MERRY CHRISTMAS (X-MAS 2010)

Here’s to Christmas cheer and you,

To smiles that melt away those blues,

Friendship, love, songs from above,

X’mas hugs from me to you.

MERRY CHRISTMAS.

KO.

Postcards from Eire - G

Hello my lil peeps,

(The Cliffs of Moher)

I actually made it to the West Coast of Ireland and to the popular Cliffs of Moher. I’m not sure what I expected to feel when I finally got there, but the Cliffs will always hold a special place in my memory as this spectacular place allowed me to put the pieces of my disintegrating self(thanks to a surprising feeling of loneliness that hit me during the day long, guided bus tour) together in no time.

(Lunch break - Doolin - Bangers and Mash)

The burren, tombs from 5800 year ago, the fairy circle like cave etc were lovely but for some strange reason all that barrenness seemed to seep into my bones leaving me cold and lonely.

(A Tombstone: 5800 years ago)

Then this came along and the spirit of the place whispered to me, reviving my spirits and reminding me of the freedom within. It was a day to remember and in the end, the cliffs were the highlight of my day.

(The Burren: Another View)

I loved my month long holiday in Ireland as it was the perfect mix of family, friends, giggles, sulks and yes, I went to Ireland in the hopes of seeing something of the old Eire and find it I did; in the hills, the green fields, the ocean, the ballet, some of the people, and last but not the least, in that pint of Guinness too. Having said that, I chose cider over Guinness most of the time!

(Not the legendary "sheep-cows" our leprechaun voiced tour guide loved to go on about.)

It’s finally time for me to say goodbye to this wonderful memory. Hope you enjoyed the journey as much as I did, virtual though it was.

(Frank and Lil Ed: Of course I miss you.)

Love and Luck,
K.O.

Postcards from Eire - F

Memories,

Like the corners of my mind,

Misty water coloured memories,

Of the way we were.

(The Way We Were - Lyrics)

(Caisleán Nua - I stayed in Newcastle, Co. Wicklow and here's what it was named after!)

(A castle of another kind- Malahide Castle; I did not meet the 4 resident ghosts.)

(Cloud Cover - Outside Malahide Castle)

(Oscar, I close to died for you for this. Yeah, I almost stepped off the pavement and under a bus trying to snap this picture!)

(We're the Vikings; hear us roar! The Viking Tour around Dublin was fun too.)

(Galway)

(St. Stephen's Green - Dublin)

(Almost Eden: The Mount Usher Gardens in Ashford, Co. Wicklow)

Postcards from Eire - E

The Magic of Connemara

It was one of those grey days but that didn't stop me from hopping on to a bus to check out the beauty of a place I'd heard so much about.

The drive from Galway city to Clifden was worth it in itself. The scenery was stark, wild and breathtaking. I also loved the fact that there were hardly any of us on that bus, something rare if you come from my neck of the woods - India!

More than an hour later I walked in to Walsh's Bakery and Coffee Shop which was the first thing I spotted when I hopped off the bus.

Breakfast was hurried as I wanted to hit the road and walk aimlessly on forever, which is exactly what I did.

I chose to walk on The Beach Road first but after a while I realised that I'd prefer the heavens.

And so it was that I walked for hours on end on what was aptly named The Sky Road, soaking in the sights and scenery. It was just "I, me, myself" and nature most of the time. I could have gone on forever but the threat of a downpour finally got me to turn around and walk back towards civilization.

(In the Beginning)

(These made me feel I was a part of 'Jack and The Beanstalk' Land)

(Kiss me Ass: A Donkey's Tale)

(Once upon a time)

(The ole stone wall)

 The skies opened within minutes of my entering Walsh's Coffee Shop but the tea, bangers and mash, my book and the odd conversation with an Aussie bloke kept me content, happy and protected from the wind and rain for a good amount of time. I would know; my umbrella almost did a Mary Poppins on me the moment I stepped out of the place to get on the bus back to Galway City - Almost.

 Ah, happy memories indeed.

Postcards from Eire - D

Dearest Ash,

This spot here is Newcastle Beach and I knew I’d be back in solitary splendour the first time I came here.I was with my folks at the time and after looking amused at my Mum collecting pebbles, I kept four aside for myself like it was magic beans or something!

Like I’d predicted I did come back and it was one helluva windy day. Of course, that only added to the charm and I walked for what seemed like miles before I found a solitary spot on what was already a pretty solitary beach.

Not the greatest of ideas as I was reading a thriller and my imagination would run wild every time I sensed a jogger nearing my corner of the world. I survived as you can see and to be honest, none the wiser for it.

