to Limerick – taxi driver says the population is around 90,000 with almost 10,000 directly or indirectly employed by Dell Computer..
Day 32 - 27th July – More of the Connemara
Perhaps I had not ventured far enough into the Connemara yesterday to be critical – wrong – we head further out – on the more major roads the once pristine Connemara shows the signs of tramplings of the now old and slightly arthritic Celtic Tiger – new houses and untidy construction sites are far too common and litter the country side like the tiger droppings - the minor roads show a much more original but still damaged landscape – we selectively photograph the way we image the Connemara should remain – perhaps it is not entirely too late – this is a sad failure of planning – perhaps it will be realised before the landscape of the bog Irish is lost forever – not my definition of progress.
Day 31 - 26th July – Aran Islands or the Connemara
Head north from Galway – struck by the development that has occurred on the immediate outskirts of Galway since we were last here in 1999 – it is hard to see all of this as progress – modern houses now speckle the landscape leaving the original tiny stone fenced paddocks strangled by untidy weeds – I head north slightly depressed and questioning the management of the Celtic Tiger.
We arrive at Rossoveel to meet the ferry to the Aran Islands - a greater extent of depression envelopes me - Too many tourists – this is Galway Race Week – abort plans – prefer a slow wander through the remaining back lanes of West Ireland – thank God some remain – the area leading up to Connemara needs urgent planning controls – slowly I feel some delight with the area returning as we encounter black faced sheep in full white coats and amusing black and white spotted legs – peat piles drying in the summer sunshine and their remnants in the form of long regular trenches abound in the dales of the vast undulating rock encrusted, treeless range – we stop and contemplate the role of the produce of these peat bogs in warming the winter hearths of Irish bog farmers over the centuries – we wander further along even more remote lanes past small lakes and streams only to be disappointed to find clusters of modern homes at their terminus.
We emerge from the range and lunch on local soup in an increasingly modern Irish pub and hightail it back to our B&B for a sleep – a nice day but one tinged with sadness – why am I not experiencing the sheer delight of my first visit to Galway and the Connemara? – have I changed or indeed has it changed – I suspect the latter – perhaps winter is really the time to be here
Dinner in town – the races on – the crowds large – the pubs crowded – the buskers abundant – some photos of the sun going down over Galway Bay
Day 29 - 24th July – Kildare
What in the hell are these Car Rental companies up to? – we arrive – G&T have ordered a four door auto and pay an extraordinary amount – we rock up having ordered a tiny manual – we both received basically the same car – no justification for the two to one price difference.
Two car convoy heads for KIldara via Glendalough – completion develops between Tommy and Angela as the GPS’s for the two vehicles - convoy breaks up – Tommy outpoints Angela – so much for local knowledge - Stop off in Glendalough – home of St Kevin - lots of visitors – majestic scenery – site not as exciting as 1999 – site best seen in winter with no one else around – then it is magical - spiritual.
Arrive at the Cox-Martins – greeted in style – feel sorry that Colm is not here – his brothers, sisters, aunts and parents arrive – drinking – drinking – eating –story telling- eating – drinking – singing – singing – singing late, late into the night – Emma is a star – the eight year old gets the singing going – Colm senior recites, Aunt Helen sings, Angela Senior and Angela junior join the circle in turn – Romy sings - Gerry sings – Tom recites – Graeme tells jokes – Romy joins the joke circle – Gerry joins – laughter abounds – the parent sit back quietly observing and smiling – very proud of their offspring – singing starts again – Helen and Paula takes requests from Bernie and Trudy - Aoife sits back clicking the camera – smiles when she is happy with the captured moment – pensive when the outcome was less than she had hoped. Trudy entertains – encourages – tells nursing stories and continues to fill the memory card of her ever active digital camera – a night to be remembered – a series of video excerpts collected for transmission to Colm.
