Day three

Day Three

Monday dawned clear but clouded up sporadically all day, with a little rain here and there, lots of wind. Tim and Leila up at 7:30 and made sandwiches for a picnic to the Aran Islands. Pick-up breakfast with good coffee, toast and eggs. We were off by 8:30 to catch the ferry out of Doolin, and arrived at the ferry area, which showed little activity. The Ferry ticket office was closed and nobody about. Chip then hurled his breakfast over the stone wall across the street. We drove down to the pier to find a series of run-down shacks representing various ferry companies, with a couple of old guys around who told us there no ferry today or all week – gale force winds. There was big surf, and we wandered around the waterfront taking pictures. Finally piled into the cars and drove home, madly re-planning the day. Chip and Piet stayed at the cottage feeling a little under the weather, walked a little, kept the peat fire going, read and napped. (CRG)

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Tim and Leila and Gay and I (Hilly writing now) headed back into Doolin to do shop at wool and sweater shops, Tim abandoning us for an internet café to do the blog since our house does NOT have internet connection as promised. Raining like billy-o, the doors of the shops all open and spitting rain into the shops. One shop run by Frenchwoman, another, the music shop, run by a Swiss guy. The music shop had a café so we got hot chocolate and coffee (me) and listened to music until Tim came back and retrieved us. On way back stopped at St. Brigid's Well just east of Lahinch. Discovered pisturesque cows on hillside with majestic view, went in to examine St. Brigid. A cave-like room with the well at the end. Walls lined with blessings and photos of hundreds, including one fireman from NYFD. Off again with another stop at a seaside graveyard and ruined church. Odd discovery that people still being buried, even inside the ruin. Ancient looking stones for people who died within the last ten years. Finally back home to Piet and Chip who had been dozing. Ate our pre-made samiches and then the foursome (Tim, Leila, Gay, and I) headed down to Ennistymon to buy food for an eat-in supper of stir-fry hicken and veg and I found an ATM for cash for upcoming days. Home to cook and hang out until it was time to go BACK to Doolin for music at McGann’s Pub (the foursome again), leaving Chip and Piet dozing between scenes of bad movies.

The pub music scene was incredibly fab, Ted McCormac a wonderful singer about my age and a mandolin/banjo player and guitar player, one of whom (the mandolin player) had never played with each other. Unbelievably wonderful. Most of the audience Americans including, believe it or not, a couple from Westminster, Vermont (she the town clerk) and another from CT who had been at the Grace Cottage Fair in Townshend this summer. We stayed until 11:30 and made a quick stop at McDougal’s (probably the wrong name) up the street to see what was there (Uiylian pipes, fiddle, and drums). They’ll be back on Wednesday. Home on a starry night to find that Piet and Chip had NOT gone to bed but were up watching a bad thriller. Bed after midnight and heard wild winds and downpour. Got to run so Tim can take this to the internet café in Ennistymon. (HvL)

These last two postings were made from the internet cafe in downtown Ennistymon, which is nicer than the Doolin spot, and they serve coffee and snacks. Still can't figure out how to arrange photos, so excuse the random order. (THG)