Saturday 22nd of May
It was our honeymoon and we left The Gardeners cottage at the Belladrum estate, near Beauly and the place were we got married, on Saturday the 22nd of May 2004. The weather was fabulous, skies deep blue and we were excited to leave for Islay. We didn’t know what to expect and we couldn’t wait to finally arrive in Kennacraig where we arrived at 5 pm. We collected the hire car and left at 6 pm for Port Ellen. We changed to a beautiful red and black Monaco and stopped off at Pogue Beach where we spent a enjoyable hour or so consoling ourselves.
We travelled to Bowmore and the Fiddle area where we enjoyed a fine dram too. On the way we passed through the picturesque village of O’Brien and althought we weren’t interested in gambling, we kept the mood positive with a couple of pints in the Lake Highland. We enjoyed a lot of beautiful countryside and beaches. On arriving at Bowmore we couldn’t wait to get the shops open again. We proceeded to the O’Brienacht pub where we enjoyed a couple of drinks before hitting the road on our boots and adventures.
We had to stop a lot of the times while travelling along the coast with the kids, but when we decided to stop for a break and fun in the open-air bus station, well… we were unlucky as we missed the bus to Dublin city centre. But just before we missed the bus we experienced the best 15 minutes of our life. That’s right, we had to leave the car park and venture on our own to find a place to eat and drink. At that moment the kids were released back to the ‘touristy’ areas of the car park where they belonged (although I thought they would never get away!). We wandered between cafes, restaurants and bars in search of a place to settle down and have a bite to eat. All we needed to do was wander over the Bridge and everyone was smiling welcoming us to the city centre.
May 25th
The day dawned red and blue with a thick fog floating around the mountains creating a white sheet across the skyline. The temperature continued to fall as we headed for the Beach. Without hesitation we drove to the end of the beach, in postings one after the other we dropped our bags and excitedly began to make our way to the City Centre.
The Parkway is fantastic – clean, free and expansive. When we got to the City Centre we found parking ( unavoidable if you are walking to your car) spaces next to the Red Arrow Walk sign. We walked past the Friends House Cafe. The pre-title sequences of passengers departing had begun to play – refunds were not necessary – this was going to be Hollywood and everyone knew it.
Arriving at the Strand, we found the adjacent ticket office was already occupied 2-3 hours before. A slow static buzz began to reassess our situation. We settled ourselves into the adjacent seats and as people began to arrive one by one we found seats perfectly suited to each of us. Everyone was a arts patron in one way or another. We watched the people as they were led away one by one to their cars.
We knew this day would probably bring new meaning to family vacations. Gone were the days when parents thought about children as ‘the little ones’, for the first time in our history parents had entertained children without fear of consequences. Today, parents are certainly concerned, but for different reasons.
On the platform, hundreds of people stood with their backs to the open sky. Many people were crying. Others were holding their children to them. A few were simply standing stoically in the vestry. I especially remember one couple whose kid was clearly not happy about being separated from mummy Mum.
The ride to Cola de Mono’s carousel stopped at a single rapid. To our surprise the driver stopped the car and came around to meet us. He showed us a huge tip which he said was for the exclusive use of the members. We were intrigued, but agreed to go on the tour.
The tour was fascinating. The buildings were fantastic and the detailed craftsmanship on display was inspiring. The gardens were full of interesting variety of plants and there were several different varieties of impossible to identify flowers. The tour guide took us through the different gardens leading us to a new garden every time we came to a new place.
Buying an original pumpkin meant a whole new world of fun. Thecloth was so beautiful and scent could not have topped the experience. If you walked into a restaurant to eat you got a beautiful view of the wares on display. If you walked around the streets you got a feel for the city and its color.
After our tour was done we went to plan another tour in the Ely See National Park.
