When we travel we like to combine the new with the familiar. That was true on our recent trip — the Scotland portion was an extension of the familiar, and Ireland was new to us. That’s right, this was our first visit to the Republic of Ireland. We know there is much, much more to Ireland than we could see in a week, but on this trip we focused on three cities: Dublin, Galway, and Cork. This photograph comes from Cork.
Continue reading Cubist Wall
We have been traveling. A week ago we returned from a six-week visit to the British Isles — a couple of weeks in Scotland, a bit more than a week in Ireland, a one-week walk in the Cotswolds, and then some time in English cities. The photograph comes from near the start of the trip, just before we arrived on the Isle of Skye. We paused at the Eilean Donan Castle along the inland sea before crossing to the island. It was a welcome break on my first day of driving on left side of the road!
Continue reading Eilean Donan Castle
The Pena Palace sits on the summit of a ridge above the town of Sintra, a short train ride from Lisbon. From a distance the place seems unreal, given its location, its architecture, and its striking color scheme. Up close the weathering changes the effect a bit, but in a way that only seems to make the place a bit more mysterious.
Continue reading Windows and Yellow Wall, Pena Palace
The Pena Palace sits on the top of a ridge above Sintra, Portugal, a short train ride from Lisbon. (You do have to get to the ridge from the train station, perhaps a story for another time.) It is a remarkable structure that appears like something from a fantasy, especially in the foggy and rainy conditions while we were there. The palace and its turrets and towers are painted in brilliant colors.
Continue reading Detail, Pena Palace