The 2020 shoulder season excursion began in New England, where we were able to see family and friends long missed. After a hockey game and picnic in Connecticut, followed by a bus ride into New York City for some more catching up with awesome compatriots, we boarded the plane that would take us across the pond for another long-awaited adventure.
During a first solo jaunt away from the states, a huge love of the Emerald Isle blossomed... to remain a steadfast and lovely lilting memory for two decades. We returned to Ireland for the first time together to see if the greens were still as green, the accents were still as charming, and the cliffs just as high. We've seen so much in the interim that while the view from our decent was beautiful, it was a familiar beautiful that spoke of maturity, knowledge and more than just wide, innocent eyes taking everything in. The sloping landscapes were still complete with sleepy and content livestock, the breaking waves of the cliffs were still dramatic, and the buskers were still serenading Shop Street. The River Liffey kept pace with the bustle of Temple Bar, and the pubs were still blaring out John Denver's desire to take the country road home. Like sliding on a comfy old bathrobe straight from the dryer, Ireland welcomed us with warm familiarity.
The Matchmaking Festival wasn't in swing, but Lisdoonvarna and Doolin were just as quaint as ever... best remembered as my first run in with a didgeridoo in McGann's. One can only repeat "did you redo what??" so many times until ultimately getting an education on the Aboriginal peoples of Northern Australia.
You can play music as loud as you want with no neighbors. If the climate was more tropical, we may possibly have been tempted...
John Denver, still looking for that country road in the middle of the King's Head...
Catnapping from coast to coast. The bus system really was pretty stellar AND punctual.
Twenty years matured, but here's my old friend still with the same sarcastic and lovable wit ;)
...more fun than a barrel of monkeys any day of the week...
The sails of Eyre Square, Galway. The last time this was a normal view on my walk home from work, I was rocking a state-of-the-art Discman.
Oh hey, Molly! Looking good, girls!
Nothing like lining up all the highlights in one shot. The only thing missing is that elusive leprechaun skipping through the chimneys...
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