For blogging purposes western Europe excludes the UK, not out of arrogant Brexit-y exceptionalism, but because we have travelled enough on home turf to fill three pages like this one.
This post contains links to all and descriptions of most of our travels in Portugal, Iceland, Spain and Ireland. France, Belgium and Germany also appear from earlier journeys.
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| The south coast of the Dingle Peninsula, County Kerry,Ireland |
Our travelling in the 70s, 80s and 90s was mostly in western Europe. Summer holidays meant throwing a tent in the back of the car and heading off from Calais or Boulogne in whatever direction took our fancy. We drove as far south as Evora in Portugal and Naples in Italy, and as far east as Budapest and Prague (eastern Europe, perhaps, but we had to drive through a lot of the west to get there.)
More recently we have journeyed further afield, with a thought that we might return to Europe when increasing age demands easier travelling. This blog started in 2010, since when Western Europe has often meant just our annual trip to Portugal, with the odd foray into Spain. We have also visited Ireland twice, making up for the decades of neglect when holidays always started in France. When Covid arrived we went nowhere for a year, then in mid-2021 the vaccine allowed the government to produce a Green List of countries that could be visited without quarantine, so we went to Iceland topped the list. Now things are easier, we have returned to Portugal, most recently visiting Madeira.
Starting, then, with the most recent posts first, we begin in Portugal – which also provides some of the oldest posts.
Portugal
Madeira
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17/04/2023 |
The location of Madeira. The discovery of Madeira. João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira. The Ilhas Desertas. Funchal. Cristiano Ronaldo. Madeira Airport. The Lido district. Cruise Ships. | |
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18/04/2023 |
Bolo do Caco, limpets. Funchal Cathedral. Baden-Powell statue. 3D Fun Art. Blandy’s Wine Lodge, Madeira wine, history, grape varieties & production methods. The pleasures of Verdelho. Non-fortified Madeira wines. | |
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19/04/2023 |
Walking from Lido district to central Funchal. Reid's Hotel, Jacarandas. Farmers Market, tropical fruit, Black Scabbard fish and tuna. Monte Palace Cable Car. The Monte Palace Gardens. Madeira toboggan | |
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20/04/2023 |
Madeira airport, Machico. Caniçal. Ponta de São Lourenço. Porto da Cruz, Engenhos do Norte, steam powered rum distillery, Eagle Rock (Penha da Águia). Faial. Santana, Thatched Houses, church. A short levada walk. Pico de Arieiro. | |
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21/04/2023 |
Miradouro of Pico dos Barcelos, overlooking Santo António and the church where Cristiano Ronaldo took his first communion. Andorinha, Maritimo and Nacional Football Clubs. Miradouro Eira do Serrado and the Nuns Valley. Barbeito Madeira wine. Câmara de Lobos and its harbour where Winston Churchill spent time painting. | |
|
23/04/2023 |
Madeira Introduction. Jacarandas in flower. The Atelier de Vicente photographic museum. Photographic equipment and a collection of photographs. Madeira Botanical gardens, many photos of plants captioned with common and scientific names. | |
|
25/04/2023 |
Coral beer. Limpets. Bola do caco. Poncha. Black scabbardfish, tuna with maize, salt cod, seafood rice, squid, octopus, wrasse. Steak espedata, ‘wine, meat, garlic.’ Pineapple, pudim flan. Madeira and DOP Madeirense |
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| The Lido district of Funchal |
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| Narrow streets, central Funchal |
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| Japanese Garden, Monte Palace Gardens |
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| Faial and the Penha de Águia |
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| Câmara de Lobos |
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| Atelier Vicente, Funchal |
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| A lunchtime dose of limpets |
