Welcome Home!

Oh New York, we've missed you so. Disembarkation went smoothly and we were off the 'Mary into the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, clearing Immigration and Customs by 10:00 a.m. Taxi line was a touch chaotic for a "cruise terminal" but we managed to snag a yellow taxi van and we were on our way to the Ravel Hotel in Long Island City--or so we thought. The cab driver's route leaving the terminal was slightly unique but ask a New Yorker for a "perfect route" and you will get a thousand different responses. Under the Taxi Rider Bill of Rights, a driver is requested to follow the passenger's preferred route but most of the time it's a moot point as the New York cab drivers are pretty good (except in the winter when most of them-- who happen to be from countries filled with sand--try to navigate New York's icy streets creating a fair amount of accidents and comedy.) After our jaunt through downtown Brooklyn, our driver begins to head toward the BQE-aka the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway which is anything but--however, a fairly direct route to our hotel. But, instead of getting on the BQE, our driver gets on the Brooklyn Bridge heading into Manhattan. CW and I look at each other and I confirm with our driver he knows the location of our hotel, thinking maybe, just maybe, he misheard me. Nope--he had heard me quite well and then proceeds to tell us that all the cab drivers, when going to Queens, go into Manhattan and then out of Manhattan. The gig is now up and I tell our driver just because we got off the Queen Mary 2 he shouldn't have assumed we were hicks from Edmonds I mean Cork. But he keeps up the routine and heads north up First Avenue in Manhattan--notoriously slow! Well, thanks to Mayor Mike, it's very easy to make complaints about anything in New York City these days--just dial 311--as some of our bar neighbors do. So, I dial 311, I am connected to the Taxi and Limousine Commission, and by the time we are pulling into our hotel, I have an official complaint filed and a future hearing scheduled regarding the driver's actions. Well, about fifteen minutes after driving away, the taxi driver returns and motions me outside. He begs for mercy and I say no go. I think I wasn't giving clemency mostly because my two Dreadful Creatures were made to suffer an extra long trip in a hot taxi. Only in New York, Kids, only in New York...

5:33 a.m. New York City, July 30th, 2009

from "Here is New York" (1948)
by E. B. White
"There are roughly three New Yorks. There is, first, the New York of the man or woman who was born there, who takes the city for granted and accepts its size, its turbulence as natural and inevitable. Second, there is the New York of the commuter=-the city that is devoured by locusts each day and spat out each night. Third, there is New York of the person who was born somewhere else and came to New York in quest of something. Of these trembling cities the greatest is the last-the city of final destination, the city that is a goal. It is this third city that accounts for New York's high strung disposition, its poetical deportment, its dedication to the arts, and its incomparable achievements. Commuters give the city its tidal restlessness, natives give it solidity and continuity, but the settlers give it passion. And whether it is a farmer arriving from a small town in Mississippi to escape the indignity of being observed by her neighbors, or a boy arriving from the Corn Belt with manuscript in his suitcase and a pain in his heart, it makes no difference:each embraces New York with the intense excitement of first love, each absorbs New York with the fresh yes of an adventurer, each generates heat and light to dwarf the Consolidated Edison Company...

The city, for the first time in its long history, is destructible. A single flight of planes no bigger than a wedge of geese can quickly end this island of fantasy, burn the towers, crumble the bridges, turn the underground passages into lethal chambers, cremate the millions. The imitation of mortality is part of New York now; in the sounds of jets overhead, in the black headlines of the latest editions.

All dwellers in cities must live with the stubborn fact of annihilation; in New York the fact is somewhat more concentrated because of the concentration of the city itself, and because, of all targets, New York has a certain clear priority. In the mind of whatever perverted dreamer might loose the lightning, New York must hold a steady, irresistible charm".

The next adventure begins...

QM2, Atlantic Ocean, Sunday, Juy 26th, 2009 10:14 am.

"Travel is at its most rewarding when it ceases to be about your reaching a destination and becomes indistinguishable from living your life"

Paul Theroux, 'Ghost Train to the Eastern Star'

Churning through rough seas and gale winds in the Atlantic on the 'Mary. We have suspended reality for a few days as we transition from a 'soft' year in Cork to one in the States that could involve one or two new businesses and the possibility of moving a third. We shall enjoy our voyage and prepare ourselves for the hard slap in the face known as New York City in a few days.