Day 28 - 23th July – Wandering Dublin
Bernie and Graeme compete to find the prettiest looking individual to ask a question – Graeme starts – Bernie hits the lead at Molly Malone – Graeme trumps her with the barmaid at Cassidy’s Pub .... “where are you from?” – “Brazil but I am Italian” – “gee they make them pretty where you come from”
We arrive for dinner – expecting to go out – only Aoife (pronounced “effer”) and Trudy are home – Angela and Graeme are at the pub -
Roast lamb Cox style with supervision from the master chef .... Graeme loves his time with the girls – memories of late nights in the kitchen in Wangaratta complete with sullied strainers carrying the dregs of aging port bottles flood back to him – his external appearance and mannerisms points to a warm inner feelings - you could not help but feel happy for him.
Day 27 - Tuesday 22 July - Depart NYC
Wednesday 23rd July – Arrive in Dublin – Bernie and G&T delayed on tarmac at JFK – Taxi driver amazingly helpful – he rings the Cox’s for advice on how to get to their house – travelled OZ last year – knows more about the country that me
We meet Angela – one of the Cox girls – G&T immediately look like they have arrived at home – banter between Angela and Graeme commences immediately – Angela the match of Graeme – she would say – surpasses Graeme.
Dinner in town – taxi driver – immediately identifies us as Australian - “you are not from Sydney then“ – what do you mean - “Well no one comes “straight” from Sydney”
“Where are you going in Ireland” – west - “you have to go to the Galway races” – got a tip for us – “yes – don’t back women and don’t ride horses”
We walk through the streets of Dublin – cleaner - much much cleaner than I remember - where am I? – I could be anywhere – surely Dublin is still Dublin and not just another city – even the swearing seems restrained - Everyone knows Australia or has a immediate relative who is or was there recently ....
Day 26 - Monday 21st July –NYC
Last night in New York – out to a steak house – waiter greets Graeme like life long friend – we roll on home – store owner comes out on the street – Hello Graeme! – who doesn’t know him – this is Crocodile Dundee comes to NYC
Day 25 - Sunday 20th July – Gospel Choir
BB Kings on Time Square – the Harlem Gospel Choir – an experience – we head the queue – we admire the doorman who refuses the $50 that peeps out from the back of the white hatted southern gentleman’s hand – an attempt to jump the queue – we sense a secret delight on the part of the doorman at the new balance of power - we acquire our tickets and take our place at our table – the buffet is expertly handled and 250 people are fed in 15 minutes – food is superb - Harmonies superb – recommended to all
Graeme continues to meet more and more New Yorkers – their chests puff out as he tells them how friendly they are – they are intrigued by him ...
Day 24 - Saturday 19th July – Lancaster County
Drive through the lanes of Lancaster county – Armish and Menonites in abundance – strange combinations of allowable technologies see petrol powered whipper snippers carried in the back of horse drawn carts – likewise horses pulling self powered implements with Honda motors –
A long- hard – tiring drive back to NYC.
Day 23 - 18th July - The Road to Lancaster
We change our plans and decide to head for Lancaster - A long – long – long – tiring morning – bright sun shine – haze – bright sun shine – haze – shower – bright sunshine – drizzle ......
A long – long – long – tiring afternoon – bright sun shine – haze – bright sun shine – haze – shower – bright sunshine – drizzle – hot – humid – hotter – more humid – there is a Holiday Inn – to hell with the cost! – just book in and get it over it!
Ah but life is never continually tough – Dinner in a new Italian restaurant- pastas superb - lemoncello excellent – Trudy impressed with the young waitress and offers her sons as prospective bridegrooms – waitress selects the lawyer son and agrees to email him a marriage proposal – the Armish of Lancaster would not be impressed with our swaggering progress back to the motel!
Day 22 - 17th July Niagara
We sleep well and rise late – drive to Burlington for coffee and a stroll along the foreshore – we take summer photographs to contrast with the winter shots taken in early 2006 – We note the CSU advertising sign on the foreshore.
