|
|
Greetings from Dave and Kathy! Here you can follow Kathy and Dave on their trip to Rochester, NY, Ireland, Wales, and London (Aug. 26 to Sept. 22, 2016). Since we're staying in eight different places and 3 days in each place, we're calling this trip: 3 days 3 days. |
|
Fri |
 |
Here
is an art shot from the Tucson Airport. Our TSA Pre-Chk allowed us to
pass through security in just a few minutes. There is not much one can
write about when you spend most of the day in airplanes and airports.
The routing was Tucson > Atlanta (4 hours), then Atlanta > Rochester
(2 hours) and then arriving two hours early in Tucson and two hours
layover in Atlanta for a total of 10 hours. Arriving in Rochester at
midnight, we went to nearby motel for the night.
|
|
Sat |
 |
The
day started by picking up our full-size rental car. After a welcoming
and great breakfast at our son's place (Mitchell and wife Tracy and
grandson Bruce [pix]), we took a tour of their new property (10 acres,
out buildings). What a great setting and a very good value. We took
a drive to Sodus Point, NY, via back roads. So very pretty. Next, a
break to check into our Airbnb
accommodations (excellent), a nap, and then dinner was at the Pultneyville
Grill.
|
|
Sun |
 |
Back
over to Mitchell's house for a bacon overload breakfast. Fantastic French
Toast, lots of coffee, orange juice and did I mention bacon? Mitch played
the guitar (pix) and Bruce the drums for an impromptu concert. Next
we went to Lowes where Mitch and Company found the perfect refrigerator
for their new house, compliments of Dave and Kathy. Delivery in 2 weeks.
Then a late lunch at Bill
Grays, and a visit to a local golf
driving range. Bruce was amazing.
|
|
Mon |
 |
Here's
Dave holding a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream in the Aer Lingus Lounge
in Terminal 5 at the JFK Airport. When this bottle is empty, they just
bring out another one. Good thing. Officially, we're not in the Aer
Lingus Lounge because we bought our tickets from a 3rd party and
you can't select seats, visit the lounge, upgrade, or do anything except
show up for your flight. However, through the kindness of strangers,
we gained lounge access and got our seats. Dublin next.
|
|
Tues |
 |
The
flight to Dublin went well, as did the taxi ride to our Ibis
Dublin West hotel. After a long nap, we took a tram to downtown
Dublin. Kathy noted an old pub called The
Oval Bar (pix) so we had lunch there (excellent) and then ventured
deeper into the city. We found Grafton
Street, the main shopping street, and a secret coffee shop above
the Marks and Spencer store. More exploring via tram lines, a snack
at Yum
Thai then back to the hotel for a long sleep.
|
|
Wed |
 |
Fab
breakfast at Wuff
and then took the DART
to the seaside town of Howth,
where we strolled down the pier crowded with fishing boats and seafood
restaurants (pix). For the return trip we chose a double-decker bus
(video). We
then explored the outdoor
Moore Street Market, with a quick sandwich at the Baxter
& Greene. Then back to our hotel for a nap, but returned to
downtown Dublin for a light seafood dinner at Catch
22. We do more than just eat. Honest!
|
|
Thurs |
 |
Breakfast
at Butler's
Chocolate Café then on to the Eason
Bookstore to look around (pix Barack Obama and Rugby great Andy
Trimble). Next, a tour of the thrift shops around Capel Street but found
nothing. Lunch was at Oscar's
Cafe on Smithfield
Square and after more exploring, home for a nap. The evening entertainment
was the play The
Deep Blue Sea, which was broadcast live from the London National
Theatre to the Dublin Lighthouse
Cinema. Dinner at Bel
Cibo.
|
|
Fri |
 |
Here's
our cottage in Oysterhaven,
Kinsale,
Ireland (pix). This is a 3-bedroom/2-bath cottage that's about 10 minutes
from town and a 3-hour drive from Dublin. The drive in our little "Clio"
was stunning with sunshine and the surrounding psychedelic green fields
and hills, with only one traffic slowdown at the Electric
Picnic exit. Dave soon adjusted to driving on the left. Pretty much.
Kathy wanted to cook so we shopped at the local Lidl
grocery store. Dinner at home!
|
|
Sat |
 |
A
walking tour of Kinsale today, a very old town. The St.