Algarve
|
06/10/2010 |
An assessment of the changes in the Algarve over 25 years of visiting. When I get round to it, I will update this post to unclude another decade or more | |
|
08/10/2013 |
Lynne and Ricky finding each other through genealogical research. John Lott (1799-1872) of Merthyr and his descendants. Meeting Ricky and Zeca at their home in Mexilhoeira Grande. Lunch of carapau & octopus, chicken and piri-piri, Their harvest of olives and, carobs. Zeca’s vineyard and winery. | |
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19/10/2013 |
The Algarve’s west coast from south to north. Cape St Vincent, Sagres and its Fortaleza, Vila do Bispo, wind farms. Bordeira, village and beach. Surfing. Aljezur & its castle. Odeceixe and its praia. Zambujeira do Mar | |
|
17/10/2014 |
River Bensafrim. Avenida dos Descobrimentos. Praca de la Republica, Henry the Navigator, slave market. Main street, coffee, Praça Gil Eanes, O Desejado (the Desired One), Lagos Regional Museum, Santo Antonio. Ponta Piedade | |
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08/10/2015 |
Guadiana Bridge Portugal-Spain. Salt pans. Castro Marim, Castle, views from battlement, inner Castle and local history. Fortress of São Sebastião. Vila Real de Santo Antonio, 18th century planned town on a pattern. Marquis de Pombal. The Marina, Political Posters. | |
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11/10/2016 |
Carvoeiro, painted electricity junction boxes - local architecture, chimneys, views, fauna & characters, site specific pictures, virgin mother & stork | |
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Mertola and Alcoutim: Strongholds by the Guadiana River - Also under Alentejo |
29/082017 |
Faro to Mertola, Alcoutim (in the Algarve) Menires do Lavajo, Alcoutim, Castle Church and town. Mertola (Alentejo) Castle & environs, Church once a mosque. City wall and Roman waterfront. |
|
02/10//2018 |
Silves Castle, Building and History, Sancho I and the Reconquista. Cisterna grande. Cathedral, Manueline doors, Dom Fernando Coutinho. Archeological Museum, Carved monoliths, Almohad Step Well | |
|
18/10/2022 |
DOC and the designated Algarve wine regions. Cliff Richard and Vida Nova, Lagoa DOC, Vinho Regional Algarve, Porches, Villa Alvor, Herdade Barranco do Vale, Monte de Ria, Odelouca, Foral, João Clara. General assessment. | |
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23/10/2023 |
Presunto, Sardine paté, cheese, dourada, robalo, sardines, swordfish, squid, octopus, eel stew, salt cod, arroz de marisco, clams, cataplana, chicken pir-piri, desserts, pudim flan, Dom Rodrigo |
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| Zeca, Ricky and dogs |
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| North from Cape St Vincent |
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| Restaurants line the main street, Lagos |
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| Bridge connecting Spain and Portugal |
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| Local architecture with cat: Carvoeiro |
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| Alcoutim |
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| The massive castle walls, Silves |
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| Lynne and a langoustine, Carvoeiro |
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| Monte da Ria, Algarve rosé |
Alentejo
|
29/09/2016 |
Faro to Evora. Praca de Geraldo. Santo Antão,
Aquaduto da Prata. Temple of Diana, Cathedral, Igreja de Graca. Church of S
Francisco and its bone chapel. Menhir and cromlech of Almendres Cromlech. | |
Mértola and Alcoutim: Strongholds by the Guadiana River (also under Algarve) |
29/09/2017 |
Faro to Mertola, Alcoutim
(in the Algarve) Menires do Lavajo, Alcoutim, Castle Church and town. Mertola,
Castle & environs, Church once a mosque. City wall and Roman waterfront. |
|
27/09/2018 |
Pousada Convento, Commemorating WW1, Roman Beja, Visigothic and Medieval Beja. Castle, lunch by the pillory. Moorish &
Jewish Quarters, Beja Regional Museum, Dining at the Pousada and elsewhere. | |
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28/09/2022 |
Castro Verde, Casa Dona Maria, Ermida de São
Pedro das Cabeça, Battle of Ourique, consequences, mythology and monuments.