Graeme and Bernie sleep while Trudy and I “do” the Maid of the Mist” – Trudy smiles so broadly it is hard to imagine that she did not permanently damage her face – thrilling trip – return to meet the others for an equally enjoyable Imax movie about the escapades of early Niagara adventurers.
Day 21 - 16th July – Rome to Niagara
Poor old Rome – you seem sad that we are leaving you – no need to turn out the lights yet but you should be thinking about putting up instructions indicating how to safely shut you down.
We check in – gather our thoughts – wander down towards the fall – Graeme looks only half interested – Trudy’s camera finger is fully exercised – what is that noise? – we have Graeme’s attention – he is impressed – he pushes on at full speed to get closer and closer to the falls – he is impressed – Trudy’s camera overheats.
Day 20 – Woodstock to Rome – 15th July
We rise early – Woodstock still asleep – eventually she shakes her head and appears in the form of two incompetent and cranky breakfast assistants in a local cafe – the bacon and eggs barely tolerable and the coffee only a crude and unpleasant caffeine delivery mechanism.
Woodstock – pleasant enough – I was at Woodstock (40 years late!)
Sun shining - we head into the Catskills. Churches – white with square wooden bell towers mounted by shingled spires - Lush grasses preened to lush lawns fronting hide-a-way wooden houses - Hills, elm trees with dense understoreys, small mountains, lush grass, elm trees, hide-away houses nestled in bush, elm trees, a cluster of birch, an occasional blue spruce, a small village and a church with bell tower and shingled spire, more elm trees, a small lake, more hills, a small farming community, red-ochre wooden farm buildings some standing proudly – many leaning like an old man suffering the aches and pains of old age and neglect, another hide-a-way with grass preened to lawn, more elms, another cluster of birch, another hide-a-way, more even more magnificent elm trees, another village and another church, another small pond, an occasional cluster of maples, another small farming community, more hide-ways, more elm trees, more villages – summer paradise! – come winter? – perhaps Florida might be preferred!
the real reason for covering timber bridges was to protect the main timber trusses from the detrimental affect of rain/snow ........... rot.
Eventually join the interstate I90 and make rapid progress towards Rome – cross the famous and infamous Erie Canal – “I've got a mule, Her name is Sal, Fifteen years on the Erie Canal. She's a good old worker and a good old pal........ “ - the canal - a sad remnant of its magnificent past – no sign of “Sal” and no barges in sight – neglected locks rust away serving little more than as a monument to days gone by.
We enter Rome – never huge but historically important – the place of early trade interactions with the indigenous – now her long history as a goods transfer hub between the river systems of upper New York State seems to have been forgotten – she is dying away just as the Canal has died – population has been in steady decline since the 1980s – now only 34,000 - the road trains hurtle past on the turnpikes that only barely acknowledge her existence - she resembles a dying city with dour, unexciting streets and tourist attractions that seem uninviting. Her county airport is now closed down and host local police training – the receptionist at the motel seems to think that the casino is now the major employer.
We enter the bar at the hotel – experienced travellers should be concerned about empty bars and restaurants - terrible drinks – atrocious food - When in Rome do as the Romans do – eat in and give the restaurants a miss.
Day 19 – I was at Woodstock – 14th July 2008
Farewell to the Bowens – farewell to the kids – program the GPS and agree that it is to be called “Marge”. Head off for Woodstock via the United States freeway systems and subsequently the minor roads of the Catskill mountains.
Marge proves to be an old model of the Garmin GPS system – she regularly makes mistakes and starts to acquire an unsavoury name .
Arrive at Woodstock – small town – lovely setting – tourism seems to drive the economy – residues of the former hippie community abound – wander the town – head for the bar – strike up conversation with a local who claimed to be a local jeweller and conservationist – strikes me as someone more likely to be encountered on a bull dozer tearing up the bush – we adjourn to the attached diner – great meal – home to sleep off the day.
Day 18 – 13th July 2008
Final Event – The Brunch
It seemed like the entire guest list managed to make it to the brunch at the Bowen’s community centre – nice – important event – everyone tired – Bowens had done a marvellous job – Jane and Peter looked tired but remained gracious to the very end – The perceptive would have, I suspect, detected in them relieve that it was over and that at last they could relax.
