tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55068039827521465252024-03-18T07:36:02.356+00:00Careful With That Axe, EugeneThinking and ranting out loud - my own thoughts and comments written whenever the mood takes me. Nothing is safe, Chop Chop! <br><br><i>Blog title from a song by Pink Floyd.</i>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.comBlogger2380125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-17280875126970560532024-03-04T13:17:00.006+00:002024-03-04T13:20:07.573+00:00Short Trip to Madrid<p style="text-align: justify;">Last week Roma and I travelled to Madrid in Spain for a few days. Neither of us had ever been to this city before, even though we have been to Spain many times. We spent four nights, which was just about right, close to the city centre. Lots of walking, art, wine, and tapas just about sums up our trip.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The Royal Palace was our first stop. It is one of the biggest in Europe and only a fraction of it is on view to the public. We don't have anything like this in Ireland. While it is a magnificent building, it shows off the riches of the Spanish Royalty. It is richly decorated and must have cost millions to build. No doubt there were many people at the time that thought the money could have been used to build something else, like hospitals or schools. Nevertheless it is worth a visit - at this this time of year the queue to get in was very short.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx0HtkIZ5HIrl8UuIsg7_6gtUZIaGtHvBEZ15UDbn0BNXtuOAxnMLeV7UWsDYNiO4yoRwg5dTh9uOROnEyWU76q6LsOvr0Qb1MG-xRElL7DcTCU1Slc1-jaPi9Ih5Iv9zXjXf211bn2yTGaupQLec3c_gYDT-8rRpvoijx2T-e4mDKlm8yMSfBm4EdcK0/s3280/PXL_20240228_105935453.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="3280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx0HtkIZ5HIrl8UuIsg7_6gtUZIaGtHvBEZ15UDbn0BNXtuOAxnMLeV7UWsDYNiO4yoRwg5dTh9uOROnEyWU76q6LsOvr0Qb1MG-xRElL7DcTCU1Slc1-jaPi9Ih5Iv9zXjXf211bn2yTGaupQLec3c_gYDT-8rRpvoijx2T-e4mDKlm8yMSfBm4EdcK0/w640-h480/PXL_20240228_105935453.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Royal Palace.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We went to The Prado museum where there are loads of paintings by famous people such as Monet, Renoir, Degas, Cézanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Matisse, Picasso, and Goya. The painting we most wanted to see was <i>The Third of May 1808</i> by Goya, but there were lots of other brilliant pieces of work to be seen. One thing about touring the Prado is that the audio guide is very user unfriendly.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We also went to the Queen Sofia Museum of modern art. Here the most famous painting is <i>Guernica</i> by Picasso. I had no idea it was so big, and thanks to the (better than Prado) audio guide I got a great explanation of what the painting was about and how it was put together. I just stood and stared in awe at magnificence. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjReljQPEiyiUqgbJ1iP88LSaQGglQ1Osa5JgYYJGKqe56UQo7Y77ZL-IEsWV-m2NxRB1BDmK-4VgdtGmzc2qQGVEUfP9YltWE6QNu5nQqU0uuB2iyg5Be5RbRiW_u-yaTBzJVfrsDEM-xKbR4hNuJOvSJzbb0OT1F06OsNlnpL508Lnl2a80IcKcQPbOI/s4032/PXL_20240302_100908371.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjReljQPEiyiUqgbJ1iP88LSaQGglQ1Osa5JgYYJGKqe56UQo7Y77ZL-IEsWV-m2NxRB1BDmK-4VgdtGmzc2qQGVEUfP9YltWE6QNu5nQqU0uuB2iyg5Be5RbRiW_u-yaTBzJVfrsDEM-xKbR4hNuJOvSJzbb0OT1F06OsNlnpL508Lnl2a80IcKcQPbOI/w640-h480/PXL_20240302_100908371.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Guernica by Picasso.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">An interesting museum for me was <i>Legends of Football</i>. It was mostly about Spanish and world football. There's a virtual tour of the major football grounds in the world, but the best parts were seeing jerseys worn by famous football stars. Maradona's jersey from the 1986 World Cup final was there, as were jerseys worn by George Best, Cristiano Ronaldo, Johann Cruyff, and our own Ray Houghton (from the 1-1 draw with The Netherlands in the 1990 World Cup). I had a great chat with the museum manager who gave me a personal tour around part of the museum. I don't think I have ever met anyone as passionate about football as him!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRBJskRsrlIEvMGYIK84hSuH2ryi7Zwr5QtXTtQvCD_zt3vfZGU_5zyiaQTJGQSkxJeSDJ4IzffUFOv7jRK8-BDo2Op3cD8Ch0yjthhPWzqWW6hDCLV8iMPQHhNwpDZF5TS1ayVU_QRihdmFNPYM3L1RpLFiSYgEochQfY62cflTZZK2-88aqm_oa-vY4/s1469/Legends.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1319" data-original-width="1469" height="574" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRBJskRsrlIEvMGYIK84hSuH2ryi7Zwr5QtXTtQvCD_zt3vfZGU_5zyiaQTJGQSkxJeSDJ4IzffUFOv7jRK8-BDo2Op3cD8Ch0yjthhPWzqWW6hDCLV8iMPQHhNwpDZF5TS1ayVU_QRihdmFNPYM3L1RpLFiSYgEochQfY62cflTZZK2-88aqm_oa-vY4/w640-h574/Legends.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I paid €16 for this. Eejit!</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But the best thing about Madrid is the food and wine. We had done a Walking Tour on our first evening and been to fantastic tapas bars like La Casa del Abuelo, which we went back to on our last night. Tapas is an exciting and delicious way to see a city - I feel as though I ate and drank my way around the narrow streets of central Madrid. I even developed a taste for vermouth in the Antón Martín Market (which was just across the road from our hotel)!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRmE_Q_3Vqh9xW-L_4WFJU-zm7FsErj6uBjPg5PvYrnniKL3aUcEfFjwKFSO0uZNe4Hyy6ZyAFiRPn0U8RGhI4aUofy24jE-0o1Z3rmXQ_sRca99KkW64SrhsuSmw3kgS3Xoms4Pv5l7vOSZD8YxkCXdfNhWpHR7G9x_RccRLeRJbwvUusKSxJli_R2w/s3280/PXL_20240301_181912554.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="3280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtRmE_Q_3Vqh9xW-L_4WFJU-zm7FsErj6uBjPg5PvYrnniKL3aUcEfFjwKFSO0uZNe4Hyy6ZyAFiRPn0U8RGhI4aUofy24jE-0o1Z3rmXQ_sRca99KkW64SrhsuSmw3kgS3Xoms4Pv5l7vOSZD8YxkCXdfNhWpHR7G9x_RccRLeRJbwvUusKSxJli_R2w/w640-h480/PXL_20240301_181912554.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Enjoying tapas at the wonderful La Casa del Abuelo.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Madrid is definitely a city worth visiting. Everyone was so friendly and it is a very clean city centre. The metro is fantastic and easy to use, and there is so little traffic on the streets. Madrid does not have an Eiffel Tour, Colosseum, or Statue of Liberty, but it does have loads of character and culture to satisfy any visitor.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: justify;">PS<br />I'm mindful that this is my first post in over two months. Since I started this blog I have not let this happen before. January and February have been quiet months this year for me, and I have not had much to blog about. </p>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-26038874583445665692023-12-28T13:18:00.001+00:002023-12-28T13:18:49.349+00:00Eight countries in one year<p style="text-align: justify;">One plan for after my retirement in 2020 was to travel the world and experience new places and peoples before I kick the bucket. Covid quickly put a stop to my plans, but 2023 was finally the year that Roma and I got to believe in our dreams. This year we visited eight different countries - some for the first time: UK, France, Spain, Dubai, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and South Africa.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI_TInnATq_0KdbHmbMzEQWdPUVq8d3tDWa2VfH8vaBBU2_dp0ejV-VS7ix2la2s_pF9o4hZQLWVAexkiTWUJr8dIda8PTWr7HJ_jIWGqBObB_TmLijRt5YJuH5AjECi5rSm3KsF5i9zg6yUf_REoQHrs_te-R-jVlRVlCnmt516dw-UC7PYhm_oi-DZE/s1947/Timeline%202023.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1451" data-original-width="1947" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI_TInnATq_0KdbHmbMzEQWdPUVq8d3tDWa2VfH8vaBBU2_dp0ejV-VS7ix2la2s_pF9o4hZQLWVAexkiTWUJr8dIda8PTWr7HJ_jIWGqBObB_TmLijRt5YJuH5AjECi5rSm3KsF5i9zg6yUf_REoQHrs_te-R-jVlRVlCnmt516dw-UC7PYhm_oi-DZE/w640-h476/Timeline%202023.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">My Google Timeline.</span></div><p style="text-align: justify;">First up in January was a trip to London with our daughters Claire, Kate, and Vicki. It's not often that the five of us manage to get together at the same time, so this was quality family time. London is a fantastic city to visit, though I did find it very crowded and a bit on the expensive side.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1jFkBUCaLWB46QqucT_3be1L9aHKxLxLD47Dz78VuJQpKB1rYKJEyIf9CoseSvC3-qiuWsvUyvypcAPzVcmjzPp2OIPStAfV5dReMGY31HQW97IXPozAq3NV_jI7CkMhVq-vTAlXtL-2moz3Bt7ynDR1GWPD2SuEcs7jiSMkin-plTdfNi5gfd3ELKo/s3280/PXL_20230116_132144017.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="3280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX1jFkBUCaLWB46QqucT_3be1L9aHKxLxLD47Dz78VuJQpKB1rYKJEyIf9CoseSvC3-qiuWsvUyvypcAPzVcmjzPp2OIPStAfV5dReMGY31HQW97IXPozAq3NV_jI7CkMhVq-vTAlXtL-2moz3Bt7ynDR1GWPD2SuEcs7jiSMkin-plTdfNi5gfd3ELKo/w640-h480/PXL_20230116_132144017.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">London.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">A big trip to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand (with a stop off in Dubai) followed in February and March. This was the furthest from Ireland that I had ever been, and by far the most different experience I ever had. We visited Hanoi, Hoi An, Saigon, and Bangkok, and also enjoyed trips by boat through swamps and the Mekong Delta. Vietnam is a fabulous country to visit with lots to see and do.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNFuKQ3T9B7JcWSWsw077v0yC6k21YHdHSXuw3TuN95M2YgYP0Kj4LbZZR6Cl2P_-cZqO2qmK3KGSuh1X0WYStNLBSKwXgqCrvFyPC-SaZV9ZZE9jvgKWrrUO4sawtI7qIK5qfke7uBQAVYhIp8rMaK3kDSYauCbaJ0mz1u41S6ixm5RHSKlAETiBq114/s4032/PXL_20230224_035208862.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNFuKQ3T9B7JcWSWsw077v0yC6k21YHdHSXuw3TuN95M2YgYP0Kj4LbZZR6Cl2P_-cZqO2qmK3KGSuh1X0WYStNLBSKwXgqCrvFyPC-SaZV9ZZE9jvgKWrrUO4sawtI7qIK5qfke7uBQAVYhIp8rMaK3kDSYauCbaJ0mz1u41S6ixm5RHSKlAETiBq114/w640-h480/PXL_20230224_035208862.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Two Paddy's in a Vietnamese field.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">After we left Vietnam we spent a few days in Siem Reap in Cambodia. A much different pace to life here and we certainly had a very relaxed time. Angkor Wat is an unmissable sight to see and we certainly had our fill of temples and ruined buildings.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhUE8i_VCpi5_Jzp-kVmqM1nlGaoW6-OqsbuE6iOiAWl76ePasX3hFv9pjbuvF5FX-pRwMQttemNrgRdL4E0Xj6J7O2zkkjHSaZcIWXwOM1RbcZSK10ukapMmiSyY8Ng8FRcYfyCARxioYE84Mrnc6EkKBMC0AoRHT1bUoVs5PbhYTLfoVscmE0Vvw-M/s4032/PXL_20230303_040413199.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXhUE8i_VCpi5_Jzp-kVmqM1nlGaoW6-OqsbuE6iOiAWl76ePasX3hFv9pjbuvF5FX-pRwMQttemNrgRdL4E0Xj6J7O2zkkjHSaZcIWXwOM1RbcZSK10ukapMmiSyY8Ng8FRcYfyCARxioYE84Mrnc6EkKBMC0AoRHT1bUoVs5PbhYTLfoVscmE0Vvw-M/w640-h480/PXL_20230303_040413199.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Going for a ride in Siem Reap.</span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After Cambodia our plan was to fly home via Bangkok. But since neither of us had ever been to Thailand, we decided to stay for a couple of nights. Bangkok was a very different city to Saigon, and especially to Hanoi. While distinctly Buddhist in nature, it had a European/American feel to it with tall buildings and streets full of cars.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-iq3IgSYHhPpLE1caINxTLYkl7D1mRIHVBxK1Y9DSwjJSBl6cCNj8aqy_xg0C4cFmJjuwEf_KHwOd0nRrVx1TqWDv4Csun61c7nYOWtO-v40ONVwE7u7rCDbUwlcDBveudqN4okauXSW97rxw6ftTM3k5oqd-yAW4rNwews6VDcG0mBLMu3FMS6bekc/s3280/PXL_20230306_062531641.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="3280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO-iq3IgSYHhPpLE1caINxTLYkl7D1mRIHVBxK1Y9DSwjJSBl6cCNj8aqy_xg0C4cFmJjuwEf_KHwOd0nRrVx1TqWDv4Csun61c7nYOWtO-v40ONVwE7u7rCDbUwlcDBveudqN4okauXSW97rxw6ftTM3k5oqd-yAW4rNwews6VDcG0mBLMu3FMS6bekc/w640-h480/PXL_20230306_062531641.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Bangkok.</span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In June we took the motorbike to Spain and France. We had the unique experience of watching our daughter Kate's marriage to Brenno on my phone in the middle of the Bay of Biscay on the ferry from Rosslare to Bilbao. We planned on a four stop holiday starting in the Rioja region at the city of Logrono. This was our fourth holiday on a motorcycle together, but the first with rain. Previously we had travelled to Germany/Austria, Route 66 in the USA, and Netherlands/Luxembourg/France, and not had a drop of rain fall on us. While we had good rain gear, it still was not too pleasant riding in the rain.