Love always,
KO.

A Million Little Pieces

Fragments cold

Stories old

Tainted snowdrops; frozen teardrops

Stories cold

Fragments old.

Broken pottery

Unspoken mysteries

Splintered footprints; bloodied fingerprints

Mysteries unspoken

Pottery broken.

Dusty floors

Unhinged doors

Withered leaves; insidious disease

Unhinged doors

Dusty floors.

Moonbeam river

Sunlight quiver

Caterpillar to butterfly; healing touch – Giver of Life

Moonbeam quiver

Sunlight river.

Postcards from Eire - C

Hey Seige,

This is heaven. I’m at Sandy Cove and it’s a lovely day; blue skies and sunshine. I did walk the length of the beach if you must know. Started down the middle and went to the James Joyce Tower end of things and then headed back to the Dun Laoghaire side of the pier.

I found my spot around here.

I look out at the water and think of you since that’s where you would be if you were here. Takes me back to our holiday in Goa and the water ballet scene that played out there!:D Well, this is me, so I guess you won’t be surprised to find me sitting on the waterfront, reading my book, gazing dreamily at the water, fascinated by the odd seagull, and all the while - the music, it just keeps playing in my head.

KO.

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Diva,

After a whole lot of walking and hours of reading I headed off to Salthill/Monkstown to meet up with my sis. I walked a whole lot and no, I did not get lost, as this time around I asked for directions unlike that time I confidently ‘turned right’ well aware of my terrible sense of direction. I almost made it; almost! At that last turn my brain froze and I just about lost it before recovering my sense of balance and calm. All in good time too. My sis might have burst a blood vessel if I’d gone on “mind-blank-mode” a minute longer. Older and wiser, eh!?! ;-)

Well, I know you’d have hated all that walking which is why I'm sending you a snapshot of Brittas Bay instead, where all I did was sit around(See, your kind of thing!), moving my butt only to have a look at my first jelly fish. The lazy end to a lazy day spent watching a bunch of movies which just might explain my rather brain dead state of mind.

KO.

Postcards from Eire - B

Dearest Mountain Goat(aka Poo),

You’ve got to get to Ireland and Glendalough at that. The panorama is simply breathtaking and I'd like to believe that it was the reason I vaguely resembled the living dead on the way up that mountain. You'd have been in your element and would have had a chance to run wild with your tribe - the mountain goats, ofcourse!

Up, up and up we went,

Dead, dead, dead and bent,

Flat land spotted - no time for tears, 

(The ruins of the ole mining settlement)

Alive again and ready for beer!

Here’s one last picture of the Black Lake (Eh, yeah, that's what I call it.). The original Black Lake was a figment of my imagination(I actually wrote a short story about it!) and this lake here is as real as it gets for me.

Isn't it loverly? Loverly. Loverly. *sing until the light begins to fade*

Au revoir, my fair lady.

KO.

Postcards from Eire - A

When I went away on a month’s holiday to Ireland a lot of people expected me to be writing odes by the dozen. That didn’t happen as I don’t think I’d have been able to do the place poetic justice.Instead I figured I’d just let Ireland speak for itself through visuals on this page via the series “Postcards from Eire.”

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Dear Kitten,

 

I’m at the James Joyce Tower right now and I keep thinking about you as the book Ulysses is one of your favourites.

 

This one’s for you.

(The First Edition of Ulysses - 1922)

(A letter from James Joyce to Nora Barnacle, written from the Tower on 10 September 1904.)

 

My favourite bit was this. Don’t ask!

 

 

On top of the world as you can see and that flag has me feeling I’ve just won a battle. Well, I’m battling the wind, allright. I know the picture says otherwise, so you’ll just have to trust me on this one. The wind was so strong that I’m surprised I didn’t find myself adrift at sea, watery grave et al.

 

KO.

 

P.S. I walked right past one of those nudist beaches and never noticed it. Talk about literary focus!? Yeah right, more like my regular “horse-with-blinkers-on” walk!

 

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Vee lovey,

 

No prizes for guessing where I am today. It was just so surreal to find myself at Trinity College. I still find it hard to believe but as unbelievable as it was I have no intention of studying some more, so pack that hope away RIGHT NOW. :-)

 

It goes without saying that I enjoyed checking out the Book of Kells and guess what the exhibition going on at The Long Room(Notice the familiarity with which I speak. :D) happened to be about when we visited? It was about the Irish in India. Some coincidence that.

 

KO.