May 26/27

May 26 at Cobh (which is pronounced "cove"), Ireland which is the port on River Lee for Cork. The weather was lightly overcast and the temperature at 10:15 a.m. was about 54F. Everyone comments on how unseasonably cold it is for late May. I can only agree with them.

I had a half-day tour this afternoon to Cork and Blarney. No, I did not go up to Blarney Castle to kiss the rock. Didn't feel I needed it, and wasn't thrilled by either the back-killer position required to reach the thing, or the thought of all the germs that stone probably harbors. I was supposed to tour on a bus, but wound up in a handicapped accessible van with just two other people plus the guide and the driver. This was fine as we were small enough to take the  back country roads which were lined with furze, aka gorse, in full bloom as you see here. Our guide was most informative about the history, language and differences between Ireland and England, i.e. a truly dedicated Celt of the Irish persuasion.

The main stop was a tourist shopping center called Woollen Mills. There were several stores, pubs, a restaurant, etc. The three of us passengers passed on the free Irish Coffee at a pub. The older lady wanted to shop, so her son was obliged to go with her. Most readers of these accounts know by now that I am not into coffee-flavored anything, so we three went with a whole 90 minutes to do our separate things.

The main store was three floors of everything Irish. Gorgeous woven wools. More gorgeous Irish knit sweaters of every style, gloves, scarves, hats, you name it. For Megan who asked me to look, and all my other knitting friends, there was plenty of great wool in skeins. Yes, they do ship, and I'm pretty sure they have a website. Then there was a wide selection of Celtic jewelry, and every shape and kind of Waterford crystal (a local product), etc. I was restrained and only bought a pair of Fair Isle socks (which I will probably need if the weather doesn't get seasonal soon), a few postcards, and a dish of superior soft-serve ice cream. I had a sequence of conversations with 3 ladies from Denver, then a couple from Cornwall all on land tours, and finally a couple from British Columbia who are on our ship, all of whom needed a seat while they ate as the restaurant was very crowded.

On the way back, my fancy Polish-made Canon camera that is less than a year old died with its lens partially extended and a message that it would fix itself, but it didn't. I took it to the Photo Shop on board, and they say all I can do is send it back to Canon to be fixed. What to do for the almost five weeks of cruising that remain? So now I have a new Nikon CoolPix L28 as being the cheapest of the models available on board. Pfui! 

To round out the day, I again rammed one of my toes into the back of my walker hard enough to draw blood for about the hundredth time on this trip. It happens when I get tired and stop paying attention, and especially when traversing cobblestones. I still think I probably at least chipped a toe bone back on Mykonos. Must buy more Band-aids.

Our Turkish table-mates haven't been seen since the first night. This evening we learned that they
moved to a table for four. We guess that they didn't feel comfortable with the language difference. So Ray, Irene and I continue in splendor at our table for seven. After dinner I actually trekked to the far other end of the ship to watch a show in the main theater. It was a British comedian named Kevin Devane who was quite good although I think some of his jokes were lost on most of the Americans in the audience.

May 27. Today we are at Dublin. The weather is somewhat warmer which is appreciated. 

I'm just back from the most hysterically fun tour I think I've ever had! Our tour guide, Renee, should give up her day job and do stand-up in the clubs! She was as staunchly Irish as the guide yesterday, but with a wicked sense of humor and a lightning fast wit. She had the whole bus load laughing from start to finish, except when we were actually in St. Patrick's Cathedral, and even there I thought I heard a titter or two. Every monument or statue we went past had its formal name, e.g. "Molly Malone," and it's other name, e.g. "Tart with a Cart." Or the newest, a tall needle-shaped thing which is formally "The Spire," but she referred to it as "The Stiletto in the Ghetto." That's The Spire in the background with a statue of Daniel O'Connell in the foreground. 

The tour guide companies here in Europe are beginning to use electronics. Judging by several guides' reactions to them, I think they are relatively new.  I don't mean taped lectures, but low power radio where each tourist hangs a little receiver round their neck with a disposable ear bud, and the guide has the transmitter, so she can talk to the whole group in a museum or church or other crowded place without having to shout. 

Dublin architecture is mostly Georgian, and several of the squares are very well preserved. Dublin, at 1.4 million people, has traffic problems like any other city and lots of pedestrians who make a serious hobby out of jaywalking. Renee recommended that we NOT try it. During our "free time" (read "help the Irish economy by shopping") I stayed on the bus and helped Willie, our driver, defend it from hordes of Princess passengers who mistook us for the shuttle bus back to the ship.