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEUFKdwD880oyH7pGZbvxba2haE43hjftwt_bi5LfXlidEoS7II6CzajCLLF5p9c3gManOGq7uFc41fLuBaTtjmUiAg77n8g7NiwO4uD1tGoYkXK_8PUtYN3A4KUvUwEM6c0y0UXvgSrCOa75NhT9uqsO5JUXQZyKrRB1WAYuxIl3efyHhq3KUK1nJQ0/s3280/PXL_20230615_071904241.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="3280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEUFKdwD880oyH7pGZbvxba2haE43hjftwt_bi5LfXlidEoS7II6CzajCLLF5p9c3gManOGq7uFc41fLuBaTtjmUiAg77n8g7NiwO4uD1tGoYkXK_8PUtYN3A4KUvUwEM6c0y0UXvgSrCOa75NhT9uqsO5JUXQZyKrRB1WAYuxIl3efyHhq3KUK1nJQ0/w640-h480/PXL_20230615_071904241.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Logrono, Spain.</span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After plenty of nice wine in Logrono, we headed over the Pyrenees to <span style="text-align: center;">Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France. I have crossed these mountains on a bike before, though on this trip it was not as spectacular as through Andorra a few years ago. Unfortunately Roma had to leave for a few days to attend a family funeral back in Ireland, so I finished up here on my own.</span></div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-GHsQSql6YnXW8CA6QzOPrwbKESVKHoG8j-8hX7EVUoZZ0IMEltZ0tmsTmo1ymK_48ENaTExKKNS6gHrHR1G3UkQVG54WWNMwdOqf9IXC9t1Wig0bXQnNrRoupKOKcCP2K4BWr-NAr1uaxPGSRiz69klYv-wJGx8cx2xl3nyiQ7VVy2HYqMZMapRLDc/s3280/PXL_20230616_093646923.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="3280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl-GHsQSql6YnXW8CA6QzOPrwbKESVKHoG8j-8hX7EVUoZZ0IMEltZ0tmsTmo1ymK_48ENaTExKKNS6gHrHR1G3UkQVG54WWNMwdOqf9IXC9t1Wig0bXQnNrRoupKOKcCP2K4BWr-NAr1uaxPGSRiz69klYv-wJGx8cx2xl3nyiQ7VVy2HYqMZMapRLDc/w640-h480/PXL_20230616_093646923.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France.</span></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I moved on to Bayonne on the French coast and stayed for two nights on a river boat near the city centre. I got to ride down to Biarritz and also to see the Sare Grotto and Caves. Bayonne is a lovely city with a lot of water about. While I enjoyed myself, I did miss Roma.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzqCX0ZbhEcCi9luA8HJnwmmOQXYoJtFEEpUyGnnyZK6gzDyAoD8He_zHVOKv3bioA6FYgTuG6__DfXRMZjK4TdWoMdxyjV8v8drBdI7gcLUb4TRmL8wEle3sxt9nIYnWbsbWU-__5TeBQSvB-xjGzps1u1Rfj0stVvPdu0ciD3_i2gbDEqvKYGup3Jjw/s3280/PXL_20230617_101236953.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="3280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzqCX0ZbhEcCi9luA8HJnwmmOQXYoJtFEEpUyGnnyZK6gzDyAoD8He_zHVOKv3bioA6FYgTuG6__DfXRMZjK4TdWoMdxyjV8v8drBdI7gcLUb4TRmL8wEle3sxt9nIYnWbsbWU-__5TeBQSvB-xjGzps1u1Rfj0stVvPdu0ciD3_i2gbDEqvKYGup3Jjw/w640-h480/PXL_20230617_101236953.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Pont St-Esprit, Bayonne.</span></div><p style="text-align: justify;">Our fourth and final stop was in San Sebastian back in Spain. Roma rejoined me here and we set about to explore this beautiful city. A highlight for us was a food tour around the Old City. We loved the tapas bars in Spain as it was a great way to try different foods. When we left San Sebastian to get to the ferry back to Ireland, we had some time in Bilbao and saw the incredible Guggenheim Museum.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQraSIk5Qb-685S1KBJJMpNBUNYQsNZxlWyAX3Dsi9hyBU213XfPIPoQONuZChrESMCMJySNJJ9kn-Rp-B3W_6V0pmcte8htVx7T35NsI9-OJg7eF-ntgy2OoQQIPppBoXIxpXWgP3NKXix283QbwPPkhQPZe1jHc4fwkjWWx_8wcddSquTcCjdusp6fY/s3280/PXL_20230620_184012152.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="3280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQraSIk5Qb-685S1KBJJMpNBUNYQsNZxlWyAX3Dsi9hyBU213XfPIPoQONuZChrESMCMJySNJJ9kn-Rp-B3W_6V0pmcte8htVx7T35NsI9-OJg7eF-ntgy2OoQQIPppBoXIxpXWgP3NKXix283QbwPPkhQPZe1jHc4fwkjWWx_8wcddSquTcCjdusp6fY/w640-h480/PXL_20230620_184012152.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Food tour in San Sebastian.</span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I though that was it for the year. I had spent most of the summer in Wexford and knew that Roma was planning her ninth trip to volunteer with Mellon Educate in South Africa. She thought it would be her last time, so we decided that I would join her (after all the building work was done!) So I headed off to Cape Town crossing the Equator for the first time ever on the way. We packed in lots during our week's stay with the highlights being Table Mountain, the Cape of Good Hope, Franschhoek, a Township Experience, and Robben Island. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">So that's it for this year - we are so lucky to be able to visit eight countries in one year. We are already looking to see where too next while we are still able for long trips. We are considering Japan for our big trip of the year, and I'd also like to get in another bike ride in Europe - probably Italy. We had a trip booked to Iceland a few years ago, but had to cancel - I'd like to check out some volcanos and perhaps ride around the island!</p></div>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-60338985925094499322023-12-07T10:47:00.000+00:002023-12-07T10:47:14.814+00:00South Africa Part VIII<p style="text-align: justify;">I visited the Imizamo Yethu (IY) Township near Cape Town with Roma while I was in South Africa, it was the first time I had ever been to see anything like this. We had a tour guide to provide the township experience. We walked about for about an hour and saw plenty to ensure massive white guilt on my part. The cramped conditions where people live in mostly corrugated iron sheds are hard to take in. Yet people exist and get on with their lives. I spent all my cash on over-priced crafts in one shop - I was not going to bargain here. I did not take any photographs while in the township - it just didn't seem a right or cool thing to do.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">We were shown actual proper houses built by the Niall Mellon Township Trust over 10 years ago - a huge contrast to the sheds around them. In 2014, Roma and my daughter Kate worked with the Trust helping to rebuild the Orangekloof Primary School, which was close to where we were. Huge admiration for the Mellon Trust and all it does. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0V_6-WELwNL6p9U7ZAJifBZtQauBG1n8Fu2aTcy9qa2Z4gdTqC04xWf_lI1Ed8fbWcO9KQ6-jsYs-HpWh1grsnb6pHRYJHbBF4tbW6LhDeB51qAMtCvn4QzxwqoN0_gdIKc10H14zmn8HC2kwPbeYrdkxiKtZGRNprEceKYo5166SVcc-2XttHLKYjOs/s4032/PXL_20231202_123803567.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0V_6-WELwNL6p9U7ZAJifBZtQauBG1n8Fu2aTcy9qa2Z4gdTqC04xWf_lI1Ed8fbWcO9KQ6-jsYs-HpWh1grsnb6pHRYJHbBF4tbW6LhDeB51qAMtCvn4QzxwqoN0_gdIKc10H14zmn8HC2kwPbeYrdkxiKtZGRNprEceKYo5166SVcc-2XttHLKYjOs/w480-h640/PXL_20231202_123803567.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-85743180185995194242023-12-05T14:08:00.000+00:002023-12-05T14:08:37.291+00:00South Africa Part VII<p style="text-align: justify;">On my last full day in Cape Town, Roma took me to see Robben Island, which housed a jail for political prisoners during the Apartheid era that so shamed white South African rulers. The trip to and from the island, plus a tour takes about three hours. We were met by a bus which took us on a short tour around the island. Our tour guide was very informative, but we were not allowed to leave the bus except at a designated shop. I would have like to have seen the Irish cemetery and Robert Sobukwe's house. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCcIgw5fV_tyUkuHCfiXGGbIpioDBtikegtW2wUpcEzavOPslNcz32GPY_f0HqrusLMcrK4Y3_EQNF9NhxYtEDg7E28Ko_7yhfq6alFiiMgH4K3_EF2GPczKRhkkoZo-MbqwtfzLVx7jN8tWMijdE0VnmiJJYdz_VlI8-XavOCy1mj9VfjkG2tElkLPL8/s4032/PXL_20231203_114244989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCcIgw5fV_tyUkuHCfiXGGbIpioDBtikegtW2wUpcEzavOPslNcz32GPY_f0HqrusLMcrK4Y3_EQNF9NhxYtEDg7E28Ko_7yhfq6alFiiMgH4K3_EF2GPczKRhkkoZo-MbqwtfzLVx7jN8tWMijdE0VnmiJJYdz_VlI8-XavOCy1mj9VfjkG2tElkLPL8/w640-h480/PXL_20231203_114244989.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My Mandela pose.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">At the end of the bus tour we were met by Sipho Msomi, a former political prisoner in the 1980s on Robben Island, who brought us on a tour of the facilities. He first described the torture and cruelty of the guards, before describing the miserable daily life they all led. He of course showed us the cell where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years as a political prisoner. His cell is about 2m by 2m - my garden shed at home is bigger than this. He slept on a mat on the floor, and had to slop out with a bucket. Despite 27 years in prison, his will was never broken. He was not the only one who suffered here, at one stage Sipho told us that there were over 1,000 prisoners here at one time. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I wonder will attractions like this still exist in years to come. Today as I write this, it is the 10th anniversary of Mandela's death. There are now just 20 former prisoners working as guides on the island, soon there will be no more. Long after everyone who knew Mandela is gone, his legacy will survive, and the bitter memories of Apartheid will fade.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-xYiZVQzLkkhZnCqVpOfGjLCM2Tbw9_ekGVqs7hu7TlM3AiI-amY8buNDXRKZrYkIOLRK3iUHklRv9wyqnxqVWWnICJiBWtkRsr9T2VcQ4NlOoMpsg4QGIByH7ZvD1Z1fMh5-ZH4jS1RY5lQRj0ADCjtyNCTd6jBOjcpSOh9kC21mQLuPgdRbBpSGRsU/s4032/PXL_20231203_120034171.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-xYiZVQzLkkhZnCqVpOfGjLCM2Tbw9_ekGVqs7hu7TlM3AiI-amY8buNDXRKZrYkIOLRK3iUHklRv9wyqnxqVWWnICJiBWtkRsr9T2VcQ4NlOoMpsg4QGIByH7ZvD1Z1fMh5-ZH4jS1RY5lQRj0ADCjtyNCTd6jBOjcpSOh9kC21mQLuPgdRbBpSGRsU/w480-h640/PXL_20231203_120034171.MP.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Roma at Nelson Mandela's cell door.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxf0KgqQ66SPRrl5zNi4I6EPjgfhbbTNXdOVaSHGYIDLFq2xXu8EPLCxdUiFVRGD-0wJf5SfJ9cA7wUQi0bFZM_n5RxLpWCvQUPL_5Cabwlys2J5eoZimiQSmYqsgeIm19KNN1ZKPM4w7u5zbzU08LKh8A-6PkC6ay2I-l9NvbY38CBIsv6MXbjqWkSn8/s4032/PXL_20231203_104429942.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxf0KgqQ66SPRrl5zNi4I6EPjgfhbbTNXdOVaSHGYIDLFq2xXu8EPLCxdUiFVRGD-0wJf5SfJ9cA7wUQi0bFZM_n5RxLpWCvQUPL_5Cabwlys2J5eoZimiQSmYqsgeIm19KNN1ZKPM4w7u5zbzU08LKh8A-6PkC6ay2I-l9NvbY38CBIsv6MXbjqWkSn8/w640-h480/PXL_20231203_104429942.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cape town viewed from Robben Island.</div>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-35225227742445213652023-12-04T13:25:00.000+00:002023-12-05T13:25:23.672+00:00South Africa Part VI<div style="text-align: justify;">Before we left Franschhoek, we decided to have a go at being wine makers for a day at the Café du Vin on Huguenot Street. It was two hours of great fun and worth having a go. Our job was to make a blend for red wine using Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon. We had three attempts to create a wine to our personal taste. I started out with 70% Shiraz and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and it was nice. I then tried for my second effort to make a small change to percentages - this time I tried 60% Shiraz and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon. I could not tell the difference between it and my first effort. For a final blend, I decided to do the complete reverse of my first blend and made a 30% Shiraz and 70% Cabernet Sauvignon. I thought this was the best I had done - my last task was to make up a bottle of my chosen blend. We got to cork our own bottles and create labels for them.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Our sommelier was Ricardo who definitely knew his stuff. He was great fun too and added to the enjoyment of what we were doing. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzSWiF2n77iuUAs5GUVP_9fK_zx6xWOzMEK3BZRTT_yRc8mQCZDZD7IzY-aIYISW8Af-GqH-EUe3ndc0vSfVyn_ZBgRFlBnWUeRwXFypkmBR6jVbZ1DP4IukczQzmV68VMRVLRfCNxOvUye2out3o6_dy84k3qrYPT6PyZ3MlaJdQ_5GYrYoDrve0UvR4/s4032/PXL_20231201_091932825.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzSWiF2n77iuUAs5GUVP_9fK_zx6xWOzMEK3BZRTT_yRc8mQCZDZD7IzY-aIYISW8Af-GqH-EUe3ndc0vSfVyn_ZBgRFlBnWUeRwXFypkmBR6jVbZ1DP4IukczQzmV68VMRVLRfCNxOvUye2out3o6_dy84k3qrYPT6PyZ3MlaJdQ_5GYrYoDrve0UvR4/w480-h640/PXL_20231201_091932825.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our own wine!</div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2NeJoA8kTASk2P4eh5PKBQvR0lhvReocGcrcB1snY3gplzkHicvGpIU2jqBVVRav0Ocu5j8GmxEbrEWcMEb81NIQlc_vkg1bY3HOAvur9NX1D73zjxsZc8BPWnbiQ7zZnMMHYCNIcRBKZq9tg0BZHgGttgx7iqvtnuTmpfpX8xG60m5N1gJzc73DkAV8/s4032/PXL_20231201_091433971.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2NeJoA8kTASk2P4eh5PKBQvR0lhvReocGcrcB1snY3gplzkHicvGpIU2jqBVVRav0Ocu5j8GmxEbrEWcMEb81NIQlc_vkg1bY3HOAvur9NX1D73zjxsZc8BPWnbiQ7zZnMMHYCNIcRBKZq9tg0BZHgGttgx7iqvtnuTmpfpX8xG60m5N1gJzc73DkAV8/w480-h640/PXL_20231201_091433971.