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| In a busy beach area in Madeira, Portugal,, cars were parked inside this frequently used tunnel. See this link for more. |
“The ancestral language of Irish people is Irish Gaelic. However, the
2011 census found that 82,600 people in Ireland speak Irish outside of school
(where it is an obligatory subject). The census also reported that 119,526
speak Polish meaning Irish is now the third most spoken language in Ireland
after English and Polish.”
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We have a long way to go before we start packing to leave Ireland and this time, I don’t plan to start until two days prior to leaving, giving us ample time to weigh our bags and pay for them online. The baggage fees for this upcoming flight are as much as the airfare. That’s how “they” get you!
This time it appears it will be easier to pack than it was three months ago when we left Marloth Park. We had accumulated so much peripheral “stuff” during our 15 months in South Africa whereby, here, we’ve managed to keep it to a minimum.
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| A “massage salon” at the beach. |
Yesterday, I literally forced myself to work on three months of accumulated receipts. What a relief I felt when this looming task was completed. Now, I’ll only need to log the few upcoming trips to the market, any fish we purchase from John and one trip to the pharmacy for products we’ll use on the cruise.
Tom suggested we wait and purchase toiletries once we arrive in Amsterdam but we’ve heard prices are outrageous in the city. Also, based on allowed baggage, we’re within the weight ranges and won’t pay extra for hair products, saline solution, and toothpaste which we’ll place in our large suitcases.
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| Exiting yet another tunnel. |
Purchasing such items on a cruise is three times the cost for the small sizes so running out of any items is a waste of money.
We’d hoped our cleaning person, Ann was coming to clean the house today but it appears she’s still under the weather. Of course, we wish her well but don’t look forward to cleaning the house, changing the sheets, vacuuming, dusting and cleaning the kitchen and baths.
If I was feeling stronger this wouldn’t be an issue. I try not to complain to Tom and do everything I can to help. But, he’ll do the bulk of the cleaning while I do the easy stuff.
We’d hoped our cleaning person, Ann was coming to clean the house today but it appears she’s still under the weather. Of course, we wish her well but don’t look forward to cleaning the house, changing the sheets, vacuuming, dusting and cleaning the kitchen and baths.
If I was feeling stronger this wouldn’t be an issue. I try not to complain to Tom and do everything I can to help. But, he’ll do the bulk of the cleaning while I do the easy stuff.
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| There’s been little rain and yet the hillside is lush and green. |
Yesterday and today, many of our readers wrote to encourage me not to be so concerned over not having new photos to post right now. This means a lot to us and takes off the pressure of getting out when I don’t feel up to it. Thanks to each and every one of you!
Today’s photos are from the enjoyable 2½ months we spent on the exquisite and unique Portuguese island of Madeira. We stayed in the small village of Campanario, where literally no English was spoken. Somehow, we managed and even learned a few words of the Portuguese language.
Today’s photos are from the enjoyable 2½ months we spent on the exquisite and unique Portuguese island of Madeira. We stayed in the small village of Campanario, where literally no English was spoken. Somehow, we managed and even learned a few words of the Portuguese language.
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| On a few hour outing in Madeira, Portugal, we’d go through as many as a 20 tunnels. |
We loved the contemporary house in the hills overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. There, too, like John in Connemara, there was plenty of fresh-caught fish sold by in a truck. The Madeira fish guy had a truck with loud music blaring from a speaker on the rooftop, specifically known as the “fish guy’s song.”
When we were around and we heard that song, we ran outside hiking up the steep hill to buy one of his fresh-caught yellowfin tuna. Nice memories were created there, as they’ve been here in Ireland as well.
Speaking of fresh fish, tonight I’ll have hake, one of my favorite fresh fish while Tom has the remainder of his bone-in pork roast. Luckily, John comes to the door and knocks when he arrives and we don’t have to climb steep hills to get to him.
That’s it for today, folks. I continue to walk and work hard to get more mobility and stability but sadly, it’s taking more time than I’d expected
When we were around and we heard that song, we ran outside hiking up the steep hill to buy one of his fresh-caught yellowfin tuna. Nice memories were created there, as they’ve been here in Ireland as well.
Speaking of fresh fish, tonight I’ll have hake, one of my favorite fresh fish while Tom has the remainder of his bone-in pork roast. Luckily, John comes to the door and knocks when he arrives and we don’t have to climb steep hills to get to him.
That’s it for today, folks. I continue to walk and work hard to get more mobility and stability but sadly, it’s taking more time than I’d expected
Be healthy!
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Photo from one year ago today, July 25, 2018:
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| Classic scene of three vultures on a limb. We were thrilled to get this shot from quite a distance. From this site: Vultures are, however, great ecologists, having a high sense of personal hygiene and are a manifestation of the adage of patience as a virtue. They clean the veld of carrion, thereby minimizing the impact of animal disease, and they bathe regularly in rivers after gorging themselves at a kill.” For more photos, please click here. |