June 10 Cork Ireland

Compared to our recent stops Cork seems like a big city. And we got to dock rather than tendering (last 7 ports were tender ports which isn't as much fun as it sounds). Just to be specific, we docked in Ringaskiddy and shuttled about a half hour into Cork. We took the bus into Cork and walked about.

This is the city hall, an impressive structure and the drop off/pickup point for the shuttle.

Towers of potted plants were used as dividers in town and along the highways.

Street art

Memorial to paper boys and to the newspaper which used to be in the building here. All of that yelling on the internet is just following the tradition of newsies shouting out the headlines to sell a paper.

Apparently the Irish portion of the family are butchers here in the English Market. No family discount offered.

Park with medieval city wall and a mural

Berwick Fountain

And that's the end of our 9 week trip, starting in Miami (no airplanes needed), traveling through the western Mediterranean, the English channel and a lap around the British Isles. There was a port on June 11, Portland UK, but it was a miserable rainy day and we had four big suitcases to pack. The flight home was fine, but the movement from the ship port to the airport was more difficult than it should have been. All the reason to begin and end in Miami whenever possible

Until next time...

June 9 Dunsmore East

 Dunsmore East is the port city for Waterford Ireland, and most of the excursions go into the big city. We've been to Waterford several times, and the factory is no longer in Ireland. And just tendering into the city would be enough excitement for us. We elected to walk through the tiny town of Dunsmore East to take in the sights.

It was a gorgeous, sunny day, but with passing showers expected. We went early, walked about, and returned to the ship just as the rains began.

This is the war memorial just outside the harbor. 

At this small inlet, viewed from the road above, a squadron of young adults heads for the water playgrounds. As you can tell from the helmets, this was not just splashing in the water. 

There's Marina in the distance

Beautiful scenery -- Ireland is very green

Haven Hotel with an ocean view

St Andrews Church of Ireland

Lawlor's Beach and the far reaches of Dunsmore East. We went no further since it was steeply downhill, and we've have to climb back up to get back to the harbor.

Some old-timey thatched roofs just at our turnaround point

Excellent landscaping in the city

 

 

 

June 9 Production Company Our World

 This was the production company's last show with everybody involved.

 

June 8 Fishguard UK

We missed a few ports due to bad weather and the necessity for tendering before we got to Fishguard. A storm has passed through the Irish Sea, leading to rough seas and high waves -- a recipe for a tough tender ride. It's calmed down now, but even this tender ride from ship to shore was just a little rough.

This is a delightful little town, well kept and pretty. 

Everybody know where we're going?

Crocheted flowers. Crocheting must be the town industry, as you'll see in a moment, although the artisan craft shop didn't have any.

It's a small town -- this is High Street, the shopping street.

This mural depicts the "Red Cloak" women who defeated the invading French in 1797. From a distance the red cloaks looked like British regulars so the French assumed they were outnumbered and either surrendered or retreated, depending on who's telling the story.

Every bollard in the city had a crocheted cover, and there were quite a few. And they all looked fresh and clean.

This pub didn't plan well for the appearance of a 1200 passenger cruise ship in the harbor. They ran out of food shortly after noon.

St. Mary's Church

 

 

 

June 7 Production Company Broadway in Concert

 I attended but didn't take pictures of "Rockin Soul" because I had to hustle from dinner to the show and didn't have time to pick up the camera. For the Broadway show they use only the singers, with no dance numbers. The singers were excellent and even had moments of gentle choreography.

Broadway Opening           

Popular

You're the Top

Gimme, Gimme

You'll Be Back

Everybody now "Da-da-da, dat-da..."

Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand

Closing