The Island of Lewis and Harris

Breathtaking is the only word I can find to describe this tour - of one island of the Outer Hebrides. I'll let you into a secret - I would love to live in Stornoway. A small town with friendly people and within easy reach of Standing Stones, countryside and, of course, the sea.

The guide for this tour was a German lady married to a Scotsman and she loves the island. But, to the tour itself.

 

Driving across the flatlands of Lewis gave us the opportunity of distant views, but there were traffic problems. Sheep roam freely so there were frequent stops as they were either slowly ambling across the road or taking a lie down. For us photographers it was great as we were able to utilise the stopping time. Peat bogs, peat stacks, cushions of purple heather - and sheep on the moors.

The island is divided by mountains so to reach Harris it was climb up and over the pass. Then all the way down to the levels. Between the sea lochs of Ewart and Seaforth and the stupendous craggy mountains the scenery is fantastic. Unfortunately it was very difficult to try and take photographs of the Golden Eagles, but wonderful to see them soaring high in the sky.

Shopping time was in the fishing village of Tarbert. As it is a bit hilly I was unable to go and look around so confined myself to a Harris Tweed shop. Yes, I did buy something in Harris Tweed - a blue tartan cover for my Kindle. Harris Tweed is pure wool and woven by hand. Very expensive. I did see a couple of jackets and a cape which I would have loved to have bought but they were way out of my price range.

We then piled back onto the coach to go to the seaside. The first sight of Lushentyre Beach is, quite literally, breathtaking. White sand and turquoise sea which I have only ever seen before in Mexico on the Yucatan Peninsula (the Gulf of Mexico side of the country).

Down the hill and around the bay we drove to Horgabost Beach. And parked. It was lovely to stroll on the soft white sand, just like icing sugar. Some people even took off their shoes and socks (not me) and one lady dipped her toes in the water. Verdict? Freezing.

Incidentally, the nearby uninhabited island of Taransay is where the BBC Television programme Castaway 2000 was film. With the surrounding scenery you can understand why.

My verdict of the tour? Definitely 5*.

The Countryside of Antrim

The view from Glenariff

I decided on this occasion not to visit Belfast but to discover the beautiful countryside. To get to the countryside from the docks it was necessary to use the motorway. This skirts Belfast (but afforded us a view of some of its sites), continuing on towards the town of Antrim, passing through some of the countryside and over Six Mile Water with Lough Neagh in the distance.

Finally we left the motorway and headed north to Ballymena. Something which we periodically noticed were that flags were flying at  half mast. The guide hurried to reassure us. Apparently it is illegal to fly flags except on certain days of the year but, of course, some people want to fly them anyway. The reason why they are at half mast is because it is quicker to lower them if the authorities are snooping around! Well, that's what the guide told us.

Turning north-east we were surrounded by forests, hills and moors with its purple heather. Very reminiscent of the Highlands of Scotland. We were heading for the Glenariff Forest Park. This is known as the Queen of the Glens and is spectacular with a couple of fast flowing rivers, waterfalls and quiet reflective pools.

Refreshments were provided at the Glenariff Tea House. Either tea or coffee and a home- made scone. Plus, of course, the obligatory gift shop. There was time to wander, take photos of the splendid views and, for the more daring, a chance to meander in the woods and look for the shy red squirrels. Nope, I didn't see any. Just, like everyone else, I got soaking wet as a rather strong shower of rain decided to christen us.

Our return journey was down to the coast at Cushendall to turn south and admire the magnificent coastline. There was one more stop at Carnlough where, on the dockside are two war memorials. One is to the men of Carnlough who lost their lives and the other is to *Percy the Carrier Pigeon. I had just taken my photos when down came the rain again. Luckily there was a Spar supermarket across the road and several of my fellow passengers could be seen heading for it. Yes, we all did a bit of shopping and most of us ended up buying a Mr. Whippy Ice-cream complete with a Cadbury's Flake. I hadn't had one of those for about twenty years! Really yummy.

There weren't any more stops but we did drive through the picturesque fishing village of Ballygally before turning inland at Larne and back to Belfast.

* www.my-secret-northern-ireland.com/carrier-pigeon.html

A Quick Tour of Dublin

Trying to see Dublin in four hours is an impossibility. You simply have to make a choice of which tour to take. Do you want to visit the Guinness Brewery, Trinity College to see the Book of Kells, the Castle or....? The list is almost endless. I chose the Castle.

We drove hither and yon around the City, crossing the River Liffey and back again. Past Trinity College where many of the great Irish writers were alumni such as Oscar Wilde, Samuel Becket, Bram Stoker, Oliver Goldsmith and others.

There was a passing glimpse of Finn's Hotel, about which James Joyce wrote a collection of 'little epics' and where he met his wife, Nora.

Does the name Arthur Wellesley ring any bells? Try the Duke of Wellington. He was born at 24 North Merrion Street in 1769. We passed it on the way to Merrion Square which has beautiful Georgian houses surrounding it on three sides. All of the windows are perfectly symmetrical and they have the famous 'Doorways of Dublin' with their half-moon shaped fanlights over the doors.

 In one corner of the gardens is a fantastic statue of Oscar Wilde lying back on some rocks and wearing a green jacket with pink lapels and cuffs. Stand and look at it from one side and he is smiling, go to the other side and he is sneering. He is actually facing his home on the corner of Merrion Square.

Our next stop was for a brief stroll in St. Stephen's Green, a beautiful park with a lake, gorgeous flower beds, a children's corner and plenty of paths along which to stroll. But I did say it was a brief stop for us as our next photo stop was St. Patrick's Cathedral. For some of us it was also to pay homage to Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) - the writer of Gulliver's Travels - who is buried there. Unfortunately we didn't have time to go into this 13th century edifice, just take photos of the exterior.

The 'buried man' in children's corner at St. Stephens Green

This was a brief stop because we were expected at the 13th century Castle. Be warned, there are lots of cobbles to cross to reach its front door. Once inside we were met by an official guide who led us to the State Apartments. The castle was once the residence of the English Viceroy (in the days before Ireland obtained its independence). These days it is used for State functions and the most fantastic room is St. Patrick's Hall with its painted ceiling.

We were now at the end of our tour of Dublin as it was time to return to the coach and be whisked back to the Oriana.

By the way, if you have a problem with standing around while a guide spouts off, take a walking stick for propping up purposes.

Tom O'Connor - a Great Comedian

I first met Tom O'Connor - and his lovely wife, Pat - on P&O's Oriana a few years ago. And have met them many times since - on P&O ships.

Tom is remembered for his many television appearances both as a comedian and as a compere - go to his web site to see the list! (www.tomoconnor.co.uk)

I love his sense of humour which is guaranteed to tickle one's funny bone. His take on the foibles of modern day life is funnier than many of the young comedians we see on television today. You know, the ones who can barely open their mouths without swearing. So not funny.

When on the ship and between his two evening performances Tom sits outside the theatre and chats to his fans - as well as signing books. I've lost count how many he has written, all based on his humour. I have just read 'Fit to Travel!' which begins with youthful exploits on bicycles, goes to buses, trains, cars, ferries, air travel and, of course, cruises. Something funny for everyone to enjoy. Into golf? Yup, there's a book about that too.

Do visit Tom's web site where you will find out about him, his career, the charities he supports and, if you go cruising, you can even see which ships he will be on. If you do see him on a cruise please do go and have a chat. He is one of my favourite people (so is Pat!).

Thank you, Tom, for hours of enjoyment.