Rain - Desmond Castle

BlogPostSaturday8Aug09 – 7:30
Now it looks like Ireland – woke to rain – soft, gentle rain – just as I expected to be happening all the time and it just showed up after 5 days of glorious sunshine! It’s almost a relief to think that today I have permission to stay in and read and rest and not work so hard at DOING! There is a nice collection of books, CD’s and videotapes in my apartment I have barely begun to explore. Another delightful book I’ll recommend is “Irish Girls About Town” – a collection of short stories by Irish women writers that brought to me smiles and even occasional laughs. The pantry and fridge are now stocked and underneath the apartment is a Fishy Fish store and restaurant which I have yet to try. Across the street is the church and next to it a pub – bakery – internet café – everything one could need so close an umbrella is questionable.
Yesterday’s exploring involved a visit to the Desmond Castle – just 100 yards up the hill – a residence, customs house, jail, workhouse for the poor and now home of International Museum of Wine. Much of the wine connection is a matter of family and import/export connections with wineries in France and Spain rather than production of wines here – but the monks did, and I think still do, produce some wine here – necessary for eucharists, of course, and for “relief of distress” or words to that effect – just as we use wine!
Next I did a good bit of hiking looking for the pottery where classes are offered I learned about on the web before leaving home. Once up the hill with directions from the Visitors Center and querying locals walking who sent me to a restaurant in the opposite direction called the Ceramic Restaurant – which was relatively nearby, closed and not the place I was looking for. So, I made a loop back down the hill and around took a break sitting on a bench and decided to try again. So, back up the hill I went, followed the map a little better, still ended up asking directions from some delightful young men who assured me I was going in the right direction but it was much further than one would want to walk – offered me the taxi phone number, and I departed back down the hill to home. Next time I’ll start with a taxi!
Time for tea!