Waiting for Godot

Waiting for Godot Actually waiting for all the company to arrive in Doolin. Kathryn and Dane showed up first; actually drove to Galway to pick them up from the bus station. Yes, Ireland still has national bus as well as rail service.

Once they arrived, Kat & Dane headed into the Burren surrounding the house; neither rain nor sleet nor snow could stop them.

We revitalized ourselves by heading to the French patisserie that is next door to the jewelers. I asked Brain to make me a new ring, using the gold from Lynn’s ring and adding new elements representing past, present, and the exciting future.

Brian’s partner, Fabiola, runs a patisserie next door, opened Thursday – Sunday. We try go every day she’s open.

Next to arrive, Brian and Pam. Their short drive from Shannon Airport turned into a two-day venture. Brian has sworn to donate money to the sign-makers as he was perpetually lost, as we all are! But still loving being lost in Ireland!

The five of us struck off for Doolin Cave, 2 km from the house. 135 steps down into the earth, tto he great stalactite, It is 23 feet long, the largest in the world and is 600,000 years old. Not only did we see the great stalactite, we saw fossils imbedded in the walls that were 2.3 million years old. Another accident find by cavers in the 1970’s, they were crawling on their bellies through a pitch dark 3 foot tunnel when they stumbled on an opening that turned out to hold this amazing geological feature. This is a curtain stalactite; the deposits form folds that can actually move in the wid. Yes, there are air currents within the cave. If you look closely, you’ll see that the front (facing you) is darker than the back. That’s because the front is “dead” and no longer growing from the calcium carbonate deposits. Another amazingly cool feature is that the stalactite diffracts light. Light enters the interior, bounces around, and some of it exits the opposite side. But if all the lights are turned out, the stalactite glows in the dark as the light waves bounce around inside.

Finally, we’ll all here. My cousin Maryanne and her friend Kit, both from Florida, are the last two to arrive. Time for a good old Irish pub crawl, where, at Fitpatrick’s, we met Miley. Miley was working with 2 hours sleep – a real trooper. After a visit to Lisdoonvarna the night before: “We had to wait for the music to stop. I wasn’t drunk until 6 AM; I’d sobered up at four but I had to wait for the other lads. Then it t’was home for a quick nap before my first aid course.” It seems all Irish bartenders and hotel managers should be proficient in first aid. Must be those bar room brawls!

I ordered a B & B, Hennessey and Benedictine. “Sure this is the first time I’ve made such a drink. See the bottle is dusty and in all the years I’ve been here, only one shot’s been poured. “ But make it he did, as well as some fabulous mojitos with mint from their pub garden. Ireland is dedicated to locally grown. Most pubs and restaurants have a greenhouse and signs are posted to let you know which farmer has supplied your meat. Overall, a much more ecologically aware country than America.

Then off to MacGann’s for traditional Irish music. Pam talked to craic (pronounced "crack") to the musicians and Tommy danced the broom dance. No. Tommy wasn't with us!