São Marcos da Atabeira. Entradas and its Countryside Museum. Castro Verde
Church of Nossa Senhora dos Remédios and the Basilica | |
|
29/09/2022 |
Castro Verde: Lamp Museum, Windmill. Ourique: the Miradouro, Castle, Statue of Afonso I, Parish Church. Castro da Cola, The Necropole
de Atalaia, Dinner at the Villa Italia Castro Verde | |
|
28/09/2023 |
City of Serpa from outside to centre. Rural surroundings. Municipal market and Serpa Cheese. Correia de Serra & his eponymous garden. The aqueduct. The city walls. Camara Municipal. Clock and watch museum. Sta Maria. The Castle with its fallen tower and Roman remains. | |
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15/10/2023 |
Lamb. Rabbit. wild boar. Porco Preto, the cuts. Migas with tomato or asparagus. Pork cheeks in red wine, Carne de porco Alentejano. Bacalhau. 'Cataplana Alentejano'. Nisa and Serpa cheeses. DOC Alentejo and VR Alentejano wines. Borba, Reguengos and Vidiguera. |
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| Roman Temple, Évora |
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| Mértola Castle from the road by the river |
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| Pousada Convento, Beja |
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| Casa Dona Maria, Castro Verde |
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| Castro Verde windmill |
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| Queijo de Serpa |
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| Cataplana Alentejano, Evora |
Lisbon
|
07/12/2011 (updated April 2020) |
Kochi in Kerala and the Church of St Francis. The Grave of Vasco da Gama. Lisbon, the Torre de Belem, Jeronimos Monastery and another Grave of Vasco da Gama. The explanation. |
Portugal is also labelled in
|
11/11/2018 |
Commemorating the end of the First World War, mainly around two names from the local war memorial. Portugal receives a mention and there is a picture of memorial in
São Brás de Alportel in the Algarve. Portugal was first involved in the war
through its African colonies but later sent 50,000 troops to the western front. | |
|
26/06/2017 |
In which I assess the pleasures of the table, both eating and drinking, in 10 countries
across 3 continents. Portugal scores well for both. Also
considered are China, France, India, Iran, Mongolia, Morocco, North
Macedonia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. | |
|
23/11/2014 |
November is my 12th favourite month. Here are some places where we have experienced rather better November weather. | |
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Churches that Tell Stories in Russia, India, Vietnam, Portugal and the UK |
05/05/2012 |
Portugal’s contribution is the Igreja Matriz in Estômbar, Algarve. In 1755 an earthquake and tsunami destroyed 85% of Lisbon's buildings, killing a
quarter of its population, and inundating the Algarve. Estômbar’s church was destroyed except for
Manueline doorway. A new church was built around the doorway in the late 18th century. |
|
02/10/2011 |
Changing weather patterns. Staffordshire: Snow in November; hoar frost, Cannock Chase, December;
warm sunshine, Peak district in March, Stone in April. October eating
alfresco in Staffs & Portugal | |
|
14/02/2023 |
A collection of largely plinth-free statues from three continents. In this less deferential age it is good not to be looking up to people all the time. Portugal’s
contribution is The Market Trader sitting outside the market in Loulé in the Algarve |
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| Memorial plaque, Sao Bras |
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| Drinking beer in Portugal |
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| Praia de Odeceixe, November 2008 |
Iceland
I always liked the idea of visiting Iceland, but never the climate. As Covid started to make a hesitant retreat Iceland appeared on the
governments first, very short, Green List of countries we could visit without
lengthy quarantines in- or outward bound.
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| Iceland |
|
10/08/2021 |
Why visit Iceland? Reykjanes Peninsula. Parking in Reykjavik. Beer, Brennivin (the national drink) and not eating puffins. Fish & chips for dinner. A cashless society | |
|
11/082021 |
Route 1, Leaving Reykjavik. South Iceland: Hveragerði, Selfoss, Hella, Dyrhólaey almost island, Puffins. Mýrdalsjökull glacier Reynisfjara beach, Hálsanefshellir Cave. On to Klaustur and an hotel that was not expecting us. | |
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A Calving Glacier, a Basalt Pavement and an Otherworldly Canyon |
12/08/2021 |
Jökulsárlón via Vatnajökull. Calving icebergs and short river. Klaustur, Fire Church & the Fire Priest. Kirkjugólf ('Church Floor') basalt pavement. Stjórnarfoss waterfall, Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon. Magma Hotel and Arctic Char |
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13/08/2021 |
Vik, the Katla eruption and the church as refuge. Skógafoss waterfall. Icelandic meat soup. Skógar, Museum, lunch boxes, whale vertebrae, Barbary pirate raids, open air museum. Holt Farmhouse.Þórður Tómasson | |
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14/08/2021 |
Gullfoss, an awesome waterfall. Geysir and Strokkur, Geysir & Yellowstone. Þingvellir, the lake, rift vlley between Europe and America. The Alþing and the Law Rock. The church and the PM’s house. Borgarnes, Egils Saga, Englendingavik Restaurant and confit duck leg. | |
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The Snæfellsnes Peninsula: Whale Watching and Fermented Shark |
15/08/2021 |
Snæfellnes, Baulárvallavatn, lava fields and basalt pavement. Stykkishólmur, the harbour and the Norwegian Hse. Bjarnarhöfn and The Shark Musuem. Eating Hakarl, Fermented Greenland shark. Kirkjufell and Iceland’s most photographed mountain. Olafsvik, whale watching and having a miserable time. |
|
16/08/2021 |
Skyr, an Iceland speciality. To Reykjavik for Covid Testing. Grindavik. Papa’s Restaurant, the Salt Fish Museum and Barbary Slavers. The Blue Lagoon, silica, water temp, showers drinking prosecco in the pool. | |
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17/08/2021 |
The Arbær Building Museum. The problem of building material, prefabricated buildings. Catholic church, Arbær farm, sheepshed, domwetic buildings.,Skólavörðustigurm and Hallgrimskirkja, Church of Iceland, the statue of Leif Ericsson, Sun Voyager, Dinner and remarkable battered cod. Eating in Iceland generally. Epilogue. |
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| A central Reykjavik Street |
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| Mýrdalsjökull |
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| Icebergs on the River Jökulsárl |
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| Holt Farmhouse, Skógar Museum |
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| Gulfoss |
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| Þingvallatan |
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| Lynne eats hakarl, Bjarnarhöfn |
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| Grindavik harbour - a hive of activity |
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| Hallgrímskirkja |
Spain
 |
Barcelona
(March 2021 and 2008)
A 2008 city break in Barcelona, written up 13 years after the event as a Covid lockdown project.