The Antipodeans wind down at the Stonehouse – dinner in Tiverton – Matty stars once again!
NYC - Day 17 – 12th July 2008
Fourth Function – The Wedding - Groom and Best Man arrive at the Stone House accompanied by the wedding planner – she checks everyone – ushers the family into the limo – not a drop of champagne spilled on the way to the church - Great ceremony.
Back into the limo and off to the reception at Ocean Cliff overlooking Newport Harbour about 30 minutes away – Graeme interrogates the limo driver in true Crocodile Dundee style.
Arrive at Ocean Cliff via a detour past the famous mansions of Newport - photos on the lawn in front of the reception centre – admire the water craft both modern and historic traversing the harbour.
Brief welcome by the Bride parents – no more speeches – into the wedding celebrations proper – lots of dancing and great food and drink.
Reception finishes – a selection of guests meet back in Newport for a cruise on the harbour on a historic schooner - Amy especially organises snacks of Australian meat pies and lamingtons from New York – alas the Americans do not understand the concept – much to Amy’s disappointment the pies arrive cold and the lamington’s are coated with half an inch of rich chocolate icing – the pies and lamingtons ordinary! - The cruise - magnificent – peaceful – beautiful.
Arrive home –tired – elated – sit up and watch a television program featuring an interview that Sofia had done with a local American sleaze tycoon – later reveals she was devastated that they had edited out her tough questions.
NYC – Day 16 – 11th July 2008
Third Function – the Rehearsal Dinner - Now this one had all the Australians somewhat confused. Why would you need to rehearse a dinner? - 70 people – close friends and “out of towners” - gathered on a wooden stage under an open sided marquee for dinner right on the waterfront at Bristol – the food again stunning – Scallops the size of small potatoes - literally melted in your mouth – these New Englanders really know something about seafood even if they have a lot to learn about coffee.
Everyone who participated in the wedding ceremony had earlier attended a rehearsal at the Church – the rehearsal took longer than the real ceremony
NYC – Day 15 – 10th July 2008
The Maid of Honour arrives – a tiny dynamo – American to the core – her name is Pinkie – a delight! – the Best Man arrives – approaches 6’6” – young clean cut – distinguished – Oxford graduate – also an absolute delight.
The newly arrived antipodeans surely would use the spare day to go sightseeing in the NE area – not if that group included Trudy – she shepherds the others into cars for a “sightseeing” tour of the outlet stores on the outskirts of Boston – so much for sightseeing in the NE area.
Amy arranges for Simons favourite meal to be served at the Stonehouse - Ribs flown in from Memphis – Simon acts as chef – turns on the oven – heats them up – we all feast!
NYC – Day 14 – 9th July 2008
Effects of the travels really start to kick in for the newly arrived antipodeans – lots of sleeping in – plans for visits to the countryside are shelved – most sit quietly around the Stonehouse.
NYC Day 13 - 8th July 2008
First function of the wedding carnival – dinner with the Bride’s parents – off to a bad start – Mike leads the way – gets lost – Rick and the others follow but in turn lose Mike – eventually all arrive to find an anxious bride and groom (to-be) pacing up and down – not a good impression! - Peter Bowen master chef presents magnificent dinner of wild salmon – Graeme amuses all with his wedding stories –This one had the bride and her mother splitting their sides with laughter:
I went to ask my father in law for permission to marry his daughter – he said “yes - but have you seen her mother yet?” – “yes but I would prefer the daughter”
NYC Day 12 – Wedding Week
To the liquor store to supplement Amy’s stocking of the StoneHouse and (to be discovered much later) – lose Rick’s wallet - Graeme intrigues the proprietors – they immediately treat him as the “long lost cousin” – Americans continue to delight – friendly – helpful – courteous – Graeme keeps telling them – “even the people in New York are friendly”
To the convenience store for milk, coffee, sugar and salt – Bernie stunned - nothing substantial – lollies – ice creams – biscuits – anything sweet – sugar supplemented cereals – dog food – more dog food – practically nothing substantial
Monday, July 7, 2008
Day 11 - A day on the water
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Day 12 - 5th July
Day 10 - 4th July
The flags are everywhere - they are in every imaginable size and in every imaginable location - the Cape Cod houses themselves are draped in red, white and blue fabrics and their gardens are decked out with garden settings, barbecues and picnic tables in preparation for the after-parades parties.