Multose Church was built in year 1190 but the Desmond
Castle came later in year 1500. Kinsale is full of narrow lanes
and interesting homes (pix). Lunch at the White
House, where the seafood chowder was superb. Then a drive to the
Old Head Golf
Links where we each enjoyed an Irish Coffee in the clubhouse ($45
with tip). Golf itself, with cart and club rental is $520. The rest
of the day was exploring small towns.
|
|
Sun |
 |
Breakfast
at home, then off to tour Cobh,
Ireland, the town made famous because this was the last port of
the Titanic before it sailed out to sea. Then off to a Boot
Sale in Belgooly that didn't result in any purchases. On the drive
back to Oysterhaven Bay, we came across these happy shrubs (pix). Afternoon
tea was at the Walton
Court Cafe (across from our cottage) and then home for a long nap.
Our last meal in Kinsale was at Finder's
Inn in nearby Nohoval.
|
|
Mon |
 |
Our
next airbnb
place had a check-in time of 5 pm, which gave us time to explore
Cork.
We were delighted with the downtown and then the covered English
Market (pix). Knowing our next stop isn't near anything, we stocked
up on food and drink, and then took off for Killarney. After a picnic
lunch in the National
Park, then headed for Kells
(Kerry) and our wilderness cottage. We met the caretaker in a parking
lot and checked in during some seriously bad weather.
|
|
Tues |
 |
The
Ring of Kerry
is one of the most beautiful drives in all of Ireland. When the sun
is shining. When it's driving rain, fog, and wind... then it's just
a narrow, bumpy road, and so it was this morning. We took the drive
anyway but with little to see, we did the drive in a single day. Towards
the end, the rain stopped and in Kenmare we had a lovely lunch at the
Atlantic
Bar, some ice creme (pix) and a thoughtful stroll around the 3,000-year-old
Kenmare
Stone Circle. Then home.
|
|
Wed |
 |
County
Kerry, Ireland, continues to be locked into a bad weather pattern, so
we decided to head to Cork for the night, but we took the L-O-N-G way
via the town of Dingle, which is located on the Dingle
Peninsula
(pix). We arrived in Dingle close to lunch
time and a local recommended Ashe's
Bar for anything seafood, so we enjoyed an excellent Seafood Chowder.
Then a 4-hour drive to the Metropole
Hotel, Cork. Dinner at the excellent Market
Lane.
|
|
Thurs |
 |
Sunny
day for our drive to Dublin. Due to a Dublin bus strike, we had to drop
off our rental car in downtown Dublin. We checked into the Smithfield
Maldron Hotel for the night
(free upgrade to a balcony room) where we took today's pix: the chimney
of the Jameson
Whiskey Factory, which they converted into a viewing platform! Dave
bought a sweater at Dublin
Vintage, sold by the pound, for $12. Lunch at Cafe
Cagliostro (famous mural)
and dinner at Catch
22.
|
|
Fri |
 |
After
a ferry crossing to Wales and picking up our rental car, we headed south
to our next
airbnb. The first thing we noticed is that the town names are in
the Welsh language. This would account for having lunch in Trawstynydd,
on our way to Llwyndafydd,
passing through Penbontrhydyfoethau
to have dinner at The
Ship (pix) in Llangrannog.
Our place is on a working organic farm and used to be a dairy barn and
hayloft. Pretty nice sitting by the fireplace tonight.
|
|
Sat |
 |
Cardigan
Bay is dotted with small fishing villages, with the best examples
being tourist destinations. We started our tour in Cardigan
with its Covered Market and a stroll of High St. Next was New
Quay (pix), which is ringed with stone houses, restaurants, and
a pier. Food shopping for the evening was in New Quay. On to Aberaeron,
another lovely seaside town. Heading back, a quick stop at the Cwmrhydneuadd
Golf Club. Sunset at Llangrannog,
dinner at home.
|
|
Sun |
 |
A
funny thing happened on the way to Aberystwyth.
We stopped to photograph an old car
and an old bus, when a local
came by and asked if we wanted to follow him to a car
boot sale. Yes! Kathy loved the Avon Lady and her friends (pix)
and Dave got a 100-year-old whiskey
crock for $5. Then on to Aberystwyth to view the city
from Constitution
Hill Peak, have lunch at the Glengower
cafe, take the view train
to Devil's Bridge, finally,
dinner at the Hungary
Trout in New Quay.
|
|
Mon |
 |
Hey,
you live in a barn? Actually, we do. In a converted
barn. The 300 milk cows (pix) on this farm were moved into a more
suitable building years ago. We're in the countryside now, away from
seashore and close to the Black Mountains. The nearest big town is Carmarthen,
with a large pedestrian way and plenty of shops. Our town is Llanfynydd
and the parish church was built in year 1291. We were greeted with a
cake and a large pitcher of fresh unpasteurized milk. Yumm.
|
|
Tues |
 |
Rain
this morning so off to the Carmarthen Library to do Internet stuff and
then shop in the covered market, with a pizza lunch at Florentino's.