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| Catalonia |
|
03/02/2021 |
Barcelona
Cathedral, St Eulalia & her Geese, La Rambla, Boqueria market, Christophe
Columbus, Maritime Museum, Barceloneta beach. Set lunch, paella, sole, | |
|
09/02/2021 |
Barri Gótic.
Plaça de Sant Jaume Narrow alleys of the old city. Sinagoga Major. Roman
Tombs, Placa del Rei, King Martin’s Watchtower and Roman Barcino. Picasso
museum and Las Meninas. Parc de la Ciutadella and Arc de Triomf | |
|
28/02/2021 |
L'Eixample,
Sagrada Familia as it was in 2008. Interior, Sagrada Familia as it will be. A view from a tower. Gaudi’s house. Casa-Museu, Parc Güell. A goat dinner. Palau de la Música Catalana, Cases Cabot, Casa Calvet and Casa Battló |
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| La Boqueria |
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| Roman graves, Plaça de la Vila de Madrid |
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| Window, Gaudi's Casa Batlló |
Iberian Pork Experience (Sept 2019)
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| Andalusia |
|
24/09/2019 |
From Faro in the
Algarve to Alájar in Andalusia’s Sierra Aracena. Posada de S Marcos. Sherry
and ham tasting; fino, manzanilla, aged manzanilla, the Iberian Black pig:
lomo, morcón, and jamon Iberico, carving the ham on the jamonero. Pork cheeks
and chocolate, | |
|
25/09/2019 |
Andalusian breakfast. Walk to see the Iberian Black Pigs, dehesa, holm oaks & cork
oaks and their acorns. Acorns. Aracena Ham Musuem, Production methods,
regional and quality appellations. Aracena walk, grutas maravillas, the old public
laundry. Tapas lunch. Afternoon in Alájar. | |
|
26/09/2019 |
Juan Carlos Navarro Fernandez, Secadero de Jamones. Curing hams, buying ham, lomo and morcilla. To
Jamones Vazquez in Aracena to buy pork for dinner. Thoughts about the most
expensive hams. Lunch at la Parra, the village bar in Alájar. Cooking dinner,
Gazpacho and sauces for the pork. |
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| Alájar in the Sierra de Aracena |
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| A magnificent Iberian black sow |
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| Wall of ham, Jamones Vazquez, Aracena |
Spain is also labelled in
|
A Collection of Arcs de Triomphe (none of them in Paris) Part 1: Pre 1900 |
19/08/2020 |
The Spanish contribution to this collection is the Arc de Triomf in Barcelona, built for the 1888 Barcelona world Fair. |
Ireland
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The West of Ireland (2016)
|
25/07/2016 |
Shannon Airport.
Coffee at Gort. On to Galway, Eyre Square, Lynch's Castle, Lynch's Window, St
Nicholas, Sheridans, River Corrib, Latin Quarter. Dinner at Murty Rabbitt's | |
|
26/07/2016 |
Aughnanure Castle.
Oughterard. Lough Corrib. Leenan. Killary Harbour, Ireland’s only fjord. Clifden,
Marconi and the Alcock & Brown Memorial. Rosmuc and Patrick Pearse's
Cottage. |
|
|
26/07/2016 |
Enda McEvoy.
7-Course taster menu. Mackerel, beetroot & fennel, Monkfish liver &
onion, Sirloin, coolea & mushroom, Carrot hazelnut & whey, Lamb,
turnip & pea, Pear & elderflower, Strawberry and Juniper. The problem
of the homeless. |
|
|
27/07/2016 & 28/07/2016 |
To Athenry, The
Fields of Athenry. Athenry Castle and Priory. Kinvarra. Newtown Castle. The
Burren a huge limestone pavement with Poulnabrone Dolmen and Catherconnel.