9:42 p.m. July 22 2009 Cork City Ireland

"The hardest thing to convey is how lovely it all is and how the loveliness seems all you need. The ghosts that haunted you in New York or Pittsburgh will haunt you anywhere you go, because they're your ghosts and the house they haunt is you. But they become disconcerted , shaken, confused for half a minute, and that moment on a December day at four o'clock when you're walking from the bus stop to the rue Saint-Dominique and the lights are twinkling across the river--only twinkling in the bateaux mouches, luring the tourists, but still...you feel as if you've escaped your ghosts if only because, being you, they're transfixed looking at the lights in the trees on the other bank, too, which they haven't seen before, either.
It's true that you can't run awy from yourself. But we were right: You can run away."

"Paris to the Moon", Adam Gopnik

Out of here...

7 boxes shipped and some suitcases to be checked through--that's our life--though not the important one!

Done!

Apartment was a great! We would live there again in a minute!

Peanuts and Fantas (and a Pint)

Wrapping things up...

One of ODC and my favorite Cork activities was to take the double-decker tour bus around Cork City, get off at the old Cork Jail, take the tour, and then walk to the local pub for peanuts and fantas (and maybe an occasional pint). The other day we took her Irish cousins, life-long Cork City residents...

Inspiring art work...

but for the tragic subtext of almost 4000 people killed between 1966 and 2005 during the Northern Irish Troubles--and the killings continue. A joint Catholic-Protestant foundation is now replacing some of the more inflammatory murals with artwork offering a bit more hope (while preserving the historic originals in photographs.)

What's in a name?

There is a reason why one side in the "Troubles" is called Loyalists.

It's raining...

not cats and dogs but bricks and bottles. All the houses backing up to the "peace walls" in Belfast have the same cage over the back garden offering some protection when the "missiles" manage to make it over.

One final Getaway in "Ireland"

I have to say, they are quite helpful with the directions should you lose your way wandering around Belfast. Although some rioting was taking place in the evenings following the Orange Order's big day, a person wouldn't have been aware of any problems staying close to city center. Belfast has come along away from not so long ago though the huge gates in the "Peace Walls" separating the Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods still close evenings and weekends. I had a pleasant two day stay in Belfast but every city not Amsterdam is paling in comparison after our recent visit--yes, even Paris. Big weekend ahead: another CW family event: Mother's 80th birthday party--once again I will be happy to be on the sideline supporting CW and gloating again that my family is sooooo perfect. Okay, I might sneak away just for a minute--it's the start of the Tri Nations Rugby Champioships--Australia vs. New Zealand--CW's birth country--I mean really it's my duty. "Family, I'll be right back. Save me a piece of cake!"

Our bags are packed, we're ready to go...

If only we knew where. What seemed like an obvious choice only weeks ago as to where we would "hang our hats" this coming school year has become a touch more complicated with some recent business developments. So much so we are delaying shipping the seven boxes that we call our lives. (We came with ten--probably pilferage by CW's family at dinner parties). If we let our hearts decide, no doubt we would head immediately to Kathmandu or Paris. But, cooler heads have prevailed, it's time to "do a little business as it were", and as Ray Davies put it, "Captain America calling". Two cities on two different coasts and one distant dark horse. We have hedged our bets with enrollments in various schools, bi-coastal apartment searches, etc..., and we are hoping that the obvious choice presents itself to us--most likely the day after we ship our stuff! We are also considering a split year (Sept.-Dec) on one coast and (Jan.-June) on another--Oh, I can hear my Dreadful Creatures now on Dr. Phil. Well, off to consult the Magic Eight Ball!