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">I knew I would put Chemistry classes to use some day1</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOv9QcAIckINXT_w95m3_5Ba1hh0VZ_15WeboPdqIZSakasAtebZn6w5DZhvX-DmIz3Yc-a3ACeACMKWUTNrFFe4YhtpHfII5scVO4nA-_c6hmRoefxAeRjOpgDMDnIoNHd4jPw4QvE_D3SZYyK0pMjJI0poE-55nfheqY_ulqbnXGkaEtT27DBvXINpg/s4032/PXL_20231201_091404841.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOv9QcAIckINXT_w95m3_5Ba1hh0VZ_15WeboPdqIZSakasAtebZn6w5DZhvX-DmIz3Yc-a3ACeACMKWUTNrFFe4YhtpHfII5scVO4nA-_c6hmRoefxAeRjOpgDMDnIoNHd4jPw4QvE_D3SZYyK0pMjJI0poE-55nfheqY_ulqbnXGkaEtT27DBvXINpg/w480-h640/PXL_20231201_091404841.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">A professional Chemist at work.</div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Before we left Franschhoek we paid a quick visit to the Huguenot Museum to learn about the French Protestants who escaped religious persecution in France to set up vineyards here. A great way to round off a couple of days on Franschhoek.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-90331547402165717172023-12-03T17:18:00.004+00:002023-12-03T17:22:50.671+00:00South Africa Part V<div style="text-align: justify;">Our first day in Franschhoek was all about wine - we were staying for a couple of days here which is in the Stellanbosch wine growing region in South Africa. They have a really cool wine trail which is part tram/part bus. We set off at 11:00 in the morning to taste some wine! Our first stop was at Leopard’s Leap Winery - a very cool and modern building caters for wine tasters. They gave us six wines to taste (small portions of course!) which were all delicious. We got the whole story on each wine from our excellent sommelier, but I quickly forgot everything. Too much information about smell and tastes was very confusing. I still can’t smell anything since getting Covid last year, so that part of the tasting was no good to me. Nevertheless, it was a pleasant way to start the tour and get going. I felt that I would be drunk by mid-afternoon. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4FJFvLDAPuddNknXoNH7G4Ez-II3XRsXU4KosqIW7YX720ZLTniuRxAkcKbs_ssn5r8-3B8YSzfQgUF7Wh41UG7eXC7k-T7kOhpah-gM5Z9YP6IN2UDAuqEnZGvLuHjjJ2ZSGcnuCHeUgco4X-f4YVKWiXi1h_m8QLho5gcLq_Cpd1mde3wRJTyJxJQ/s4032/PXL_20231130_092807722.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp4FJFvLDAPuddNknXoNH7G4Ez-II3XRsXU4KosqIW7YX720ZLTniuRxAkcKbs_ssn5r8-3B8YSzfQgUF7Wh41UG7eXC7k-T7kOhpah-gM5Z9YP6IN2UDAuqEnZGvLuHjjJ2ZSGcnuCHeUgco4X-f4YVKWiXi1h_m8QLho5gcLq_Cpd1mde3wRJTyJxJQ/w480-h640/PXL_20231130_092807722.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Leopard’s Leap.</div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: justify;">Our second stop was at Rickety Ridge Winery where there was a more modest three glasses of wine to taste. I was only interested in red wine, but I did get to taste a nice Semillion here, again we had an excellent sommelier to give us all the information about each wine. We did some wine-influenced Christmas shopping too. It was also interesting here that the tram line was connected by tractor to the winery. I got a couple of photo ops with Massey-Ferguson and Ford tractors.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJMh7v7kwkqa4-cjB66dBxCakVpos3FOMbUPAU2qX_xKhw1cNK0XKtB0NKXDLS7qBXlCX2qH24sx5824rHd_A7wue8sJ0ssvgjRzpboSC8yjQc5zh8JQ0MyZPLYipSY8dCNkh55rwbsRmujR3fYPMxwxzZ4V91DE2rhISiDCy7k9ZPOxo9BXFf-VjQp0/s4032/PXL_20231130_115751448.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYJMh7v7kwkqa4-cjB66dBxCakVpos3FOMbUPAU2qX_xKhw1cNK0XKtB0NKXDLS7qBXlCX2qH24sx5824rHd_A7wue8sJ0ssvgjRzpboSC8yjQc5zh8JQ0MyZPLYipSY8dCNkh55rwbsRmujR3fYPMxwxzZ4V91DE2rhISiDCy7k9ZPOxo9BXFf-VjQp0/w640-h480/PXL_20231130_115751448.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You can take a man out of a farm, but you can’t take the farm out of the man.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9I6rboKmZOvE1SENsmz6THwJt8EI3t5srmXRyPadRmUsAzLacuoh-_CYOG9n6wl5kRdnAtJvkXwdbPrxZzRCx8qNgEOX54S7r2XTa_hho3lSBZL_H6JN8fETWkce4SzTIkgb896Cpiw6H6PUItvm_IzQq7PwIt5i9EGs28oAgbxXVYTt02sQHIPRetk8/s4032/PXL_20231130_133548946.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9I6rboKmZOvE1SENsmz6THwJt8EI3t5srmXRyPadRmUsAzLacuoh-_CYOG9n6wl5kRdnAtJvkXwdbPrxZzRCx8qNgEOX54S7r2XTa_hho3lSBZL_H6JN8fETWkce4SzTIkgb896Cpiw6H6PUItvm_IzQq7PwIt5i9EGs28oAgbxXVYTt02sQHIPRetk8/w640-h480/PXL_20231130_133548946.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Enjoying the tractors.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I often wondered what it would be like to up-sticks from Ireland and buy a vineyard somewhere else in the world. It’s not a dream of mine, but when you are in verdant vineyards - there’s a part of me that would like to make wine, and of course drink it!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEX1rApHE2GQNvlaj4Fyk3UDqVc62L2jfWQC2knUzlnSphyXq5s9o_v7SLMPwSBnTUzL7iZ9dTpsT3mEp7G2jVMLWPDylIdk1cd5qoSICHI6Xv4cQ9ji-4PtGheUIUssaic-hn3SiSiReN_YKTodF4UOVohaeBXobj8Jno8oDRa_pYtGiJSig-MgS0sdw/s4032/PXL_20231130_133805258.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEX1rApHE2GQNvlaj4Fyk3UDqVc62L2jfWQC2knUzlnSphyXq5s9o_v7SLMPwSBnTUzL7iZ9dTpsT3mEp7G2jVMLWPDylIdk1cd5qoSICHI6Xv4cQ9ji-4PtGheUIUssaic-hn3SiSiReN_YKTodF4UOVohaeBXobj8Jno8oDRa_pYtGiJSig-MgS0sdw/w480-h640/PXL_20231130_133805258.MP.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">A would-be wine maker?</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Our third stop was at Grande Provence Winery here we had lunch - with a glass of wine of course. At this stage I had already tasted 9 wines, I’m guessing that the portions added up to at least three or four glasses of wine. However, the tour was already stretched out over a few hours and I was not yet too tipsy! We didn’t go for tasting in Grande Provence and moved on to our fourth and last stop at Franschhoek Cellar. This was by far the least interesting of the stops. We had three wines to taste with accompanying chocolate. Our sommelier was not interested and the chocolate was nearly melted. Suddenly it was five o’clock and time for the last tram back to base. We had been on the wine tour for nearly six hours, but it did not feel like a pub-crawl.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3R2jialqmCxxD-EBgkdBjG-4pHA71k8U89XRv_cvg0KN4gj2sQ5RI1Xq1dBkG2svqFh06Ruckft2GB93dTvgqiUtBiRf8D4Fcj5g_-595k0AwLILvHyn9SX424tIeMwgxCK2J0aXX1h34DSOR4X4R7K6ZXYPpBHsxIrs80zY5768ZgaC9HF9b2I3PGBs/s4032/PXL_20231130_140624435.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3R2jialqmCxxD-EBgkdBjG-4pHA71k8U89XRv_cvg0KN4gj2sQ5RI1Xq1dBkG2svqFh06Ruckft2GB93dTvgqiUtBiRf8D4Fcj5g_-595k0AwLILvHyn9SX424tIeMwgxCK2J0aXX1h34DSOR4X4R7K6ZXYPpBHsxIrs80zY5768ZgaC9HF9b2I3PGBs/w640-h480/PXL_20231130_140624435.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Chocolate and wine.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Overall, the experience is definitely worth it. If you are in to wine, as I am, this is a must see/do. The town of Franschhoek is lovely, and the wineries are brilliant. Most staff were very informative and enhanced the experience.</div></div>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-2611744113216709502023-12-02T18:58:00.000+00:002023-12-02T18:58:46.837+00:00South Africa Part IV<div style="text-align: justify;">This post is dedicated to Nelson Mandela, admired all over the world, and revered here in South Africa even though the 10th anniversary of his death is coming up next Tuesday. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Today we travelled from the Aquila Safari Park to Franschoek to spend a couple of day in South Africa’s wine region. On the way we stopped at Drakenstein Correctional Centre, which was formerly known as Victor Verster Prison. It was here on the 11th of February 1990, that Nelson Mandela finally walked free from prison after 27 years. I remember this day very well and being absorbed by the news that he was at last free.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Outside the prison there is a statue of Mandela with his right fist raised - there was only one thing for Roma and I to do, but pose in front of the statue with our right fists raised too.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEs-GgPgJfIy2YF41V5rQDQxnE8quTL73AOk_C1ZwQztioD_ugFKzoQHJDzqnqMrrWqccDZISDL7HAkg6EJdpuM6V-vHFT6Po5LsX09LVUe1v83GcW-iqcPRNQsX5QFt5mMj35XkWc6z8ekTLh8RLq_5kj281oCU18ghgf29a_Iob_7z9NLvS5ZOMaef4/s4032/PXL_20231129_115332194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEs-GgPgJfIy2YF41V5rQDQxnE8quTL73AOk_C1ZwQztioD_ugFKzoQHJDzqnqMrrWqccDZISDL7HAkg6EJdpuM6V-vHFT6Po5LsX09LVUe1v83GcW-iqcPRNQsX5QFt5mMj35XkWc6z8ekTLh8RLq_5kj281oCU18ghgf29a_Iob_7z9NLvS5ZOMaef4/w640-h480/PXL_20231129_115332194.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Amandla!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-77045865992878933252023-12-01T18:29:00.001+00:002023-12-01T18:29:59.011+00:00South Africa Part III<p style="text-align: justify;">The next part of our trip to South Africa was a visit to the Aquila Safari Park about two hours out of Cape Town, where we would stay the night as well. We were far removed from everything and Aquila is a large safari park. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWfCB6lj05kc2P3GRaOm_LoqhnEjD5tr9KDFNjxtFkvcPF61rLaqmbtyuWNRj3oazGXYo0TZw06V5mV6iG4lYpjxo4JX_GILJZUoBJGYoSEjfY22diFw09b7zy0qP6-LFLAt5cYHdJoQEJXmf_Yig43E1aUDhyphenhyphenembRHGArVSZR9eTFn9mFGTibg5SvVOc/s3280/PXL_20231128_124738346.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="3280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWfCB6lj05kc2P3GRaOm_LoqhnEjD5tr9KDFNjxtFkvcPF61rLaqmbtyuWNRj3oazGXYo0TZw06V5mV6iG4lYpjxo4JX_GILJZUoBJGYoSEjfY22diFw09b7zy0qP6-LFLAt5cYHdJoQEJXmf_Yig43E1aUDhyphenhyphenembRHGArVSZR9eTFn9mFGTibg5SvVOc/w640-h480/PXL_20231128_124738346.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">At the Aquila Safari Park.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Our ride out into the park started at about 16:00. We were warned that due to flooding that the dirt tracks were in bad condition - they were not wrong! It was a very bumpy ride despite our drivers best efforts. Soon we saw hippos and zebras. The hippos were mostly under water, and the zebras turned their arses to us - not much to see there. A real treat was seeing four elephants up close walking past us. These gentle giants are amazing and it was good to see them walking in a far bigger space than a zoo. Soon after we came upon a small pride of lions who have their own large enclosure. They were sleeping, but we could get right up next to them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggueFpEtnHGwfBkw4XXFFyOdu5vr8ysL42wxjt27fqPvEq3vS2KVyZovfJMtE6xpf3X6J-F12_9UuYnIkyIoFLHzhFnJTMnYrADmgZhhzqfhzFwT4-a502OtUIYz-oSEM6F70Ud_1jTuH8WfFonFjDqa9R1w5hqtWQgREAJsGlUluSqa2vpAQpw6S_ig/s4032/PXL_20231128_151533821.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhggueFpEtnHGwfBkw4XXFFyOdu5vr8ysL42wxjt27fqPvEq3vS2KVyZovfJMtE6xpf3X6J-F12_9UuYnIkyIoFLHzhFnJTMnYrADmgZhhzqfhzFwT4-a502OtUIYz-oSEM6F70Ud_1jTuH8WfFonFjDqa9R1w5hqtWQgREAJsGlUluSqa2vpAQpw6S_ig/w640-h480/PXL_20231128_151533821.MP.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Langer!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8hze4yTOAHozNR36PcVGJagr5qKuwqEpZSWb9vM89OtXH2648sGNoxmGVmZcYq9heP5DXXGK4NJkQPjnxPktFeBOkDL5L3zGOROmpslqf2ZFpYBkA7Ohg0GDRU2jFRgOcASn340ZF_NgQjfe_RByemunpwqAqy6OKzxry68MBIhq2LeXC6bs3LcAvn4/s4032/PXL_20231128_153632004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha8hze4yTOAHozNR36PcVGJagr5qKuwqEpZSWb9vM89OtXH2648sGNoxmGVmZcYq9heP5DXXGK4NJkQPjnxPktFeBOkDL5L3zGOROmpslqf2ZFpYBkA7Ohg0GDRU2jFRgOcASn340ZF_NgQjfe_RByemunpwqAqy6OKzxry68MBIhq2LeXC6bs3LcAvn4/w640-h480/PXL_20231128_153632004.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Do not disturb!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">White rhinos were up next and we could get very close again to watch them munching on saw dust. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhplSIlULA4g1yjrt-HvfPKa_H1E9pBT0ruJAzocDLXBQZGldPPpPNnviLAesePTumCFVHEbpjnfqPFLZAevO8ji71wQUcoKrpVX8RM6KJXoiWpL1xku2-lDCZo2GPcg6NX_23BtepiRU1O-d9OxE9MB4Ijst8Cku7Im_b9zNp6kgGxVoJDRQmviGFwjk4/s2048/IMG-20231201-WA0019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1537" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhplSIlULA4g1yjrt-HvfPKa_H1E9pBT0ruJAzocDLXBQZGldPPpPNnviLAesePTumCFVHEbpjnfqPFLZAevO8ji71wQUcoKrpVX8RM6KJXoiWpL1xku2-lDCZo2GPcg6NX_23BtepiRU1O-d9OxE9MB4Ijst8Cku7Im_b9zNp6kgGxVoJDRQmviGFwjk4/w480-h640/IMG-20231201-WA0019.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Super rhinos!