Think Torontonians go a bit nuts when summer finally settles in? Nothing compared to Dublin, where the arrival of usual warmth (about 27C) and a cloudless blue sky and sunshine is as rare as a field of four-leaf clovers. So Dubliners are taking full advantage. Cafes are jammed, the pedestrian shopping areas like Henry St. are busy and pubs with "yards" are doing a brisk business. Along Henry St., strawberry sellers entice shoppers by hollering "straaaaw-burries!" The ripe berries are sold from folded-down vintage prams. Clever. The early part of the day was for indoor pursuits, including the Book of Kells at Trinity College. The books were inspiring (ah, for the good old days when being a scribe was considered an honourable craft instead of a akin to being a ticket-taker at the Haunted Mansion or ... read more

We're in Inis Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands, all 14K of it. We've been so lucky with the weather, our guide Emily told me last night "you should sell your blood, you're that lucky." We spend 7 hours hiking yesterday, some it a tough slog over rock fields. It's a beautifully barren place - a limestone island where there was so little soil, the early settlers had to break up the stone fields and "create" soil with kelp and sand - backbreaking work. Once the small patches of field were cleared, the farmers built dry stone walls with what they took out and they create a patchwork around the place. It's wild and untamed and very primative here and the people, who still speak mainly Irish, are lovely. The rock cliffs take your breath ... read more

After yesterday's very challenging Croagh Patrick climb, Emily took Matteo, Adrianna and I on a less-strenuous trek up a smaller mountain with a path to a shrine to St. Patrick overlooking a hidden mountain-top lake at Maum. The wind was ferocious and it was very cold - it was so wild and completely apart from the world. Ringed by mountains with a green valley below us, it was breathtaking - or maybe that was the wind. We sat for a while on some rocks by the lake and just listened to the water lapping at the shore before heading down the mountain path. Emily trekked back to the van to come around the mountain to meet us. As we came into the valley, the rain came down in sheets - we watched it move across the ... read more

Greetings from Ireland with apologies for not blogging before now. It's hard - and 'spensive - to find internet access. But here I am. It's been busy and wonderful and there's much to tell. I'm travelling with a couple from Milano, Matteo and Adriana and our guide, Emily from Tralee, who is sweet and earnest and funny and delights in sharing stories with us about the mythic history of this place. She also makes amazing porridge, which we all wolfed down this morning before attacking the climb up Croagh Patrick, a serious mountain that was a religious site since pre-historic times, until Patrick spent 40 days at the top in his pre-saint days, drove the snakes out from the top (thereby eliminating Snake Whacking Day), whereup he wandered down, had a pint of green beer and ... read more

With apologies to Bugs Bunny for lifting that title: I'm happy to be in Dublin at last. Crammed into steerage on a jammed airbus for 7 hours is a hard way to go, but I was able to get some sleep in between baby wails and odd smells wafting off fellow travellers. And the cold muffin and tepid coffee for breakfast? Divine. My hotel is small, clean and cute - located on Fishamble Street. Who knew fish could amble? Here they do. It's far enough from Temple Bar to avoid the crews of lads on a tear and pre-wedding hen parties of smashed gals dressed like tarts. What's that? All my male pals are suddenly booking flights to Dublin? But back to the hotel, it's the George Handel, marking the fact that the Messiah had it's ... read more