With improving weather, we went to the amazing National
Botanic Gardens of Wales and the grasslands building (pix). This
must be one of the best botanic
gardens anywhere. Kathy wanted to cook tonight so home again and another
cozy evening around the fireplace. This amazing rental costs just $65/night.
Come to Wales!
|
|
Wed |
 |
We
explored towns in the Black Mountains today. We got lost a few times
on the back roads but, finally, ended up in the tiny town of Cwmdu,
where there is a hippie community called Tipi
Valley. A local told us that they didn't much like visitors with
cameras, so why not photograph the oldest outdoor toilet in Wales, which
happened to be right in town (pix)? Use of the toilet goes directly
into the River
Dulais. Dinner (8th wedding anniversary) was at Y
Polyn.
|
|
Thurs |
 |
Routine
drive to Cardiff
where we checked into a charming
row house, which is located in the suburb, "City
of Llandaff." Then to the Millennium
Centre to get our opera
tickets for tomorrow, with lunch at the nearby Mermaid
Quay. Next, a ride on the big Ferris wheel (pix) then home to explore
our own neighborhood. First, was the Llandaff
Cathedral where one of the bishops gave us a tour; Second, was the
Black
Lion pub where we had Strongbow
Ciders. Yumm.
|
|
Fri |
 |
Breakfast
at Porro,
then a bus ride to the Cardiff
city center. Pedestrian ways, malls, outside shops, covered arcades,
and the old Cardiff
Market, where we found the Three Little Pigs (pix). Next, a close-up
of the new $2,000,000 organ
at the Llandaff Cathedral. Finally, off to the opera The
Merchant of Venice at the Millennium Centre. We met friends
at the Ffresh
bar before hand, and then the main event and cast
party (Kathy with singer Lauren
Michelle).
|
|
Sat |
 |
Breakfast at the Poisoned Radish, I mean Pickled Radish. Then off to the Chapter Arts Centre for a private showing of the Andre Tchaikowsky documentary, Rebel of the Keys. This was a wonderful and moving film about Andre and everyone hopes for wider distribution. (On Sunday evening, we'll have dinner with the producer and director.) We packed our bags for tomorrow, had a nap, and then did a walking real estate tour. Dave loved a particular house (pix). |
|
Sun
|
 |
Travel
day today going from Cardiff to London. We had no problems but the train
did and part of the trip had to be taken by bus. Our room was waiting
for us at the Premier
Inn Tate Modern and then a snack at Paul,
followed by a rest. Dinner at Camino
Bankside with our friends (pix) Liz, Mark, and Anastasia. Liz and
Mark made the Andre
documentary, and Anastasia wrote an Andre biography.
It was too late for our stroll along the Thames River so next time.
|
|
Mon |
 |
We explored our own neighborhood (pix) today before heading out to Golders Green and a fine lunch with our friends Judy and Michael Arnold. This was followed by riding bus 319 from Sloane Square to Telford (47 stops). It takes you through non-tourist neighborhoods and sitting on the top deck, the view was great. We toured a large antique store, but nothing. Dinner was at Abeno, featuring Okonomiyaki (Japanese pancakes). Finally, a stroll back home in light rain. |
|
Mon |
 |
Breakfast at Gail's and then Kathy took off with a Tube map and her Oyster Card (transport pass), while Dave did errands. Later, Dave had lunch and coffee with friends Eve and Angela. Kathy explored the Natural Science Museum, and the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A). It was at the V&A Kathy found Elytra (pix), a robot-created artwork of spun glass and carbon fiber. We like a nice meal on our last night so tonight it was Rumpus Room for bar food and big view. |
|
Wed |
 |
With
a free morning, we strolled London Town (pix) until time to head home.
With the sun shining and London never looking better, we were sorry
to leave. We checked out at our London
hotel at noon, and checked into our JFK
Sheraton exactly 12 hours later. Our flight was on Norwegian
Airlines, a budget airlines with cattle car seating but our London
to New York flight was just $350 each (advanced purchase). We paid a
bit extra for exit row seats so more leg room.
|
|
Thurs |
 |
Good sleep that helped us overcome the effects of jet lag. We got to the American Airlines terminal at JFK well before our departure time for the 1st leg to Phoenix. Alas, there was no airplane and no explanation either. Two hours later, we departed for Phoenix, where we got a later flight to Tucson, which was also delayed by weather. At last, we made it to Tucson and to our car in long term parking. On the way home (pix), a quick stop for some dinner at the Keg, |
|
|
||
