Family

Yesterday I got back from a week-long, whirlwind vacation in Ireland. A friend from college and I flew into Dublin, she from California and I from Paris, and took a tour that circled the island. Usually I travel independently, and have only taken a few tours in my life. You never know how these things will be in advance and I wondered what our travel group would be like. It turns out that our group of 36 was made up of people with a wide range of ages and compatible personalities. There were lots of hugs and e-mail address exchanges going on on the last night.

Everywhere I went, I saw people who looked like they could be my cousins or uncles. Which isn't surprising, considering I'm about 75% Irish. By the end of the week, I wanted to refer to myself as "meself" and stop pronouncing the "h" in "thanks" or "thirty." I made a new friend named Paddy, who asked why it took me so long to return after my first trip 20-odd years ago. I don't have a good answer for that, I said.

Top left corner, clockwise: Celtic cross in Glendalough, thatched cottage, donkey, Giant's Causeway, Glendalough, Cliffs of Moher, phone booth in Bunratty, street in Cobh. Center: boys in Cobh. 

The flight over took 90 minutes, but coming back it was only 70 because of the tail winds. We were lucky with the weather and had clear skies and sunshine. Monday morning in Dublin was sunny with blue skies, but an hour after my flight took off I landed in an overcast Paris. Today, it even rained. It seems France and Ireland swapped weather patterns. What's up with that?

So I left the land of smiling people who go out of their way to help you and say things like "tat's lovely, tanks," and arrived in the land where you have to stand one inch behind the person in front of you to prevent people from cutting in line. Where, when a cashier smiles and makes eye contact with you, it's something to marvel at the rest of the day instead of being the norm. Oh well. I do like the French. They're just not family.

Comments

[Jenny N]

I am so glad you are back with such sweet reflections on Ireland. I am nosy and would love to see and know more but the collage is postcard pretty and "is that you I spy?" with the donkey? Ah, we didn't get to see much of the Irish countryside last August but we did see Glendalough and found it to be so lovely AND we also loved the Irish hospitaliy and liveliness. So true. I am gearing up to finish my post about our last Irish day (yeah, way back in August '09) and you and watching Leap Year (cute fun movie by the way) last night has me ready to retell about the Irish experience. Thank you for stopping my blog too and leaving a word.

[anne]

Well I did a comment last night.... :-( it has disappeared :-(

[Jennifer K]

Hi Anne, I don't know what happened...I did see a comment from you on my last post, named Friday, but not this one. Sorry, thanks for trying!

[Jennifer K]

Hi Jenny N, the lady with the donkey isn't me, it's an Irish woman. I do have reddish hair and blue eyes, but my hair isn't THAT red. I'll be posting more on my trip if I can get my act together :-))
I feel funny posting my picture on my blog for privacy reasons. I might do it someday though, after I lose 20 lbs. I'm extremely vain :-))
Are you on Facebook, by chance?

[anne]

Hi Jennifer , I am really pleased you had lots of fun! I think the lady in the photo has dyed her hair... yours is not like that at all :-)

If you are about 75% Irish what is the rest of you :-) ... I have an Irish mother.. I was born in Northern Ireland... and my Dad was Maltese!

[Jennifer K]

Hi Anne, Maltese? That's so exotic! I have nothing exotic except maybe a little American Indian background. I'm 75% Irish and the rest is mostly English; my mom was half Irish and half English. We went to Northern Ireland on this tour, we spent the night in Derry and part of the day in Belfast. I had been to Belfast before but not Derry. We also went to Giant's Causeway in No. Ireland.

[Jenny N]

You know I am sorry, if it appeared too intrusive to ask about you in the photo. I know I completely dislike seeing myself in photos (as I need to lose at least 30lbs.) and with my Lupus mainly affecting my skin, my face is very blotchy and more bloted looking than used to be. I don't want to carve myself out of my family photo memories though entirely because I feel it isn't right and it gets a bit sad to look at us all doing things together and it appears as if I am not there. So I force myself to get into the act every now and then...yeah, it is vanity on my part too. So I totally understand but just am curious to put a face to a name. and yes I am on facebook, but I don't check it very frequently: Jennifer Barrientes Neumann, if that helps? Glad to hear there will a bit more of your trip...whenever you can, of course.

[Jennifer K]

Hi Jenny N, you don't have to apologize at all! I understand and I really like to put faces to names too. I'm probably being paranoid about my pic on my blog. I do have a photo of myself on my Facebook page so that's why I asked if you're on FB. I just looked for you but there are lots of Jennifers with your last name...I'll keep looking for you there :-))

[barbara]

Hi Jennifer,
It's nice to visit your blog and see what's up on your side This is Barbara from FB :)

Wow! I still haven't written Ireland off as a destination. You know that I had to cancel my trip in April. But, I'am determined to return. Your post confirms that Ireland is a special place on earth.

Have a great day .

[Jennifer K]

Hi Barbara, thank you for reading. I hope that you do get the chance to return to Ireland sometime. I don't know if you'd like to do a guided tour, but if you would be interested in that, I can recommend CIE Tours. They were fantastic.

[~*~saskia~*~]

Looks like having a great time, lovely pictures Jennifer! Your blog is just lovely! xx

[Jennifer K]

Dear Saskia, thank you so much! I needed that today.