We find our way to main street - to a slightly tired and bedraggled America 3 sitting becalmed on her stand remembering the glory days of her former kindred on the waters of Newport Sound - we perch on the wall that separates the Main Street from the sea front and await the parade.
What a parade - marching bands , soldiers, sailors Governors, Attorney Generals, the employees of the local council, ambulance officers, police, returned soldiers, high schools, the University, fire brigades, clowns, comedians and singers - all in style- all applauded - all appreciated - all celebrated.
Home - Peter Bowen - expert Seafood Chief! - the visitors arrive for 4th July celebrations - we feast on New England Lobster and Steamers - expert tuition provided by all on the appropriate techniques to be use in the consumption of the local fare - watch the fireworks across the bay - consume wine - retire - a great day!
Days 9 Tiverton
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Day 8 - Last day in NYC for the time being
Days 6 and 7 - Back to Reality
Write to sites visited in Canada - report to AARNet - rest occasionally and stare out the window looking at people wandering along University Place - sneak out for a bagel - am I a true New Yorker or What - I think so after all I know all there is to know about a toasted everything bagel with tofu and can even acquire a latte in the same breath.
Read up on the goings on in e-Health - it all seems the same - chaotic activtiy with scarcely any national progress - Think briefly about the poor individuals striving to make things happen - catch up on all the email.
Sleep well - rise early - today is gong to be a day of achievement - By the end of the morning Graeme will have telephone and fax facilites enabled for his wandering across two continents and the drivers of our hire cars will have "Tommy" to guide them through the complexities of overseas navigation -
Lunchtime - a startling lack of progress - the TomTom site is down, no one likes my credit cards and there is such an array of telephone options that it is difficult to select the right option - the needle is somewhere in that haystack of options.
Out to see car rental place - amazing - collection point less than 200 metres from the appartment - big and aging blonde behind the counter - no you cannot register yourself as a driver unless you are with the car and the car is not here! - damm - "don't worry dear" you can do it anywhere once you have the car - thank you - glad I could help
Back inside - struggle with 'Tommy" - sort out the telephone and discover faxmate.
Not a great day! - the 10% rule at play? - not too bad is it given that the quality of the other days.
The photos of this blog are typical of the days ........
Monday, June 30, 2008
NYC - Day 5 - The Empire State Building and the Country Girl
Empire State Building - straight out of lonely planet - I feel a disaster looming - its hot and very, very humid - what the hell!- you have had a fascination with the old girl since you saw movies of her construction in the lecture theatres of Melbourne University as an undergrad - lonely planet or not you are going to have to go!
Arrive on dusk - fears confirmed - hordes overflowing to the streets - resolve tested - nostalgia prevails - I join the queue - I shuffle - I stand still - shuffle - still - shuffle - still - no I don't want to up size my visit to the Observatory/Sky Ride combo - shuffle - still - shuffle - listen I told the last girl I wont be upgrading to the combo - shuffle - still - OK I bloody well will upgrade to the combo (who ever heard of up sizing a tour! - come to think of it Bernie's been doing that for years!) shuffle - stand- stand - stand - shuffle - reach the security screening area - lose places in the queue as I remove belts and clear my pockets - have my resolve tested further - realise that I haven't yet reached the ticket purchase queue - nostalgia prevails - become tempted by the sign that says for twice the price I can buy priority in the queue - refuse on principle - brow sweating - testing capability of the new deodorant - finally reach the counter and acquire my combo ticket.