Travelling Once more

We are on our way again after a long gap.

I don't propose to post exquistly detailed and exquisitely boring chronological accounts of what we did each day during our trip to Ireland, Wales, and England - that goes in the travel journal files. (Well, it is boring to most folks, anyway.) But there are so many little things and pictures to share. The logo above will identify such postings which may be nothing more than bullet points. If you, Dear Reader, want to know more or see more on any of these topics just leave a comment.The first batch:

• Irish newspapers are in one of two formats, tabloid or true broadsheets - 8 columns, maybe 18 or 20 inches wide. I don't think the US still has any in that size left and I am glad of it, since I lack the skills to cope with a paper that big. But I must announce sadly that the content is far better over here.I can read everything of interest in the Daily Courier in less time than I can get through 2 pages in the Irish Times, despite skipping most of the local interest stories.


• Irish television is completely uninspiring and the news is only slightly better. The three biggest stories this week are the upcoming vote on the Lisbon Treaty (every pole has a Vote Yes and a Vote No poster), corrupt and greedy financial officials (so what else is new?) and the Championship Ploughing Meet - a very intense celebration of rural skills and values that is amazingly important to people. The man at the next counter at the bus station was clearly struggling with a choice between paying his bills and taking his family to the ploughing competion - he finally peeled off nearly everything in his wallet to buy the tickets.


• An area in which the Irish show superiority is in their manhole covers and other Art Underfoot. There are unexplained plaques all over Dublin, and Galway has excellent manholes.