Ennis, sculpture Trail and dinner. Ennis Friary |
|
|
28/07/2016 |
Adare, the Dunraven
Estate and Desmond Castle. The Desmond Rebellions. Listowel Castle and Literary
connections. John B Keane. Dinner in Tralee |
|
|
29/07/2016 |
Conor Pass and
Pedlar's Lake. Descend to Dingle, Maurice O’Sullivan, Slea Head Drive, Ventry,
Clochans, Dunquin, Great Blasket visitor centre Ballyferriter. The Gallarus
Oratory |
|
|
30/07/2016 |
Killarney, Cathedral
& a Heron. The Ring of Kerry: Ross Castle, Jaunting cars & Jarvies,
Muckross Abbey, Ladies View, Moll's Gap, Kenmare, Stone Circle, William Petty. |
|
|
31/07/2016 |
Ardfert Cathedral
& Franciscan Monastery, Ballyheigue, Foynes, Flying-boat Musuem and the
birth of transatlantic air travel. Limerick, some history and King John's
Castle. Richard Harris as King Arthur. Meeting a Guard |
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| Lynch's Window, Galway |
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| Lough Corrib |
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| Poulnabrone Dolmen, The Burren |
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| Thatched Cottages, Adare |
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| Main Street, Dingle |
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| Heron, River Deenagh, Killarney |
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| Richard Harris as King Arthur, Limerick |
Dublin (2014)
|
23/06/2014 |
Riding the
airport bus. A short walk: Parnell Monument, Moore St Market, Henry St and
Spire of Dublin. Down O’Connell St past the Post Office of ‘Easter Rising’
fame. O'Connell Bridge & Statue. O’Connell St statues including Fr
Matthew, apostle of temperance. Detour to pub. Dinner at Madigan’s.
Observations on Irish pubs and Guinness in Ireland. |
|
|
24/06/2014 |
Trinity College,
Books of Kells, Armagh and Dimma. Long Room of the Old Library, Brian Boru
harp. Molly Malone, Merrion Sq, Oscar Wilde, Father Ted, WB Yeats. Kildare
St, parliament and Bram Stoker. Lunch in Temple Bar. Dublin Castle, the
medieval and the (relatively) modern. Christ Church Cathedral. The Ha'penny
Bridge. |
|
|
25/06/2014 |
James Joyce
Statue. The Famine Memorial and the Jeanie Johnstone. City wall. Guinness
Storehouse, 9000-year lease, Water from the Wicklow Mountains, William Gosset
and the Student's t-test, Guinness advertising, a pint in the Gravity Bar. A
long, wet walk beside the Liffey. |
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| Fr Matthew, Apostle of Temperance |
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| The Ha'penny Bridge, Dublin |
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| I'm in the poster! Guinness Storehouse, Dublin |
Ireland is also labelled in
|
14/02/2023 |
A collection of largely plinth-free statues from three continents. In this less deferential
age it is good not to be looking up to people all the time. Ireland’s
contributions are the Famine Memorial and the statues of James Joyce and Oscar Wilde in Dublin, and the double statue of Oscar Wilde and Edvard in Vild in Galway. |
France
 |
France
is labelled in
A
Collection of Arches de Triomphe (none of them in Paris) Part 1: Pre 1900
(2020)
The 11th Hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month, 1918-2018 (also labelled Portugal, Belgium)
A
Fine Drinking Man’s Country? (2017)
The
Somme: One Hundred Years Ago Today (2016)
|
27/01/2016 |
A collection of scenic bridges connecting people together.
The French representatives are the Pont d'Avignon and the Pont de Zaglia, a
medieval Genoese bridge over a Corsican stream. The other bridges are in
Germany (see below), Armenia (see Former USSR) and the USA. |
|
|
05/10/2012 |
The French contribution is the 28th (Welsh Division) Memorial, Mametz Wood on the Somme Battlefield |
|
|
29/02/2012 |
Three excellent lunches. The French contribution is Spiny
Lobster in Cargèse, Corsica. There is also a Vegetarian Thali in Thanjavur,
Tamil Nadu, India and lunch at the single table ‘Cleopatra’s Restaurant’ in
Bawiti, Bahariya Oasis, Egypt’s Western Desert. |
Belgium
Belgium is labelled in
Ypres, Tyne Cot and the Menin Gate
The Eleventh Hour
of the Eleventh Day of the Eleventh Month(2018) (also labelled, Portugal)
Germany
 |
Germany is labelled in
|
27/01/2016 |
A collection of scenic bridges connecting people together.
The German representative a bridge over the River Saar, with vineyards and a
barge. The other bridges are in France (see above), Armenia (see Former USSR)
and the USA. |
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