</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">We were treated to a brilliant dancing troupe in the middle of the park - very energetic. This was a pit stop in the middle of the tour where we were also provided with sparkling wine and biltong - we were being well looked after. <br /><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBge4FAgCtdy4Qa51pNLKStl8PUQrqrjVDQKEbJb-b-pHh7STocAn9tVL3odMIRg-2IcUMXbEOuV62qS9NzGGgAVlUdhXGoRxjIZS2UwLT-RO2N8LH3VxRXKHJmK65VZAGbhf1G0kEZs0e-sdXHsj3PE9MxGyXpZC4ZG3UuqY8_qh53cel_fB6WutEpzk/s4032/PXL_20231128_155643294.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBge4FAgCtdy4Qa51pNLKStl8PUQrqrjVDQKEbJb-b-pHh7STocAn9tVL3odMIRg-2IcUMXbEOuV62qS9NzGGgAVlUdhXGoRxjIZS2UwLT-RO2N8LH3VxRXKHJmK65VZAGbhf1G0kEZs0e-sdXHsj3PE9MxGyXpZC4ZG3UuqY8_qh53cel_fB6WutEpzk/w640-h480/PXL_20231128_155643294.MP.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Dancing and singing.</div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">After refreshments, we continued our quest to see more animals in the (almost) wild. Ostriches came up close to our bus looking for food - I kept well back as I did not want one of my fingers to be their next snack!</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsobuCoWmOjhKwYPOAK69rlYBjl6DSs0gDDhJYT1Q_eQEb3tLMkPkya0jUKEP5c1yCdVn05uxnb88BhQ-mbbbrpMcotzBqFrVxVhq6CS4K62eV2hLSkOY9XwDKNeay5QrQCbG5Zc3YOQktP1N1qoqKhnZoVqJqEdnxsnzWDZAWD7ZpEZG6U8_b1OFb0L4/s4032/PXL_20231129_060134478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsobuCoWmOjhKwYPOAK69rlYBjl6DSs0gDDhJYT1Q_eQEb3tLMkPkya0jUKEP5c1yCdVn05uxnb88BhQ-mbbbrpMcotzBqFrVxVhq6CS4K62eV2hLSkOY9XwDKNeay5QrQCbG5Zc3YOQktP1N1qoqKhnZoVqJqEdnxsnzWDZAWD7ZpEZG6U8_b1OFb0L4/w480-h640/PXL_20231129_060134478.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Curious eye.</div><p style="text-align: justify;">Dinner at the Aquila is buffet style - it had to be as a couple of hundred hungry people descended on the restaurant at the same time. The food was OK - nothing to get excited about. Afterwards there is nothing much to do though star-gazing was in the schedule for the evening. I wanted to see the Southern Cross, but my Night Sky App told me that it was still under the horizon.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The next morning we were up at 6:30 for a 7:00 start for a second tour of the park. Apart from seeing giraffes for the first time we saw the exact same animals at almost the exact same places doing exactly the same thing as the day before, all on exactly the same bumpy road. It was great to see the animals again, though apparently they were supposed to be more active in the morning.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpJPS89zR_M2_deuaTE-i45-oulFfHV3EcEdvd0zsNu5PAH914xvfQs4DEr73FhPQpI1RrnJ-eDa17OEr2Mov043E5DFX3HqBFjvqLXzZBjhPjTpzSIhh335WOLVMf6Jtuj3NDHJIRxW8qII2kOhcThazfd5ubcLoLSUypL5vAUvrVMGWMlRG5hFZUnE/s4032/PXL_20231129_094140843.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpJPS89zR_M2_deuaTE-i45-oulFfHV3EcEdvd0zsNu5PAH914xvfQs4DEr73FhPQpI1RrnJ-eDa17OEr2Mov043E5DFX3HqBFjvqLXzZBjhPjTpzSIhh335WOLVMf6Jtuj3NDHJIRxW8qII2kOhcThazfd5ubcLoLSUypL5vAUvrVMGWMlRG5hFZUnE/w480-h640/PXL_20231129_094140843.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A nice place at Aquila to write this blog post.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Overall impressions were that it was a fantastic experience dragged out a little bit. We basically did the same thing twice. I also felt that though it was wonderful to see the animals that we did, I just thought - there are not that many to see? Four elephants, four lions, three giraffes, you get the message. The food was just OK, and we had a lovely room though not much time to enjoy it. I also decided that later in the morning before we left at 12:00 that I would have a go at a 45 min quad bike tour. Our brochure told us that a tour would start at 11:00 - perfect timing so I thought, but when I went to book I was told that there was no tour at 11:00 and that the next one would start at 11:30. Disappointing again. Very much a 6/10 experience. My recommendation is that you should do the tour - it is brilliant. But not stay over and do it again.</div><p></p>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-44348183810201875122023-11-30T16:53:00.000+00:002023-11-30T16:53:54.434+00:00South Africa Part II<p style="text-align: justify;">Today was all about touring the Cape of Good Hope. We set off in the morning and first stop after a great drive on the coast road was at Chapman’s Peak overlooking Hout Bay. We bought some overpriced souvenirs and then headed for the Cape.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicXDn5oHGLlVNXHQCvaaUoBlTv8QrpRsdWM0yKVKO_FCJK5e6buLbHa_IGT_GyypKPl8M-BA9kJF7xqFf5gIJCF2VV7v2SbjBrcEShZN27VrnJIZKw0hhNma4rv2kD6bd_1Zza0FmBkT8wqXMN-hIuBFBsDXOVpGADX8fCzV8F4DOs16H-sLGwBCe4bpw/s4032/PXL_20231127_073230294.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicXDn5oHGLlVNXHQCvaaUoBlTv8QrpRsdWM0yKVKO_FCJK5e6buLbHa_IGT_GyypKPl8M-BA9kJF7xqFf5gIJCF2VV7v2SbjBrcEShZN27VrnJIZKw0hhNma4rv2kD6bd_1Zza0FmBkT8wqXMN-hIuBFBsDXOVpGADX8fCzV8F4DOs16H-sLGwBCe4bpw/w640-h480/PXL_20231127_073230294.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Chapman’s Peak.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Cape of Good Hope is the most south western point in Africa. Apparently it got its name from sailors who when they reached this point we’re hopeful that they had left the Atlantic behind and were headed into the Indian Ocean. There’s not really that much to see here, but is is cool to be at one of the great landmarks in the world. There were a lot of tourists like ourselves queuing to get the photo opportunity at the sign. We also had a treat to see some baboons on the road from the safety of our car!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfSedg4UlrtLfbX9-Y9fQyx4cGsjGCAtcBTe_kdRDb7CQjS9evO6We6SSsTOzGywTieyhDZF0HP4o18UkNQ5oOHxNhUATiBlEZlQlMFu2uwfaa0ht4V7rHPgYF1iYn34RTEdGyPpQrfu57M4P01uk4R2SMa5gjeFm3kDQ5pZjVyG9eb8QkdyceUe1PvPs/s4032/PXL_20231127_091811568.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfSedg4UlrtLfbX9-Y9fQyx4cGsjGCAtcBTe_kdRDb7CQjS9evO6We6SSsTOzGywTieyhDZF0HP4o18UkNQ5oOHxNhUATiBlEZlQlMFu2uwfaa0ht4V7rHPgYF1iYn34RTEdGyPpQrfu57M4P01uk4R2SMa5gjeFm3kDQ5pZjVyG9eb8QkdyceUe1PvPs/w640-h480/PXL_20231127_091811568.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We’re here!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Not too far away is Cape Point where the lighthouse is. This again is a major tourist spot and has a lovely path with great views up to the lighthouse. We are approximately 10,000 kilometres from Dublin at this point which is possibly the furthest ever I have been from home.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnSv6YeWZynArkCcmb195YWZaQLzuRpVu2QbzIAtV7zDyUzHk_Fm7ySbWIe7MxHX9l3c2Phsp10HVBRDXVjKGU21VahCnj9uXtjROk7iWxErGSssD_6fZGlBUde80mbh0q9SqroWHmvyJKNH-puGLICjURWEDRhSC7phDDBQEv0W9hbFtrsFy0HkXwdJM/s4032/PXL_20231127_093401055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnSv6YeWZynArkCcmb195YWZaQLzuRpVu2QbzIAtV7zDyUzHk_Fm7ySbWIe7MxHX9l3c2Phsp10HVBRDXVjKGU21VahCnj9uXtjROk7iWxErGSssD_6fZGlBUde80mbh0q9SqroWHmvyJKNH-puGLICjURWEDRhSC7phDDBQEv0W9hbFtrsFy0HkXwdJM/w640-h480/PXL_20231127_093401055.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Cape Point.</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr66mGtgHvOLomdFgkAchViEIRNzp4nak5PyM-IlzuCUyvREYwP9vzBa8unUizaHTeQHL3cbTg6IihTSSriudP3jpGEm5Bo4L6R6QnxxhG1YEpJeFw4Okxd2_-idazDKOux9nDFFWaIpA5wfa_-0VqdpLps5yrbOvj5HJHPN-5dpsdha3fe2laUol4HFE/s4032/PXL_20231127_095719209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr66mGtgHvOLomdFgkAchViEIRNzp4nak5PyM-IlzuCUyvREYwP9vzBa8unUizaHTeQHL3cbTg6IihTSSriudP3jpGEm5Bo4L6R6QnxxhG1YEpJeFw4Okxd2_-idazDKOux9nDFFWaIpA5wfa_-0VqdpLps5yrbOvj5HJHPN-5dpsdha3fe2laUol4HFE/w480-h640/PXL_20231127_095719209.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">At the top of Cape Point.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">After the breath-taking scenery of the Cape, we headed to visit the African Penguin colony at Boulder’s Beach. They pretty much do a lot of standing about, and are probably wondering what all the weird creatures called humans were doing. It was time for late lunch at Bertha’s Restaurant in nearby Simon’s Town. It’s thirsty and hungry work being a tourist! A really enjoyable day seeing the sights of this part of South Africa.ee</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfNKZSgiP8CK6uO6d9QQZaDqo3YBSrXCopZPNTXirlPxcuNLKyMCOINICg-p9SzZjiuUUQfDtH9E5xZSUUXKIa-lPmI6TE8BNamEFwEEq68Ct5oCwrbOknx1c7xRVtAYBJt_iuZh6wt5yBB9mhRn-P4hHYqngpv422_vM4gSO0V83cned705k47ijXVJM/s4032/PXL_20231127_110500629.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfNKZSgiP8CK6uO6d9QQZaDqo3YBSrXCopZPNTXirlPxcuNLKyMCOINICg-p9SzZjiuUUQfDtH9E5xZSUUXKIa-lPmI6TE8BNamEFwEEq68Ct5oCwrbOknx1c7xRVtAYBJt_iuZh6wt5yBB9mhRn-P4hHYqngpv422_vM4gSO0V83cned705k47ijXVJM/w640-h480/PXL_20231127_110500629.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Boulder’s Beach.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZixhhD0DvC5MgaN8IcbQrr3cbCaYndplr5bITJw3GYdfPrQvdJ_aMeblGHUZi7yM1zDXITAnK5qSWoaoomq4SqKv9egjc-JU9Ft1eAaGATrQYH9UV46kB-XJ3WaH3yuD1Z6l51vUK9bvduP9rZLRYZgmTX_ZaC3S-ozwezt2xlcFOJxj4-IWvF7-LW8/s4032/PXL_20231127_114048951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxZixhhD0DvC5MgaN8IcbQrr3cbCaYndplr5bITJw3GYdfPrQvdJ_aMeblGHUZi7yM1zDXITAnK5qSWoaoomq4SqKv9egjc-JU9Ft1eAaGATrQYH9UV46kB-XJ3WaH3yuD1Z6l51vUK9bvduP9rZLRYZgmTX_ZaC3S-ozwezt2xlcFOJxj4-IWvF7-LW8/w480-h640/PXL_20231127_114048951.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Cheers from Simon’s Point.</div>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-87485828789313100542023-11-29T09:36:00.006+00:002023-11-29T09:45:58.715+00:00South Africa Part I<p style="text-align: justify;">This week is my first time ever in South Africa for a visit to Cape Town and its surrounding areas. After an 11 hour flight from London I met Roma in her hotel after she had spent a week volunteering with the Mellon Educate crew. We went down to Camp’s Bay for a light lunch where we had wonderful tasty sushi at the Paranga waterfront restaurant. Not a bad start for my first day in Africa! We went for a wander on the beach and dipped our toes into the very cold water. It was strange to see a packed beach with almost no one in the water - it is a feature here that the water is colder in the summer compared to winter as the stiff wind blows the warm surface water away.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmiLb71C86FXWihgxKtW3g4FFR9FDOvDQPQMGjPQIj-u3Z9UAnGVZUHjASm_NwScKQ8glbQlMS9ZRoHW2chpu3spN5Dk6E41rExpIIC9U_FJO4iBqcsceA-6hi67daiXuHIRWqr-4-v2yu1nn5kpmWery772fN79n637bioGdnyiQ9vquCWT4D8PQyeTA/s2048/IMG-20231125-WA0004.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1537" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmiLb71C86FXWihgxKtW3g4FFR9FDOvDQPQMGjPQIj-u3Z9UAnGVZUHjASm_NwScKQ8glbQlMS9ZRoHW2chpu3spN5Dk6E41rExpIIC9U_FJO4iBqcsceA-6hi67daiXuHIRWqr-4-v2yu1nn5kpmWery772fN79n637bioGdnyiQ9vquCWT4D8PQyeTA/w480-h640/IMG-20231125-WA0004.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">On Camp’s Bay Beach.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">For the evening we went to the Cape Town Waterfront area which was a hive of activity. A first for me was to eat springbok served on a skewer at the Karina restaurant. Despite having to send it back to be heated up a bit, it was delicious. We caught the end of the Leinster-Munster rugby game in Mitchell’s pub at the end of the evening.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">On Sunday, my first full day, we took the Hop-on Hop-off bus to see the city. First stop was Table Mountain. The cable car up to the top is fantastic - it revolves so that you can see all views. We had a clear day and could see some fantastic views from the top of the mountain. This is a must-not-miss experience and I loved every minute of it. Another first for me was having a beer at the top of a mountain!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnCAb55IAMgh_yCy3f3WjAm8-rRniuGjVKA-fbzIVevGxs_t5ED4FQBAo2NFkSTU0RUAw_MnkytxbgMDPQ2SwL37tZbX0V1R8tvZflOYlE58tDlKjuUGaQIihQxX9PvCSBF5tP94pV4gma7qSkj6aLLi1SzipowzFW4s-VLz_1HzMneN4lMKp_2Ka7ZW0/s4032/PXL_20231126_103512952.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnCAb55IAMgh_yCy3f3WjAm8-rRniuGjVKA-fbzIVevGxs_t5ED4FQBAo2NFkSTU0RUAw_MnkytxbgMDPQ2SwL37tZbX0V1R8tvZflOYlE58tDlKjuUGaQIihQxX9PvCSBF5tP94pV4gma7qSkj6aLLi1SzipowzFW4s-VLz_1HzMneN4lMKp_2Ka7ZW0/w640-h480/PXL_20231126_103512952.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Looking like I’ve climbed to the top of Table Mountain!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2dzgGvqn9zRr6Hv3KWceCx5SWFTJqj0PYh7NONmCfUCESjDlxiflfCsxtmaqfkzKMVmckcTpIX-Xsq3sOvrOpbLo4bl-PLmVU02UdIj2nbMX9sRT2_P6amOg6w5WHM_OoLBM6qx47K8bSCdj_C6y5WXRn3x5G8w3EY2jkmYxXWhPJY0KZK_iB6PB5os/s4032/PXL_20231126_102601793.