And As The Sun Sinks Slowly In The West...

We say goodbye to Kerry, with a view of the sunset over Cromane bay.



... We say goodbye to Kerry, But We'll Be Back...

None Fresher Than This...

After two days on Valencia, we moved to Cromane (pronounced "Crumb-orn".) This is where my wife's father was born and bred. It's an unspoilt fishing village, where my wife's cousin John Joe still makes a living from the sea.

This photo shows The Phantom looking rather nervous. I'm not a great lover of boats, and had just been handed a set of waders to put on which looked like they had come straight out of the costume locker for the film "The Perfect Storm".



This is JJ's oyster barge, with my better half looking cool for'ard.



Early morning light over the oyster beds...



This is John Joe, hefting a sack of oysters. We were standing way out at sea. The oyster beds are only uncovered at low tide, for a couple of hours morning and evening, two weeks out of four.



We were out to do some quality control. This is the contents of one bag...



I soon started to relax when I realised that we had an oyster knife on board. After all, there's only one real way to do quality control on an oyster. Eating it. I will never eat an oyster any fresher than those I ate, standing in the Atlantic that morning.



And this is A Happy Phantom, with two kilos of mussels and two dozen spanking fresh oysters for that night's supper. I'm afraid I didn't get any photographs that night, we were too busy eating!

The Top Shelf...

...Of the newsagents in Caherciveen, Co Kerry.



Only in Ireland, tractor porn...

We're On The One Road

We spent a couple of days just chilling out on Valencia Island. It's only a couple of miles across and 2 or 3 long. It has some superb views...



And some very idiosyncratic road markings on the more quiet lanes...



In best Irish style it has turned a disused slate quarry into a tourist attraction by transforming it into a religious grotto, with statues of the Virgin and St. Bernadette...



And if you ever wondered where Kerrygold butter comes from, we met a couple who know...

Fuchsia

The Southwestern area of Ireland around Kerry is blessed with an unusually mild climate. We have both been to Ireland several times, but never to this corner. In the hedgerows the most dominant plant is the Fuchsia of all things!



Whole banks of delicate nodding heads, some robust, others more delicate, line the roadsides.



It is such a feature of the area that in Chapeltown, the northernmost village on the island, they even have a restaurant named after them, with this particularly fetching sign:



If you are in the area, pay a visit to Glanleam. It is a hotel with a sloping series of gardens working down a sheltered slope which actually boasts a sub-tropical climate. There are tree ferns abounding, glades of bamboo, and a fine walled vegetable garden.



This magnificent Ram's head decorates one of the iron gates which protect it. It has a pagan look to it, suggesting virility and strong growth. Maybe it is a reference to Puck Fair, celebrated in the nearby town of Killorglin.

Ireland Past and Present

Caherciveen is the nearest big town to our first stop, Valencia Island.

This is the civil war memorial there. The soldier has a soviet-era look to him. A little bit cuddly and rounded.



The strangest things can give you culture shock. We are so used to seeing Pound Shops in the inner cities, but over in Ireland they have...



Look carefully, and you can see what the Euro Shop was in a previous life.



How many people went into banking for job security, and were overtaken by technology?

There and Back Again

Curses, foiled again! I took my card reader with me, and then ended up without a fast internet link to send the photos through.

I can't complain though. The countryside is simply stunning...

I was taking photos before I had even arrived at the terminal building. I couldn't resist this sign...



There is something "Twin Peaks" about it.

Autumn Vine Leaves

Our grape vine, Vitis Brandt, is not really designed for it's harvest of grapes. They are tiny, pea-sized. But at this time of year, the rich colours just demand a post all of their own...



I'm off to the West of Ireland soon, to meet my better half. This time I will take my card reader with me. Valentia here I come! More soon, with photos hopefully.