TOP TEN GOOD THINGS ABOUT OUR YEAR IN IRELAND:
1. My In-laws (Graciousness that defies description)
2. Weather (Irish people say we hit an unusual year; I think they just like something to complain about)
3. Drinking Culture (Stopping at your local for a pint is customary and considered good form)
4. Cork English Food Market (Better than Seattle's Pike Place and New York's Union Square Farmer's Market)
5. Furnished Apartments (If only we could get those crayon marks off the settee...)
6. Cork Airport (So overbuilt during the Celtic Tiger Years that it is laughable but so easy and convenient)
7. Irish Bureaucracy (77000 yes thousand Irish Civil Servants added in the last ten years and they want to preserve their jobs err help you.
8. Access to Europe: Quick, Easy, Cheap
9. Irish Radio (None of that "play to the demographic b.s., actually good music and thought provoking chat)\
10.Rural Pubs (Patrons standing at the end of the evening for the National Anthem warms the heart almost as well as a pint of Guinness or Murphys or Beamish)

All right it hasn't all been rosey (but the positive far outweighs the negative)--
TOP TEN DISAPPOINTING THINGS ABOUT OUR YEAR IN IRELAND:
1. Expensive (Paris a bargain compared? Damn straight!)
2. Drivers (Aggressive and not good; still think they are on country lanes)
3. Bar Aesthetics (The one Cork Publican with any sense of style has the market sewn up with his several cool establishments)
4. Lack of variety in Food and Drink Options (French Bistro anyone?)
5. Barriers to opening a bar (Strong Publican lobby keeps the License Fees sky high but they have been falling)
6. Parochial Thinking (I guess no surprise here given the derivative of the word)
7. Law Enforcement (It's not the Garda, it's the politicians that have given them no power to go after RICO Investigations and Public Corruption--oh, I guess there isn't any...)
8. Politicians (Father, then son, then his son, then his son--in-breeding at its finest)
9. Gurriers (Cork Hooligan Punks who are more obnoxious than threatening with their bad haircuts and blond highlights)
10. Newspapers (Even though they thoughtfully published pictures of both my Dreadful Creatures, nothing like the Gray Old Lady)

Sweet Dreams...

Home to Cork from Holland on late night flight from Schiphol (best airport in Europe) and I feel like they look--first extended "non-work" trip without Dreadful Creatures was heavenly but I did miss the ugly runts a bit. Sixteen Days left in Ireland and not really counting. It's been a fantastic year highlighted by all the time the creatures have spent with their Irish Grandparents who will have both turned eighty this year. Packing this week, last visit to Dado in Kilkenny next week (I may slip off to Belfast a couple of those days), and our final week celebrating CW's moms 80th with all of the family. We leave Cork July 23 to Southhampton and then onto the Boat on the 24th! God willing, arrive our beloved Brooklyn July 30th. Goodnight and Good luck!

Hey, where's the phone?

No, that I can find...

Is CW seeing Rick Steves behind my back?

Obviously she went to that special packing course offered by the aforementioned pot-smoking Travel Guru from Edmonds. A couple of bags, a couple of bikes, great weather, raw herring with onions, etc, etc, etc..--a memorable trip around Amsterdam, Volendam and Marken!

Dutch Pop...

Now that's what I call a vending machine. As our days in Ireland dwindle to single digits, my wonderful in-laws are putting on a major charm offensive. Shortly after arriving home from our restful week in the country- and sea-sides, our children were taken from us by my sister-in-law Mary and her partner Kevin, and myself and CW were forced on a plane for a three day/two night trip to Amsterdam sans Dreadful Creatures.

Time for an upgrade...

After a number of noisy nights (I am not complaining) spent in rooms over pubs on our Irish tour, it was time for an upgrade. Our last night before heading home was in the Killarney Malton Hotel. The jumpy thing happened to be in their front yard and Older Dreadful Creature had a ball!

The Plassy has crashee..

In 1960 the freighter Plassy wrecked on Inisheer. Hopefully the viewing by Older Dreadful Creature will help her appreciate the QM2 a touch more...

And so does Daddy...

Watch it with the hook matey!

Yo ho ho and a bottle...

Younger Dreadful creature plays with pirates on the beach...

Spa Day for a six-year old...

Older Dreadful Creature enjoys a restorative seaweed bath on the beach in Ballybunion, County Kerry.

Ride 'Em Pony...

The two Dreadful Creatures tour the Island in a pony trap.

Rough seas and a visit to the Irish-speaking Aran Islands...

The previous day (one of the hottest of the year), we spent in the Aillwee Caves, 600 meters into the the Burren moutains. This day (rainy and windy) was spent on a ferry to the Island of Inisheer. All a bit green but no bags required!

A home in the country....

A few restful days at a beautiful cottage...