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD2dzgGvqn9zRr6Hv3KWceCx5SWFTJqj0PYh7NONmCfUCESjDlxiflfCsxtmaqfkzKMVmckcTpIX-Xsq3sOvrOpbLo4bl-PLmVU02UdIj2nbMX9sRT2_P6amOg6w5WHM_OoLBM6qx47K8bSCdj_C6y5WXRn3x5G8w3EY2jkmYxXWhPJY0KZK_iB6PB5os/w640-h480/PXL_20231126_102601793.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">With Roma on top of Table Mountain.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpo7Ni4iwuW-4uTNNpHVUCjoAQmtwi-j53wdIvX-FvicrXNOJp3BZAXAQCcHKw8EikhBK6k2vlmrTUXQjWtViBelqmqjw_QPdS3j-K2giQ1vFEf-qVxEOtEqzKFWI4Lg2lYk0NKjYS1eRTgj6GQ1HMoChJWcrs6AlCt5fcRu2O3jZBc9kTh4Y1N42xs0Y/s4032/PXL_20231126_105904978.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpo7Ni4iwuW-4uTNNpHVUCjoAQmtwi-j53wdIvX-FvicrXNOJp3BZAXAQCcHKw8EikhBK6k2vlmrTUXQjWtViBelqmqjw_QPdS3j-K2giQ1vFEf-qVxEOtEqzKFWI4Lg2lYk0NKjYS1eRTgj6GQ1HMoChJWcrs6AlCt5fcRu2O3jZBc9kTh4Y1N42xs0Y/w640-h480/PXL_20231126_105904978.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cheers!</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We continued the bus tour and stopped off in Sea Point for lunch. At first we were a bit concerned because nobody else got off the bus at this stop, and we wondered did they know something we didn’t know! Nevertheless, we made our way to Regent Road where we found the Three Wise Monkeys restaurant, and again some delicious sushi.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwjjAnVtQ3FY7wx16Xe5TdZ3gUViDip0x-radlBQpgkCd1BdxZYfkBpQjzg4FvyXFzzPOx5998AODsGEWSS6YVZoaWeY-7DowizGG9TPAtigUesumSaavHHVV8caAJajhxNoukRQ-UhKWpAj9_cnloO9g_TiQw7K0xlR-DKJ2rPwsC0TgJ91Khz7etQiI/s4032/PXL_20231126_132532375.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwjjAnVtQ3FY7wx16Xe5TdZ3gUViDip0x-radlBQpgkCd1BdxZYfkBpQjzg4FvyXFzzPOx5998AODsGEWSS6YVZoaWeY-7DowizGG9TPAtigUesumSaavHHVV8caAJajhxNoukRQ-UhKWpAj9_cnloO9g_TiQw7K0xlR-DKJ2rPwsC0TgJ91Khz7etQiI/w480-h640/PXL_20231126_132532375.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Lunch at the the Three Wise Monkeys.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Our last stop on our tour was back the the Waterfront area where we did a little bit of souvenir shopping. A late evening steak at the Spur restaurant near our hotel was a great day to wrap up my first day in South Africa.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAnAquW2wkungqc7W-5dbAgdb4QyYZKhOMA3ziwK4j8y9TrBMdNq7FEGHMG-mdtXeSpyUCggAFYTgZJlIjY9qasJSMN6uOb0WFKBhuQFkXn9dkr0j5tVrDvHOdkQKx_cc015dsmR870CdUJEiCPL7ikZ8JxvK9PCMbyoshR7NSGOCuzHPG6KZ3TI2d9As/s4032/PXL_20231126_153612731.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAnAquW2wkungqc7W-5dbAgdb4QyYZKhOMA3ziwK4j8y9TrBMdNq7FEGHMG-mdtXeSpyUCggAFYTgZJlIjY9qasJSMN6uOb0WFKBhuQFkXn9dkr0j5tVrDvHOdkQKx_cc015dsmR870CdUJEiCPL7ikZ8JxvK9PCMbyoshR7NSGOCuzHPG6KZ3TI2d9As/w640-h480/PXL_20231126_153612731.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">With some notable South African people.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-30013373196491879962023-10-09T13:12:00.005+01:002023-10-09T13:13:25.991+01:00Weekend in Paris #RWC2023<p style="text-align: justify;">I was very lucky to get tickets for the Rugby World Cup 2023 Ireland vs Scotland rugby match in Stade de France last Saturday. It was a great occasion for the Irish and we thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere and the build up to the match. It was a pity that the game was over as a contest before half-time - Scotland were as poor as Ireland were brilliant. The All-Blacks in the quarter-final will be a much different proposition, but Ireland definitely have the skill, ability, and power to win. Bring it on!</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTt6aN_tkIuc-jboVCWoOAKoJMm1ubfhnEYEu7LCjb00BMYl22f1fX7P97jtutMxLKGUq26Sr74FHONtz_rxcUuuC6b5esARS6XhPxPwUO7JR7Eese-ajRNhWmYZUVuJRHWN1zN_0AOdwzuqUWn2b6q4iNN9HgeyaC4UPxs9D6WGh3MQ4Bd74nj6MCoLM/s4032/PXL_20231007_184309231.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTt6aN_tkIuc-jboVCWoOAKoJMm1ubfhnEYEu7LCjb00BMYl22f1fX7P97jtutMxLKGUq26Sr74FHONtz_rxcUuuC6b5esARS6XhPxPwUO7JR7Eese-ajRNhWmYZUVuJRHWN1zN_0AOdwzuqUWn2b6q4iNN9HgeyaC4UPxs9D6WGh3MQ4Bd74nj6MCoLM/w480-h640/PXL_20231007_184309231.MP.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">That soccer shower at the rugby!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We also took the opportunity to see some of the iconic sights in Paris while we were there. Here are a few photos (some already published to Facebook) to mark the occasion:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg28HgnGYw0mVKVGR73ZZIuHnmwl7_QmUfvMwI6wByQcfqWW5Ub1uwBOM6Duy9den3nvHNimg95EqkKpAnWTWdgM3_IkJY7GR7HEAVItl3oZtp1VlOAeKXifvc4WW8o0oL1ydB0tBqhtIE2cxPxzN6L6mHs0TRyDbTFZjIeaMh3BqcZYbuVsAKHfTcsvgE/s4032/PXL_20231008_113313310.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg28HgnGYw0mVKVGR73ZZIuHnmwl7_QmUfvMwI6wByQcfqWW5Ub1uwBOM6Duy9den3nvHNimg95EqkKpAnWTWdgM3_IkJY7GR7HEAVItl3oZtp1VlOAeKXifvc4WW8o0oL1ydB0tBqhtIE2cxPxzN6L6mHs0TRyDbTFZjIeaMh3BqcZYbuVsAKHfTcsvgE/w640-h480/PXL_20231008_113313310.MP.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">With Roma at the Arc de Triomphe.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJfYA1Kb-xVdJxpdvVAylw93mZR_Us2_mdRmK4fiuRDkT_uIF8DVJSee0iIx1Hkp4fyABeCKD6wt84Uk25-rPeGRnU37wdCPcjCRVcKoPXl5eXKfRVSN7AsgvEbvMT-eo4JAkTX_QXLmQnHQ4V4Ks62fQojUYgDc7LpTRg-LH3iq6Nr1Lx7wF2zyzIn4/s4032/PXL_20231008_105611183.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJfYA1Kb-xVdJxpdvVAylw93mZR_Us2_mdRmK4fiuRDkT_uIF8DVJSee0iIx1Hkp4fyABeCKD6wt84Uk25-rPeGRnU37wdCPcjCRVcKoPXl5eXKfRVSN7AsgvEbvMT-eo4JAkTX_QXLmQnHQ4V4Ks62fQojUYgDc7LpTRg-LH3iq6Nr1Lx7wF2zyzIn4/w480-h640/PXL_20231008_105611183.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">On the banks of the Seine.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-Q2ykTD-ZOTrdeVMfCxIQV2_qtjIEvo46ISCQgntVwOZ7gQjueaZ2lVJSWjXLtFvysCuJQ1hmnkgnbQaLoKcqAsEzUwLvuPiQZH9Rt1xup8b_9bwfsWxPqE3RJpc9SOEqQA2suzmdWlB5pdSwsHr9P9uXXPKBFXGOaFr03kZsDVLyl7OBPDP8fqAPUo/s4032/PXL_20231008_101224565.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ-Q2ykTD-ZOTrdeVMfCxIQV2_qtjIEvo46ISCQgntVwOZ7gQjueaZ2lVJSWjXLtFvysCuJQ1hmnkgnbQaLoKcqAsEzUwLvuPiQZH9Rt1xup8b_9bwfsWxPqE3RJpc9SOEqQA2suzmdWlB5pdSwsHr9P9uXXPKBFXGOaFr03kZsDVLyl7OBPDP8fqAPUo/w480-h640/PXL_20231008_101224565.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Posing with Gustav Eiffel at his Tower.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpYkhHiH8KfmOYYITYlLQDQDJPIeGfoMVrFesKAvKxmKADLVu93Oie7UogWZuU1k-TjJutwkCPeJeWuRq8OElD8ZVhbwE0N-MUFiPK_Utd80cIxABkw8XbhHCAVDEvKSBpmHv3nRXJ64i6VhAFFZ3kunkGJgNKgh06T0RaFzTxcvCV7pyi08sVBdZNYA/s3280/PXL_20231007_171137860.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="3280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpYkhHiH8KfmOYYITYlLQDQDJPIeGfoMVrFesKAvKxmKADLVu93Oie7UogWZuU1k-TjJutwkCPeJeWuRq8OElD8ZVhbwE0N-MUFiPK_Utd80cIxABkw8XbhHCAVDEvKSBpmHv3nRXJ64i6VhAFFZ3kunkGJgNKgh06T0RaFzTxcvCV7pyi08sVBdZNYA/w640-h480/PXL_20231007_171137860.MP.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">In the crowded Metro tunnel on way to the match.</span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCnL4xKoVkg4p9Dajr1SW9h2SeY2xKZX2u1EtfAvtV6M2d9GO7TJalGYeVtOU5t50kmUZQEZqz7xnrzyKT40f208NAVR9n_9r9caCNJjIGabcv8NdNqAsRc0oy_YKB-R0DpPFvFuCd4ZC-SfMERdKIZX2vGKgUeFYN8aCsTydBHjhxpo2XsJBqoG_CsKE/s4032/PXL_20231007_100029939.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCnL4xKoVkg4p9Dajr1SW9h2SeY2xKZX2u1EtfAvtV6M2d9GO7TJalGYeVtOU5t50kmUZQEZqz7xnrzyKT40f208NAVR9n_9r9caCNJjIGabcv8NdNqAsRc0oy_YKB-R0DpPFvFuCd4ZC-SfMERdKIZX2vGKgUeFYN8aCsTydBHjhxpo2XsJBqoG_CsKE/w480-h640/PXL_20231007_100029939.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">At the restoration of Notre Dame.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpqo5ju49EehIxbrKJdx7m44ne7Qf3x6Eijw072NSS3E2kRs-Y1dTzsHfNgFXEYkzOJLIZNQTTBIoXQn2GYzQsXcMefJ_20bFbfprxpcGaRfBm4Bb5NVuJQxpjSufAkq_4VEhTj8p4bNFxTXKzB4xvmOFndQAIhMtcIDj0cH3r9qVZ180gGniFNIY3KU/s3280/PXL_20231006_162402346.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="3280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGpqo5ju49EehIxbrKJdx7m44ne7Qf3x6Eijw072NSS3E2kRs-Y1dTzsHfNgFXEYkzOJLIZNQTTBIoXQn2GYzQsXcMefJ_20bFbfprxpcGaRfBm4Bb5NVuJQxpjSufAkq_4VEhTj8p4bNFxTXKzB4xvmOFndQAIhMtcIDj0cH3r9qVZ180gGniFNIY3KU/w640-h480/PXL_20231006_162402346.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">At my new restaurant in Place du Tertre, Montmartre.</span></div><p></p>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-48288139502039505802023-10-06T11:00:00.001+01:002023-10-06T11:00:00.148+01:00When I'm Sixty Four<p style="text-align: justify;">One of my favourite all time Beatles songs is the catchy "When I'm Sixty Four". Paul McCartney wrote this song in 1956 before the Beatles group was formed, and of course before I was born. It was one of the first songs he ever wrote, and it eventually ended up on the Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album. I recall singing it down the phone to my Dad Joe on his 64th birthday (in 1995) - never did I think that my own 64th birthday would creep up on me so quickly.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Every time I hear it, and sing it, I wondered what it would be like to be 64 years old. Well today is the last day I can sing this song with 64 in mine, as I reach this landmark age tomorrow. According to the <a href="https://mybirthday.ninja/?m=October&d=7&y=1959&go=Go" target="_blank">Birthday Ninja website</a>, the estimated number of babies born in the world on 7th October 1959 was 289,242. That’s the equivalent of about 201 babies every minute - imagine us all crying at the same time!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Forgive the ego moment, but I just had to do it... <i>When I'm Sixty Four</i>:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="437" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0D8ErAq67vo" width="526" youtube-src-id="0D8ErAq67vo"></iframe></div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-71599109511089187522023-09-27T11:14:00.004+01:002023-09-27T11:14:55.931+01:00Solar power on a good day<p style="text-align: justify;">Last May we installed solar panels on our roof capable of generating 5kW of electricity per hour - this is of course when the sun is shining. When the VAT was eliminated and SEAI grants added, it was an attractive proposition - we reckon it will pay for itself in about 5 to 6 years. So - four months later, how are we doing?</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Of course, the summer of 2023 was not a great summer for sunshine. The best day for electricity generation was on 3rd June when our system generated 38.65 kWh. You can see from the green line below that at peak time (early afternoon) almost 5 kW was being generated per hour. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi16O8J7_2jpWiIJe94Yh0scLlJzZRQ496Vr4vvTkHG-zQnPHrfoyMxr6B_mgnN7QYLl4snEJKdsTRFjdUpjsw9Ysa1MMH9EWTe76LJLo4k5t78t1HPG8nKwkWJbFhDDEFQXD1fuaSTj6lIqoCjQeZXUae1l4Et3ROTt9T8t8BvZ19bEDMLVluqZbF2Kmk/s1492/03JUN2023-PV.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="785" data-original-width="1492" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi16O8J7_2jpWiIJe94Yh0scLlJzZRQ496Vr4vvTkHG-zQnPHrfoyMxr6B_mgnN7QYLl4snEJKdsTRFjdUpjsw9Ysa1MMH9EWTe76LJLo4k5t78t1HPG8nKwkWJbFhDDEFQXD1fuaSTj6lIqoCjQeZXUae1l4Et3ROTt9T8t8BvZ19bEDMLVluqZbF2Kmk/w640-h336/03JUN2023-PV.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One of the reasons for getting solar power was to avail of the opportunity to charge my car with cheap and possibly free electricity. You can see above from the red line that I charged the car from about 13:30 until 16:00 (the second peak is the immersion heater coming on. The car charges at a rate of 8kWh, and for most of the charging period 5kWh was produced. This means that it was only slightly better than half price night time rates. So - only on really sunny days does charging at this rate make sense - I have since reduced the car's input from 8kWh to 2kWh. It takes longer, but is effectively free.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">We also generate excess electricity that is automatically fed back to the electricity grid. We should get about 21c per kWh - on the same day as above, we should have received €4.83 from our supplier, Electric Ireland. However, as we don't have a smart meter in our house (though one is coming soon) we only get an estimate of electricity generated, which is way lower than what you see on the chart below.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXro63lcR3oR-I6fFixznPEMVwY-I-ThkejF95x6VQpW73hVeRU3yYkvi-yN8jF0_lwiyyr7PpRJRzhpY1mqRVr7KFd3Q8O_lPKOlHeM4vDLmQ7eCpak_FTLe6no9nntJzRXKwq9xTZGQxSqDlM35eE7WKuxACMT3zI-37P5faIlruuPTIas72vJPX3Nc/s1507/03JUN2023-Revenue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="785" data-original-width="1507" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXro63lcR3oR-I6fFixznPEMVwY-I-ThkejF95x6VQpW73hVeRU3yYkvi-yN8jF0_lwiyyr7PpRJRzhpY1mqRVr7KFd3Q8O_lPKOlHeM4vDLmQ7eCpak_FTLe6no9nntJzRXKwq9xTZGQxSqDlM35eE7WKuxACMT3zI-37P5faIlruuPTIas72vJPX3Nc/w640-h333/03JUN2023-Revenue.