Top 'O The Morning

Our flight to Shannon was delayed but uneventful.  We left JFK in rainstorm and arrived in Shannon in a misty rain.  Getting the car was easy.  Monte and Pat the trunk is big enough for your bag--any size.  Bill is driving as though the left hand side is normal.  The roads we used were not highways but the speed was always marked 100 K.  At one point Bill said, Didn't St Patrick drive the snakes from Ireland?  The signs posted for the curves ahead of us looked like ugly remains of long, long snakes.

Tralee was the only town we needed to go through and if not for the GPS we decided to rent, we would probably still be there.  The cottage is as advertised except it is painted  lavender on the bottom half, not white as it looked in photos.  The cottage is quaint except for the furnishings.  Small rooms, HARD sofa and chairs, fireplace for coal, interesting archways.  We knew we would pay for heat but we didn't realize we would pay with Euros as you use it.  Strange.  We now conserve.  Will this last when we return to the states?


We have checked out the supermarket--a misnomer.  I think we may lose weight if we cook our meals at home.  Choice is not as varied as in US.  Only 3 bars so far.  Murphy's--a revist from 1996,Marina Inn, the owner would not speak English to us, we had an interpreter from England, and Paidi O Se's.  O Se is the closest to our cottage and the warmest.  A huge coal fire greeted us as did the owner.  We meet and talked with Michael, a regular, who leaves at half 2 most days,
   

   It is beautiful right now looking down on the beach and water.  The clouds are letting the sun shine through.  Oh, there was some unusual snow activity on Connor Pass last night.  Ouch!!

No sports here except for Rugby.  Must look on computer to see the Big East scores.

We have met Joan Garvey, not her husband.  So much like Deirdre's mom, Marie, it is scary.  Very helpful.  In fact we are using her wifi hook-up now.  All shopkeepers and bartenders speak Gaelic.  Sometimes we are the only ones speaking English.  That seems strange.  Music tomorrow night at 6 p.m. at the Mariana Inn.  We will be there.