Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Safe and Sound.


(Picture is taken from a boat on the Seine last week.)

It seems like forever since I’ve been here, and I’ve missed reading my blog-buds’ posts which I will get caught up on over the next few days.

First up: Dublin

My time there was awesome, met with all I had planned to meet (with one regrettable exception) and the weather was totally accommodating. I completed the Dublin Women's Marathon and was duly medalled. My family came up from Cork to spend a couple of days sans spouses (thanks, in-laws!) so that the four (the other two are far flung at opposite ends of the earth) of us who got together felt like kids again and celebrated at midnight by taking a horse and buggy through the streets of Dublin, clip-clop, clip-clop resounding off the cobblestones and buildings as we tipped our virtual hats to the ghosts of all the more famous and patriotic who had gone before us on similar conveyances.

I don’t think we ever stopped laughing. We’ve planned a major re-union in 2011, back on the land of our mother’s ancestors on the Beara Peninsula. Guess who’s in charge of the newsletter and the T-shirts?

Dublin is a little more humbled, a little more down-to-earth and I found it refreshing. A combination of the demise of the Celtic Tiger, government corruption and the Ryan Report. Reality checks are filtering through but people are optimistic and actually looking forward to a saner time more in keeping with old values. Both of the brothers are planting, one has even gone so far as to acquire a flock of sheep (he’s an accountant, like me!) and we discussed cows and chicken coops to our heart’s content. My sister was seeking advice on tilling her urban garden and starting her self-sustaining lifestyle. We were all on the same page, as the saying goes.

One of the many highlights was a niece, sending a 3D picture of her unborn child to my brother’s mobile as we were having lunch, with the caption: “Hello, Grandad!” It will be his first and it was an emotional moment for all of us but more so for him seeing the little face and hands. Isn’t modern technology a marvel, we all said.

A major change for me since last time was the accessibility and sophistication of public transportation. I seriously think Dublin has to be on the cutting age of transit between Dart, Luas and Aircoach which brought some of my friends up from Cork in a matter of hours. My family chose the train and Luas as their methodology. When the oil crisis hits, Dublin will be just grand, thank you very much. Other cities take note.

There is so much more to write about but for now I’ll end this first episode. I’m delighted to be home back on my little corner of my little universe. It took me a solid 24 hours of travel to get back here from Paris. 24 Hours! But I napped so much on route that jet lag was deleted completely.

So what have you all been up to while my back was turned?

12 comments:

  1. oh i just drank in every word, WWW. it's great to have you back. (and i'll dispatch that freezer to you posthaste!)

    i agree with you about dublin being a little more subdued; i see it from a tourist's point of view, not a native, but noted fewer self-important people charging around on cell phones all over the city center, restaurants not so crowded that a person can't get a bite to eat on the spur of the moment, and prices more reasonable.

    i like what you said about the country getting back to its old values.

    and wouldn't i want to be on the beara peninsula with all of you in two years!

    welcome home! you've been much missed.

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  2. That's a very positive picture of Dublin you've painted there. Sounds like it's a good thing people have been chastened a bit by the economic implosion and as you say are revisiting the old values that got buried under materialistic excess.

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  3. Oh, forgot to answer your question. The big thing for us was moving house at the end of May. We've had a lot to sort out but we're getting there. There are still umpteen boxes of books because we haven't got all our bookshelves up yet!

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  4. Welcome home!

    Sorry the meet-up didn't happen.I was ready to travel to Dublin on the Tuesday morning but the ticker had other ideas... Maybe next time.

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  5. It's great to have you back, you've been missed very much. It's good to hear about Dublin and maybe the people there are catching on quicker to how to deal with the economic crisis than the people here. It seems that here everybody just carries on as usual, or maybe we were already ahead of the game in some areas. I don't know. Money is still being spent as if there is no end to it. I suppose we're still well off for the most part.

    Anyway, welcome back, dear. It's very good to see you here again.

    Hugs,
    Irene

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  6. Wonderful to hear you had great time and you were all on the same page! It is also equally wonderful to hear your impressions on Dublin. A year and a half ago this was different, at least we thought it was. I have a house and a car and a .... was what was in people's minds and eyes, a bit more greed a bit more materialistic competition. Nothing better than a slice of humble pie I guess, not that I am mean or anything. Sometimes people do forget where they come from when money is more than abundant.
    To answer your question, while you were away I got busy working on an exciting project. ;)
    Welcome back and
    Hugs
    Gx

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  7. Welcome home, WWW! Missed ya!
    So pleased to read that your trip was sich a success. Looking forward to more. :-)

    Not much going on at my end, blogging, Adam, Rolling Stone, Letterman, Palin - the usual dreck. ;-)

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  8. Heya! Congratulations on completing the Dublin Women's Marathon! (makes my 5K Race for Life seem a bit puny!)
    So glad that the trip was such a success.

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  9. Hi honey blog bud, missed you too. I have been exploring more face to face friendships whilst on my blogging holiday.

    I have been feeling really low and have designed my own daily short random running and stepper programme at the gym. It works, makes me sweat, gives me a lift and a structure and bolsters me for the rest of the day.

    Bobo and I are taking the boys to meet his family in Guildford in a fortnight, then on for a wee family at the seaside in Brighton. I need a holiday, i soooo need a holiday.

    Today, I am making a habit of reaching out to others, telling them that I am feeling low and getting together more. I am realising how loved I am, which is a marvellous boost.

    I will be back and blogging soon. Take care and enjoy your hols.

    hulla
    xxxxx

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  10. Glad to have you back on the web, wise one. I loved hearing about your family. I think family is the best, and going to places where you can be with them is the best kind of trip. I visited Dublin many years ago, and I enjoyed it, but it didn't have the kind of meaning that it must have had to you with all those people you love there, too.

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  11. Great to have you back - so glad you had a good time - oh and well done on the marathon!

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  12. @Laurie:
    Thank you! Change for all of us is going to be so much better but not the much flaunted 'change' bandied about by the pols and media!
    @Nick:
    good luck with the bookshelves, the most important feature of any house and change is everywhere. All good.
    @GM:
    You were the one regrettable exception on my plans of meet-ups, next time I hope, tho I'll prob be in Cork.
    @Irene:
    Thanks so much for the warm welcome back!
    @Gaye:
    As said before, the change is good, old values are settling around those more 'awake'. I love the sound of your new project and can't wait for progress reports!
    @T:
    Dreck, what dreck? You write marvellously of things beyond my ken, my dear!
    @Jo:
    To make it even more admirable *cough* I did it in a sizzling heatwave!
    @Hull:
    Oh I do hope you come back, but can understand your desire for more f2f. You are such a light in clogland and I want some more kilty firemen!
    @20:
    I think family time can be more meaningful when we're not around it all the time, it is far more appreciated when times are infrequent!
    @Conor:
    Thanks kind sir, it was a steamy ol' day but over 40,000 women made it - and some men in wayout drag!!
    XO
    WWW

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