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">So far, solar power is a positive experience. It's great on sunny days when 5kWh can be generated - however, when a cloud blocks the sun, this figure can drop to 1kWh. On rainy and dull days, very little is generated (more about this in next post), and of course the winter is coming!</div></div>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-66763534404427737942023-09-18T16:14:00.001+01:002023-09-18T16:14:31.132+01:00Instagram<p></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: justify;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="padding-left: 10px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRG7yiBh3byxgdAUuGdaSmY7UIqBNkOd0ij7Jlg68WnQaW7cRVC260pHAWeB6v_WaF9SUr-sbZl-aKxV5voJyTAhxVny1pu84ypyA0VEZKOZR-b7FPYw7aA2MG7E9XgA7zyyJM1UPdVJI1qivpeb9KOGhP6T2G170PwP0Dd2KlJLfc3cvCS7MsPm9GaYs/s320/efmoloughlin_qr.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="165" data-original-width="320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRG7yiBh3byxgdAUuGdaSmY7UIqBNkOd0ij7Jlg68WnQaW7cRVC260pHAWeB6v_WaF9SUr-sbZl-aKxV5voJyTAhxVny1pu84ypyA0VEZKOZR-b7FPYw7aA2MG7E9XgA7zyyJM1UPdVJI1qivpeb9KOGhP6T2G170PwP0Dd2KlJLfc3cvCS7MsPm9GaYs/w240-h320/efmoloughlin_qr.png" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Scan to access Instagram.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;">I have just recently revisited Instagram. I set up an account a few years ago and promptly forgot about it. Now I want to <a href="https://www.instagram.com/efmoloughlin/" target="_blank">showcase my woodwork</a> which has become a serious hobby for me - scan the QR code to access my Insta page. I have no intention of becoming an Influencer and making money by selling my work. Instead, my pieces are for family and friends as gifts (or payments!)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Much work goes into making an oak table. Finding the right sized tree is of course the first option - all my oak tables come from my Dad's farm in Ballingate, Co Wicklow. It is usually my brother Joe who cuts the slabs, as he is a far better chainsaw operator than me. A long period of drying follows, and it is pot luck as to how cracks will form during the drying process. Next is levelling with a router followed by lots and lots of sanding until a smooth table top is formed. I mostly buy iron table legs on-line, this makes getting a level table a lot easier. The last stage is filling the cracks with resin and polishing off the final product. A huge amount of time goes into each piece, though I am getting better and more efficient with every job. I see some of these types of tables making big money on-line, but these are made by professionals who have a lot more gear than me. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I have shown/boasted about some of my pieces in this blog before, but Instagram is the place for my work from now on. I have quite a lot of pieces planned for this autumn and winter - in addition to table tops, I also want to create a side table, bread/cheese boards, and also to try my luck with ash. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaudxp6CdfI4-ifC1AsVWzaYZW-v5Uw51XmH2D5FMx8ulQNfFDogqBm71XDRSUI7YdKtXtTrVsvGfoLJzN636ETy2mGWn7_VsFMYjfhFxhzU18xTWU0Xc91AxzhSZFDEr6zjMezvycKYlbqE3V3aYYQJoxpMGnuapVkWdgJ-XRY6_v6XUNVyxX8S2Cmf4/s4032/PXL_20210420_135528474.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaudxp6CdfI4-ifC1AsVWzaYZW-v5Uw51XmH2D5FMx8ulQNfFDogqBm71XDRSUI7YdKtXtTrVsvGfoLJzN636ETy2mGWn7_VsFMYjfhFxhzU18xTWU0Xc91AxzhSZFDEr6zjMezvycKYlbqE3V3aYYQJoxpMGnuapVkWdgJ-XRY6_v6XUNVyxX8S2Cmf4/w480-h640/PXL_20210420_135528474.MP.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The beginning.</span></div></span><br /><p></p>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-60590796494558926262023-09-16T12:18:00.001+01:002023-09-16T12:18:24.686+01:00I haven't gone away you know!<p style="text-align: justify;">August 2023 is the first month since January 2008 that I have not posted on this blog. After a run of about 170 months in a row, I just did not get around to writing anything in August - a month which I mostly spent in Wexford. It was not a deliberate decision, but over the past couple of years since I retired, there are a lot of subjects that I am no longer really interested in. I have tended to put short posts on Facebook instead.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">So - just a quick note to say I am back, and hope to renew blogging over the next few weeks.</p>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-9765255780905683292023-07-25T10:28:00.002+01:002023-07-25T10:29:55.556+01:00New Director<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjb3FT5uJpEv0I8UYOXI992WZZiJPGySyxuP2xPP_a3zZHH4mJJBD_Dx3bDhlNxUgCS4akjD9LaYfseilRxeEb-RA66v9z_lrupeFBRz2P7rBCsL0spiPTgxBztR868QNcOTeysra-EtATciOC77NoXmX2BCILcdywT2rOCfoSbR-fUJ5y3eNwHDKUQq0" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="322" data-original-width="1238" height="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjjb3FT5uJpEv0I8UYOXI992WZZiJPGySyxuP2xPP_a3zZHH4mJJBD_Dx3bDhlNxUgCS4akjD9LaYfseilRxeEb-RA66v9z_lrupeFBRz2P7rBCsL0spiPTgxBztR868QNcOTeysra-EtATciOC77NoXmX2BCILcdywT2rOCfoSbR-fUJ5y3eNwHDKUQq0=w640-h166" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;">I am delighted to announce that I have been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Dublin City Volunteer Centre. I am greatly looking forward to working with this brilliant organisation who do great work on behalf of the citizens of Dublin. The appointment is for two years, so lots of interesting times ahead!</p>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-80627172087091949902023-06-23T11:57:00.000+01:002023-06-23T11:57:17.111+01:00Donostia - San Sebastián/Bilbao<div style="text-align: justify;">Our final stop on our tour of the Basque Country was in San Sebastián - a beautiful city with a brilliant Old Town to explore. The city has a well-earned reputation as one of the must-visit food destinations in Spain. We certainly tried as many different Pinchos as we could, and we also went on a food tour led by Amaia of the Devour Touring company. The tour involved visits to six different restaurants with a Pinchos and a glass of wine at each. This was great fun and Amaia was brilliant. Be warned, this is not a cheap tour and you will spend most of the time standing up. </div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpfbwz2N5pzt13Wfi1XPLQRwn3XOlFc48utFz6aUTT0Xesq6QqKoPAxztr3qpLg7RLtFanwvO1Zzd3QH83TQf3xN3lJVuKlV8B1gAzCLpeqAesBF1-i6xbF6GnIN8ZbfLA5w9W3Y3n2H8b-L2M9DIDjUO-G6lqVk9Du1OSDPrnJoOTEb_FiOBwD3Urk70/s4032/PXL_20230620_175024099.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpfbwz2N5pzt13Wfi1XPLQRwn3XOlFc48utFz6aUTT0Xesq6QqKoPAxztr3qpLg7RLtFanwvO1Zzd3QH83TQf3xN3lJVuKlV8B1gAzCLpeqAesBF1-i6xbF6GnIN8ZbfLA5w9W3Y3n2H8b-L2M9DIDjUO-G6lqVk9Du1OSDPrnJoOTEb_FiOBwD3Urk70/w640-h480/PXL_20230620_175024099.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Devour Food Tour is great fun!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivx5EIzl-3s2WUmSRDVmdUe_RxFkGu_ScUBMgFmagrpgbx0fe5kjSSq0VZtjA_c97Ctyk_I8MUPthxNxpZFyAya8WmBisLMHotAdnpPBmai1vbiRowznCzt4n8YXUJ2Q0WWH6mZszyK-ltuH7GN44TD1eqYyvLO3Ib2VEbZGhYziNhk7gzNbTWVyeJniA/s4032/PXL_20230620_175135235.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivx5EIzl-3s2WUmSRDVmdUe_RxFkGu_ScUBMgFmagrpgbx0fe5kjSSq0VZtjA_c97Ctyk_I8MUPthxNxpZFyAya8WmBisLMHotAdnpPBmai1vbiRowznCzt4n8YXUJ2Q0WWH6mZszyK-ltuH7GN44TD1eqYyvLO3Ib2VEbZGhYziNhk7gzNbTWVyeJniA/w480-h640/PXL_20230620_175135235.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Enjoying the Pinchos Tour.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I visited the San Telmo Museum in the Old Town. It has lots of interesting features on Basque history and culture. The museum was free to access, an English audio guide was €2. This was essential as all displays had only Spanish and Basque language text. On our last day we went to the Aquarium, not expecting much. But it is an incredible place with fantastic displays of marine animals on show. The centre piece was a huge tank that you can walk under and see sharks and all sorts of fish of all sizes. I’m sure they do eat each other, but all seemed happy to swim about and be stared at. This was definitely one of the highlights of our trip!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On our way to the ferry from Bilbao to Rosslare, we stopped at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao for a few hours. The building itself is incredible and has a fantastic display out front of a puppy sculpture covered in flowers, mostly bedding type plants. It would have taken a large nursery to grow these plants - a nice contract for a grower to have!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Inside the museum there were exhibitions of art that were hard for me to interpret. I just don’t get some of the work - it must be brilliant if it is on display in the Guggenheim, otherwise it wouldn’t be there.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlLZtbXvNcrfwbrcxCH9e_3Ws20y4sYNFZYDNpUCj4a77Kpku2yAYzilTfhOcgMbhc5gcZeGhUAw4yBMvX_v8WulZZll804H71vZqTNshwr54-DOLVIyus1w_a9WlZ637B7p1H5nps4jQnpOKW8SzHWt-xuralFY8jPUf5tQpRCpUhdcnVFU4fFQDJ2o/s3280/PXL_20230622_111453864.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="3280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOlLZtbXvNcrfwbrcxCH9e_3Ws20y4sYNFZYDNpUCj4a77Kpku2yAYzilTfhOcgMbhc5gcZeGhUAw4yBMvX_v8WulZZll804H71vZqTNshwr54-DOLVIyus1w_a9WlZ637B7p1H5nps4jQnpOKW8SzHWt-xuralFY8jPUf5tQpRCpUhdcnVFU4fFQDJ2o/w640-h480/PXL_20230622_111453864.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Getting ready for the Guggenheim Museum.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghBGj5z6EJVZl6jS45uJFk6G7Fc81PV7dm7LYSK4QsMfLMU3f4FfJTKipWB50nS7pWlPCYeNO2bwuCNv5CWxS0beaygif0U2_hR6Y9WtAuP8TgXbTHp5rewiCq19H1CKCC3m83KpAIMUkZUPmg2E56oJReyqCZbrm5bE-_LsG3VEpvw7dVqsr--uGUIFE/s4032/PXL_20230622_112821815.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghBGj5z6EJVZl6jS45uJFk6G7Fc81PV7dm7LYSK4QsMfLMU3f4FfJTKipWB50nS7pWlPCYeNO2bwuCNv5CWxS0beaygif0U2_hR6Y9WtAuP8TgXbTHp5rewiCq19H1CKCC3m83KpAIMUkZUPmg2E56oJReyqCZbrm5bE-_LsG3VEpvw7dVqsr--uGUIFE/w480-h640/PXL_20230622_112821815.MP.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Roma admiring the sculptures in the Guggenheim Museum.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5agfy-DvNGywJcIac-IDS-QE5Pb-PB1taUx3ucCy1LFa-gd_4McibjXW8nqM6Dulz4BQaWKXTex1VVh7yuJPcF589rpf5CDLcbXcK2-hLC_ECd2lCaYxgHceBayleNcPIs-loj5LyYLkymcOpr8LmF78Lt2o8adn9KrQQh9cYZ6GTxZzXTfe05mCslMk/s4032/PXL_20230622_134734910.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5agfy-DvNGywJcIac-IDS-QE5Pb-PB1taUx3ucCy1LFa-gd_4McibjXW8nqM6Dulz4BQaWKXTex1VVh7yuJPcF589rpf5CDLcbXcK2-hLC_ECd2lCaYxgHceBayleNcPIs-loj5LyYLkymcOpr8LmF78Lt2o8adn9KrQQh9cYZ6GTxZzXTfe05mCslMk/w640-h480/PXL_20230622_134734910.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bilbao!</div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGo-CrjbyNlp2PZtlQ0XJJABzapymTYr6vvvHY7Pe8rr-bHaY7DKgLZn0meEZ2DJG_y-ww8eTII5CmdkItlZSquVLiN9scz0WKROzAPf9Nixw0hGxRLLK_-1e6YzEBtpuPnVntOh0vpOYHqF2lt1duF_gp4Dbfj9N1rm3ZyylevaLIp8gR_aig3NLivk/s4032/PXL_20230622_122649685.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWGo-CrjbyNlp2PZtlQ0XJJABzapymTYr6vvvHY7Pe8rr-bHaY7DKgLZn0meEZ2DJG_y-ww8eTII5CmdkItlZSquVLiN9scz0WKROzAPf9Nixw0hGxRLLK_-1e6YzEBtpuPnVntOh0vpOYHqF2lt1duF_gp4Dbfj9N1rm3ZyylevaLIp8gR_aig3NLivk/w640-h480/PXL_20230622_122649685.jpg" width="640" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;">Modern art at the Guggenheim with a secret message: Mayo for Sam!</div><div><br /><div><br /> <p></p></div></div></div>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-86941932856458603262023-06-19T16:00:00.002+01:002023-06-19T16:02:32.880+01:00Bayonne<p style="text-align: justify;">Next stop on my tour of the Basque Country was Bayonne on the coast of France. No particular reason for staying here other than it seemed like a nice place to stop. Sadly, I was on my own on this leg of the trip as Roma was back in Ireland at her Uncle Aodhan’s funeral. I stayed on a river boat called the Peniche Djebelle. This was a really unusual place to stay, but very comfortable and in a good location right in the city centre. It was a bit claustrophobic in that the hosts also lived on the boat - I had to cross between their couch and TV as I went to my room. Nevertheless, it was a pleasant stay - I really liked the gentle waves from other boats rocking the Djebelle as they passed by.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_sw34TJuKU6IHvxhfz6MUqRplgLZWq0okFkcdk5RGif6XipPkPbPG5WGSBubZsNV7jBS0uBKH64dHxNnG7YGyHkNr8CsIi7liB8t_n7AfO1q59H9Yid1uiwRHsaELqVaZD-fmYnwNbb-4ykYlimkTiB_hEZGAdTbj98o6ZdtaiCCbY88wmumOTbqU5Rg/s3280/PXL_20230617_101236953.