Dympna's Birthday Party, 22 June 2008

Launching the Boat, 21 June 2008

Cong, 15 June 2008

On Sunday Marian and I drove north to Cong, a small village just across the border in Mayo.

Cong

Cong's claim to fame is that the 1953 John Ford film "The Quiet Man", starring John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara, was filmed there:

The Quiet Man still supports a museum, guided tours and souvenir shops in the village, but the area is very picturesque and is a great spot for walks. The ruins of a monastery built in 1120 are situated in the village. The monastery continued as a site of worship and learning until it was suppressed in the reign of King Henry VIII.

Cong is situated on a narrow isthmus between Lough Mask and Lough Corrib, and the cavernous limestone countryside supports clear, spring-fed waters and underground rivers that flow between the two lakes. Fishing has been a popular activity here for centuries, evidenced by the fishing house built by the monks over the river beside the monastery.

Fishing House Over the River

The grounds of nearby Ashford Castle contain many walking tracks, through forest and beside the shores of Lough Corrib.

Marian on top of a Viewing Tower (which is about 20 m high - those are tree-tops)

Ashford Castle Front Lawn

Ashford Castle Ashford Castle from Lough Corrib

Edinburgh, 1 June 2008

Marian and I took a half day off on Friday 30 May and drove down to Shannon Airport, where we hopped on the Ryan Air flight to Prestwick (south of Glasgow). A train took us into Glasgow where we had a short walk across town to the other train station to board another train to Edinburgh, where Brad and Sue met us at the station.

We woke the following morning to a brilliantly sunny day. We spent the morning having a look around Her Majesty's Yacht Britannia, which is now permanently docked at Edinburgh next to the Ocean Terminal shopping Mall.

The Queen and Prince Philip chose the furniture and fittings and the rooms looked homely and comfortable rather than opulent or extravagant. The tour was well worth it.

HM Royal Yacht Britannia Rum Barrel
Me on the Rear Deck where the Royals Hung Out and Played Quoits

Marian in the Officers' Mess

Me in the not so salubrious Royal Marines' Bar

The Dining Room (lots of souvenirs on the wall)
The Drawing Room (note card tables)

Just what I need. In the Laundry

After lunch we took the bus into town and walked up Calton Hill which overlooks the New Town and offers fine views of the city and the Firth of Forth. At the top is the partially completed National Monument which is modelled on the Parthenon.

View of the New Town from Calton Hill

A Wedding Party enjoying the View from Calton Hill

National Monument, Calton Hill

Looking towards the Old Town and Castle from Calton Hill View of the Castle from Calton Hill

Looking down onto Scottish Parliament (on Right ) from Salisbury Crags

View of the Castle from Princes Gardens

That evening, after a pub meal in town, we did a ghost tour of the Old Town, including some underground vaults which supposedly housed assorted ghosts and spooky type entities. We didn't see any unfortunately, despite Brad brazenly stepping inside a cursed stone circle.

Marian Strolling Down Royal Mile

Ghost Tour Guide in a Dark Vault under the Old Town

The following morning we headed to Murrayfield for the International Sevens Tournament. The weather was freezing, a complete contrast to the previous day. Nevertheless, we had a good time, especially as New Zealand won.