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="3280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_sw34TJuKU6IHvxhfz6MUqRplgLZWq0okFkcdk5RGif6XipPkPbPG5WGSBubZsNV7jBS0uBKH64dHxNnG7YGyHkNr8CsIi7liB8t_n7AfO1q59H9Yid1uiwRHsaELqVaZD-fmYnwNbb-4ykYlimkTiB_hEZGAdTbj98o6ZdtaiCCbY88wmumOTbqU5Rg/w640-h480/PXL_20230617_101236953.jpg" width="640" /></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: justify;">On the Pont Saint-Esprit, Bayonne</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Looking for something to do I decided to take a trip on the bike to see the Sare Grotto and Caves which is close to the border with Spain. This was a fantastic experience. First there was a great ride though the French countryside and mountains. The caves are definitely worth a visit for anyone who is nearby. Our pre-historic ancestors set up home here thousands of years ago. It was also a home for bears, which must have made for tough neighbourhood relations! Our tour guide warned me at the beginning that the commentary would be in French, he gave me a short leaflet that helped in explaining the features of the caves. Despite this, I was happy to be able to understand much of what the tour guide said - he often checked with me in English if I had any questions.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz7E6eaaqU_4AxBIL0KkNcTsQL36aVSzxCn8k5iFCQl4OKS72sS1nwqetnV84J2K0t3fikcFSU54F8ZGZITX55E7lr1WgsQwRAUjjw9yGBYnU_rn52mlrdc0duKvG74mxi8ZpDJIhSl-_8lIv6xW_5cWraUs9Viu-e3XraDxj_s9Lw63E1ed718f3O1bg/s3280/PXL_20230618_111839327.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="3280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz7E6eaaqU_4AxBIL0KkNcTsQL36aVSzxCn8k5iFCQl4OKS72sS1nwqetnV84J2K0t3fikcFSU54F8ZGZITX55E7lr1WgsQwRAUjjw9yGBYnU_rn52mlrdc0duKvG74mxi8ZpDJIhSl-_8lIv6xW_5cWraUs9Viu-e3XraDxj_s9Lw63E1ed718f3O1bg/w640-h480/PXL_20230618_111839327.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">At the entrance to the Sare Grotto.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Both evenings that I stayed in Bayonne were subject to the most fantastic thunder and lightening that I have seen. The rain was monsoon heavy, though I watched it from the comfort of Bodega Gilles with some grilled sardines and grilled mackerel for dinner. I have a new wine to watch out for when I get back to Ireland - Irouleguy is very tasty and worth checking out. Pity I’m travelling by motorbike, otherwise I’d stock up on this stuff!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On to San Sebastián for our last stop! </div>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-67106819138225069842023-06-16T18:52:00.001+01:002023-06-16T18:52:10.950+01:00St Jean Pied de Port<p style="text-align: justify;">We arrived in France yesterday after crossing the beautiful Pyrenees mountains via the Ibañeta Pass. Lots of twisty roads and thrilling hairpin corners to ride. St Jean de Pied de Port was our destination, it is the official start location for the Camino in France to Santiago de Compostela. There are a lot of people in hiking gear about, especially in the morning.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrg1TZaZCMraqcXvTI5vUSqmoLFqungoahlC8L6yjB1KcL2cewKlxGCX2-6AHinZwm28btIShrszxzGnI7xd8UY_49TLqw6DiMjPYTtoQh-XymB3oyot4aOcbKR11uMm2IKEvBfg-mOQIfMvkcSi3uYFyXAdSbRQfkGJ2HJI_q9U4ZVnomiMvHb6X/s4032/PXL_20230615_111703630.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrg1TZaZCMraqcXvTI5vUSqmoLFqungoahlC8L6yjB1KcL2cewKlxGCX2-6AHinZwm28btIShrszxzGnI7xd8UY_49TLqw6DiMjPYTtoQh-XymB3oyot4aOcbKR11uMm2IKEvBfg-mOQIfMvkcSi3uYFyXAdSbRQfkGJ2HJI_q9U4ZVnomiMvHb6X/w640-h480/PXL_20230615_111703630.MP.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">At the Ibañeta Pass.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">St Jean de Pied de Port is listed as one of France’s most beautiful villages, and it is easy to see why. Narrow hilly streets feature loads of small shops and plenty of bars and restaurants. The Nive river flows through the village which still has medieval walls and buildings. It was one of the main routes for pilgrimages and armies for centuries - you get a real feeling for history here. There are a lot of tourists here, with a traffic problem to go with it. It is very popular with motor homes and motorcyclists - a strange comparison with the city of Logroño where there was hardly any traffic.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCICNM3RXohfBNNNKNZcWD95lKUIIvry9wnmccXrXmuK8ghJj2l0zqxEhqaLbh6yGXPN04F4BbDLRx5HhYEdF-4rjRzhBLEfiyu1Mqcw9smYIK2EJ2pQIYnPg8GI9h8ajWq_gkqQn34II2uweaw0APXvcnbYOSJNB6E7JPvpFVxXWLlQZ7dbcBh78K/s3280/PXL_20230616_093646923.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="3280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCICNM3RXohfBNNNKNZcWD95lKUIIvry9wnmccXrXmuK8ghJj2l0zqxEhqaLbh6yGXPN04F4BbDLRx5HhYEdF-4rjRzhBLEfiyu1Mqcw9smYIK2EJ2pQIYnPg8GI9h8ajWq_gkqQn34II2uweaw0APXvcnbYOSJNB6E7JPvpFVxXWLlQZ7dbcBh78K/w640-h480/PXL_20230616_093646923.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">At the official start of the Camino France.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sadly, Roma’s Uncle Aodhan Bourke died yesterday and we made the decision that she would go back to Ireland for the funeral on Sunday. She will come back to Spain on Monday to finish the holiday for the last few days. So, I have a few days to myself with my motorbike. Tomorrow I am heading to Bayonne, so looking forward to a few kilometres on the road.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgivJqyUoctO2b4fgnGkNNdo83-McCql-QIPOrQImL-TmEQXXjilDM90MUsLy6tWREfkyyYFxCzpVTPfL5f1wY2B-Fo53iN_-cP3F7dIErKp2y-xOTr2XadIY1RUU1vyyhvSsBtOXeXyQ0fzd2wfr8-lJk74OTZfwpkuZs134bCayj49vAj3pXJE1VT/s4032/PXL_20230616_110619263.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgivJqyUoctO2b4fgnGkNNdo83-McCql-QIPOrQImL-TmEQXXjilDM90MUsLy6tWREfkyyYFxCzpVTPfL5f1wY2B-Fo53iN_-cP3F7dIErKp2y-xOTr2XadIY1RUU1vyyhvSsBtOXeXyQ0fzd2wfr8-lJk74OTZfwpkuZs134bCayj49vAj3pXJE1VT/w640-h480/PXL_20230616_110619263.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here we go on the Camino.</div>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-61826485357560385802023-06-14T08:27:00.002+01:002023-06-14T09:05:36.710+01:00Laguardia<p style="text-align: justify;">Today we took the short trip by bus from Logrono to Laguardia, which is described as one of Spain’s loveliest villages rising high above the Rioja region to provide panoramic views all around. It seems that vines are pretty much the only crops grown around here with every available space cultivated. I did see some olive trees, but nothing else. Wine is big business here and Laguardia is right at the centre of it. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrrzJcjFO0OKnZbKD-xdNRxfkyLEghvMpWcyyOdXLJJAfRBV15bOHqNTAEtEbrpoU5EBGSoucA3puqnXEtXonDjhO7pw6i5EsFb6ZADu1JVa5dS6uG3E53bgIoYjRtc__egSjcbX4fkJ7CotlzO00OCRdL_k5BXKqFuP_ZUZqJ6eBWt_ciRl8ADZ0K/s3280/PXL_20230613_095513722.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2464" data-original-width="3280" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrrzJcjFO0OKnZbKD-xdNRxfkyLEghvMpWcyyOdXLJJAfRBV15bOHqNTAEtEbrpoU5EBGSoucA3puqnXEtXonDjhO7pw6i5EsFb6ZADu1JVa5dS6uG3E53bgIoYjRtc__egSjcbX4fkJ7CotlzO00OCRdL_k5BXKqFuP_ZUZqJ6eBWt_ciRl8ADZ0K/w640-h480/PXL_20230613_095513722.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On top of the Abacial Tower.</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: justify;">The streets of Laguardia are narrow with no traffic allowed. It was very quiet while we were there, so strolling around was very enjoyable. We went up the Abacial Tower for the best views - it was €2 each to climb the 115 steps, but worth it. Nearby was the magnificent Church of Santa Maria do Los Reyes - this, and many other churches in Spain are lavishly decorated inside with scenes of Christ and his mother Mary’s life at the entrance and above the altar. One small bug about the tour here is that a presentation about the entrance was given in French (because most of the group we were in were from France.) Outside the church in the plaza there was an interesting sculpture by Koko Rico dedicated to travellers.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdknhu_IEJ3xsSbq05TPVC31WTIJ5porqIc_VSeEyRLGDkFcZ7KE1FKIc2AFLT0ljX8eikpwvjVpW4-wnIpfrfpaP-lyDjYL79q4goWiCcfbwYu3qPHTQdgcwZ5ydfcD525Mq1SGliffVPQvjVrodKDcTNlUURf80upseqJaIh92fjLWIFHtneVzW/s4032/PXL_20230613_113237637.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbdknhu_IEJ3xsSbq05TPVC31WTIJ5porqIc_VSeEyRLGDkFcZ7KE1FKIc2AFLT0ljX8eikpwvjVpW4-wnIpfrfpaP-lyDjYL79q4goWiCcfbwYu3qPHTQdgcwZ5ydfcD525Mq1SGliffVPQvjVrodKDcTNlUURf80upseqJaIh92fjLWIFHtneVzW/w640-h480/PXL_20230613_113237637.MP.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The door to Santa Maria de Los Reyes.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9800gK8SelJqMGt_OWNjwisQwEcYu8qKNqBBprrIwOnqK1PEio7qieHZpV5Cwwx2X5jR-Ria63U2CswQNSon2R5TGoRm4Sogazom3sxeYEMsUDMzbT3rMRBErMgw7jAcpl2u91pxrqqonbTS7TRnU7lmjhJzGUzydFO9mdXbU9nzUvA1UVzRFhmv9/s4032/PXL_20230613_091444266.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9800gK8SelJqMGt_OWNjwisQwEcYu8qKNqBBprrIwOnqK1PEio7qieHZpV5Cwwx2X5jR-Ria63U2CswQNSon2R5TGoRm4Sogazom3sxeYEMsUDMzbT3rMRBErMgw7jAcpl2u91pxrqqonbTS7TRnU7lmjhJzGUzydFO9mdXbU9nzUvA1UVzRFhmv9/w640-h480/PXL_20230613_091444266.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Koko Rico sculpture - boots and bags.</div><div><br /></div>We had some wine and pinchos on the Plaza Mayor and watched the world go by. This village is definitely worth visiting, though I’d imagine it would not be as pleasant at peak tourist times and in hot weather (we had lovely cool rain while we were there.) <div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNaUIdNbPNetQr5MPxU065E1FhTQwyVq1etiWuEt1K9_DYAX0WXQyZV2S2Q5LvRPOfUPG4Mz9_FcqzQ1epveg0S01aZzBv5M9XpQRgHP6V-szOaPPiGpUrxl2sm3_HHHQuGU29f0Vw5Ry5Un83s46D8QlOvkrFfxAJEevmOkRfC4OZvTsBYlQIf9iV/s3280/PXL_20230613_114636303.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3280" data-original-width="2464" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNaUIdNbPNetQr5MPxU065E1FhTQwyVq1etiWuEt1K9_DYAX0WXQyZV2S2Q5LvRPOfUPG4Mz9_FcqzQ1epveg0S01aZzBv5M9XpQRgHP6V-szOaPPiGpUrxl2sm3_HHHQuGU29f0Vw5Ry5Un83s46D8QlOvkrFfxAJEevmOkRfC4OZvTsBYlQIf9iV/w480-h640/PXL_20230613_114636303.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Just one of the lovely narrow streets.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57htwcBZrFkgEhDFtky40MhstYBC3GEFEMCSE3bDGw0tPqCyDjiRP0QSxfA2FiQ1g7kQdQFdtDLu9yhWrKIpTlpRYvdw77jF7yDzY3lt5dLotv6jyZMC3Hz5EnLY0RDCdjQwFNJeyaymya8nO3ERduFg-LJanWTpRhUCZRh0GzFWWbpI_7Q05y7hq/s4032/PXL_20230613_103649852.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj57htwcBZrFkgEhDFtky40MhstYBC3GEFEMCSE3bDGw0tPqCyDjiRP0QSxfA2FiQ1g7kQdQFdtDLu9yhWrKIpTlpRYvdw77jF7yDzY3lt5dLotv6jyZMC3Hz5EnLY0RDCdjQwFNJeyaymya8nO3ERduFg-LJanWTpRhUCZRh0GzFWWbpI_7Q05y7hq/w640-h480/PXL_20230613_103649852.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cheers from Laguardia!</div>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-77932895612309124262023-06-13T06:30:00.001+01:002023-06-13T06:31:28.443+01:00Logrono<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Today I am in Spain with Roma for a few days of motor cycling, plus of course wine and tapas. We sailed on board Brittany Ferries Salamanca from Rosslare to Bilbao, 30+ hours of relaxed comfort - I’d certainly recommend this as a way of getting to Spain.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The rain in Spain stays mainly on the road from Bilbao to Logrono. This is the fourth time Roma came on a motorcycle holiday with me, but it was her first time getting rained on. We had our onesie suits which we bought for our Route 66 ride in 2019, but had never used. They work well, and the bike is performing great so far.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVK9rkAnWO6LvME-9IQtV9YVN3lFXTV0R3YH4C6rEUPWDwYV8bLyz-29N1h7b8mbomzzfGyG5EYUiroVDuI3zUDCFfG5uunMRLRWJFhiR_MUCm0p6gWJpvKy0YpXunM3KvohzRtrkNQr3MPEuhk3VLxCABOdqgJ4uLK6TbbtXCb3JF54c5ozulhLaH/s4032/PXL_20230609_212450123.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVK9rkAnWO6LvME-9IQtV9YVN3lFXTV0R3YH4C6rEUPWDwYV8bLyz-29N1h7b8mbomzzfGyG5EYUiroVDuI3zUDCFfG5uunMRLRWJFhiR_MUCm0p6gWJpvKy0YpXunM3KvohzRtrkNQr3MPEuhk3VLxCABOdqgJ4uLK6TbbtXCb3JF54c5ozulhLaH/w640-h480/PXL_20230609_212450123.MP.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Getting ready to board the Salamanca.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Logrono is a lovely city <span style="text-align: center;">- we picked it for 4 nights purely on the basis that it is in the Rioja region. There was a brilliant Medieval Festival on which we did not know about. Plenty of brass bands and people parading in medieval dress - the place was hopping and we loved it. We had wine and tapas in Laurel Street where we had front row seats to the parade. We also did the Tapas Crawl where we moved about from place to place. Fantastic pinchos made eating out cheap and tasty.</span></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyuTHQiw7Qx5erUjttSE8TabrVMfNOs7VUmxSY5djg-TqB2DHICAN8SOOD1VlT-z0LXuCeik4F-cGrX10VFP_fjrIi0i_ltiWP7jADTaJdrzr_ps4ys2e4bUFtU_2z-KHA9LvWLlf--CLLdzgxSQkWSQRQny4WBs0Aj7b9MCeJrchJ0acV4BcWcqWp/s4032/PXL_20230611_165208457.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyuTHQiw7Qx5erUjttSE8TabrVMfNOs7VUmxSY5djg-TqB2DHICAN8SOOD1VlT-z0LXuCeik4F-cGrX10VFP_fjrIi0i_ltiWP7jADTaJdrzr_ps4ys2e4bUFtU_2z-KHA9LvWLlf--CLLdzgxSQkWSQRQny4WBs0Aj7b9MCeJrchJ0acV4BcWcqWp/w640-h480/PXL_20230611_165208457.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Not in Temple Bar!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Because it was Festival time, most shops were closed. Travelling by bike means that we will not be shopping much, which is a pity because there was a brilliant street market all around the centre of Logrono. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">We finished the day by visiting the Bordon Franco-Espagnoles wine cellars just at the edge of the River Ebro. This was a very good tour and I learned a lot more about making wine than I did in other wine tours in other countries - definitely recommended. There is a huge cellar with impressive amounts of oak barrels aging the wine to perfection. Some Bordon wines are expensive, but we got to taste a glass of one red wine that cost €25 a bottle here - what would the price be in Ireland!</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvrEhUDa9VR_yTc9u_mwmny8JELTVybjjV0UGpDXDQCMP2a_4WlwEHB_6qEE5SyrbTlj7OGqyTMo6Zyn6yA4TaeGV2xxkqhMlUgwpf106N5_9Pb8bnauNcbqFJrlxHHJedeyXzdBx-uSGgNxBpUba2I7dbC2Zg4t0aVM2mU9l4yMLTLCEKWxsi73aK/s4032/PXL_20230612_150451950.MP.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvrEhUDa9VR_yTc9u_mwmny8JELTVybjjV0UGpDXDQCMP2a_4WlwEHB_6qEE5SyrbTlj7OGqyTMo6Zyn6yA4TaeGV2xxkqhMlUgwpf106N5_9Pb8bnauNcbqFJrlxHHJedeyXzdBx-uSGgNxBpUba2I7dbC2Zg4t0aVM2mU9l4yMLTLCEKWxsi73aK/w640-h480/PXL_20230612_150451950.MP.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Getting ready to drink this lot!</div><br /> <p></p></div>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-35101423753317341492023-06-06T16:41:00.003+01:002023-06-06T16:43:00.063+01:00Going Solar<p></p><div style="text-align: justify;">We have had solar panels installed on the roof of our house and are turning into complete nerds to see how much power we are generating, how much we are earning from surplus, and how green we are. We got 15 panels installed that are capable of generating up to five Kilowatts/hour when the sun is shining. The supplier estimates that we will generate between four and five thousand Kilowatts in a year. This will be a substantial part of our estimated seven thousand Kilowatts used in a year (this figure is very high, but about a third is from charging my car.)</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzc7wrFFrronTDetz3lnBiFCilDYEaJPF4I7o7qkgtp4Y8eSkJnJBTypbSnyjzRpYILvNMs6HmF4PdygRNBu0PFk_5oaRHBPRA5HTTTowyeNg4IEKUYzn7_unfhLtFCRbr8ShVcV-UK3bIJusttPyCTCT9MTpnes1u8rJb7oHwuTE4h0QhJpciZG0/s4032/PXL_20230524_152531698.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYzc7wrFFrronTDetz3lnBiFCilDYEaJPF4I7o7qkgtp4Y8eSkJnJBTypbSnyjzRpYILvNMs6HmF4PdygRNBu0PFk_5oaRHBPRA5HTTTowyeNg4IEKUYzn7_unfhLtFCRbr8ShVcV-UK3bIJusttPyCTCT9MTpnes1u8rJb7oHwuTE4h0QhJpciZG0/w480-h640/PXL_20230524_152531698.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Installation was very efficient and the system worked straight away. I have switched charging my car from night time to day time when it is sunny. I haven't worked out what the savings are from doing this. The screen shot below is taken at a time when it was sunny and most of what was being generated was being uploaded to the electricity grid. On a sunny day like this we should get about 5€ to 6€ per day - the recent good weather has been kind to us!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmL-IXlg1bKmPAS08Zqu4X3kr7nnzSr2ia2Ry0opLPZqWPewGLTmlH7ArRgkVozLxs0aeVCfirC_LObuJCxEABNy_-W8m4r1jFI_tcTjrFnyAqSxqiyb9VSpAkIgYqQTbybKL4SkYE8m2pSKowp8QmY8tPw5saE1iDV6MiYT7c2gGAKirW2f4dt3M/s473/2023-06-03_13-48-34.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="442" data-original-width="473" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmL-IXlg1bKmPAS08Zqu4X3kr7nnzSr2ia2Ry0opLPZqWPewGLTmlH7ArRgkVozLxs0aeVCfirC_LObuJCxEABNy_-W8m4r1jFI_tcTjrFnyAqSxqiyb9VSpAkIgYqQTbybKL4SkYE8m2pSKowp8QmY8tPw5saE1iDV6MiYT7c2gGAKirW2f4dt3M/w400-h374/2023-06-03_13-48-34.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The next chart shows one day's overall output and consumption. Obviously nothing is happening when it is dark. The green line tells us what we were generating from the panels throughout the day. For the red line you can see at first that about 8 kw/h were being consumed when I plugged in my car. There's another red peak as we have now set out immersion heater to heat the water during the day. Charts like this are interesting as you can really see the difference solar power is already making. We estimate that it will have paid for itself in about 5 to 6 years.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_tNvu-BjHl_96DLQ7QiTVXn-6-1Zy6wd4oHUsAXQg2CkqwxXUGdWT-HUa59PtbXCrzZePlp2-7QOGT4Xuf0B8sjNDmzklW6JCaKFsLsCHaN1ZanV4Y1znULJ5LALe3oK7-0nUcrxVwWCBhMmfRAlLPJfEDMcPmaVSZZVR5za7x5RG_29mNj82qS0/s1036/2023-06-06_16-32-32.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="498" data-original-width="1036" height="308" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd_tNvu-BjHl_96DLQ7QiTVXn-6-1Zy6wd4oHUsAXQg2CkqwxXUGdWT-HUa59PtbXCrzZePlp2-7QOGT4Xuf0B8sjNDmzklW6JCaKFsLsCHaN1ZanV4Y1znULJ5LALe3oK7-0nUcrxVwWCBhMmfRAlLPJfEDMcPmaVSZZVR5za7x5RG_29mNj82qS0/w640-h308/2023-06-06_16-32-32.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><br /><br /><p></p>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-46371342368464122432023-05-30T11:40:00.005+01:002023-05-30T11:40:52.703+01:002022 Census Results<p style="text-align: justify;">Today, the results of the 2022 Census are being published by the Central Statistics Office. I was one of over 5,000 census enumerators who collected the census data in April last year. Spare a thought for 50 or so of my colleagues who were bitten by dogs in the line of duty. Apart from being threatened by one man will legal action, my 480 households were relatively problem free to deliver and collect census forms. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Two headline figures stand out for me:</p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><ul><li>The proportion of the population who identified Roman Catholic as their religion fell from 79% in 2016 to 69% in 2022</li><li>Of the 1.8 million occupied private households enumerated during Census 2022, 348,443 (19%) completed the Time Capsule. The completion rate by county ranged from 16% to 21%</li></ul><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I was surprised that the 69% for Roman Catholics was so high. As a fairly regular Mass goer myself I see the almost empty churches on most Sundays. I think a more interesting piece of data that should be collected would have captured the number of practising Catholics. I'm also surprised that the Time Capsule completion rate was so low, as there was lots of publicity and excitement about it in the lead up to the Census. On the doorstep, many people told me that they did not know what to write, or that they were not bothered. Sadly, for researchers in 100 years time, there will be disappointment when they look up ancestors to see what they put on the form, only to find that 81% were not filled out.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72kUvTWiuMq_SlMt7bYx9R2KYlljCc8Y5w7esLNHGaA26lha0FoNG3ZnEbChU9rfMKbU5TIDvFip0Erj8AdK0AIv9vwKsI8tQclGY99gzj6sQ3XmABhqF-b_2wGUIW1McfMYZ-IRT5vQvfSWZScAOVdFlg-TOffD56ltyWiSQe59SLNwbaO0kVvTP/s4032/PXL_20220428_161803697.MP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="584" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg72kUvTWiuMq_SlMt7bYx9R2KYlljCc8Y5w7esLNHGaA26lha0FoNG3ZnEbChU9rfMKbU5TIDvFip0Erj8AdK0AIv9vwKsI8tQclGY99gzj6sQ3XmABhqF-b_2wGUIW1McfMYZ-IRT5vQvfSWZScAOVdFlg-TOffD56ltyWiSQe59SLNwbaO0kVvTP/w438-h584/PXL_20220428_161803697.MP.jpg" width="438" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Lots more data to peruse as it is released - I'll be interested to drill down into my own area, plus the area I enumerated. No doubt I would have used Census data in my Statistics classes had I not retired - it is a great source of non-normal data. </div><br />Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-2423169833627459602023-05-15T15:44:00.003+01:002023-05-15T15:44:25.252+01:0030,000,000+ YouTube Views<p style="text-align: justify;">Over the weekend, my <a href="http://www.youtube.com/eoloughlin" target="_blank">YouTube channel</a> passed the 30,000,000 views mark. As always, I am both humbled and thrilled when the channel reaches landmark figures like this. The channel is maintaining some steadiness with views (250k/month approx.) - perhaps a slight drop off as older videos become less relevant. It still earns me money, and I also get lots of (mostly positive) comments. At the moment the channel is my only involvement in Education, and I try my best to respond to questions put by viewers of the channel. My most recent series of 22 videos on Problem-Solving Techniques is not performing well, but hopefully will pick up soon.</p>
<div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MHNpG__dNnc" title="YouTube video player" width="560"></iframe></div><p style="text-align: justify;">The top performing video of all is "How To... Plot Multiple Data Sets on the Same Chart in Excel 2010". It was published on April 11, 2012 and has 1,917,000 views. Six of my videos now have over 1,000,000 views each - they account for 7,811,419 views or 26% in total.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">A huge thank you to all viewers of my videos, and as I say at the end of every video: "I hope you found this useful".</p>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5506803982752146525.post-46884205466655165702023-03-23T10:59:00.002+00:002023-03-23T10:59:51.215+00:00YouTube vs Udemy<p style="text-align: justify;">Last June I published my one and only course on the Udemy platform: <a href="https://www.udemy.com/course/problemsolvingtechniques" target="_blank">Problem-Solving Techniques</a>. It has been a chastening failure as there are only 46 students - most of whom availed of a free voucher scheme I made available through Linkedin shortly after publication. Many of these students have not accessed the course at all. Last year I met an employee of Udemy in Dublin who told me that it was vital to promote the course on social media, get endorsements, and use vouchers to get enrolments. The course has had no enrolments since last September, and has made just $38 in total. I don't have the time, nor the endeavour, to promote the course like it needs - so it will languish in Udemy amongst thousands of other courses. </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Then there's YouTube!</p><p style="text-align: justify;">I have just over 72,000 subscribers and almost 30,000,000 views in YouTube. 22 of the 37 videos in the Udemy course are essentially updates of my old Problem-Solving Techniques YouTube Playlist - several of these videos are over ten years old and were made using Windows Movie Maker. Many comments on the videos report poor audio quality. I have now released my Udemy videos on YouTube - here's one example about Pareto Analysis.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="468" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vHlvdy3elpY" width="638" youtube-src-id="vHlvdy3elpY"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I checked with Udemy if this is allowed - and it is. They just ask that I do not charge less than Udemy does ($19.99) on a third party platform. YouTube is not suitable as a full course experience as there is no way (yet) to provide a curriculum structure. The 22 videos are listed in a Playlist, but it is not immediately clear that the videos are part of a course. On each video I link to the Udemy course as a "full learning experience". I also put a note in the old versions that a newer version is available.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">This new and updated set of videos will make some money from advertising, though this will take time as they have to build an audience. I will report how YouTube compares to Udemy in a few months time.</div><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p>Dr Eugene O'Loughlinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12862889013218798392noreply@blogger.com0