Slight Detour: Another Great Day in Ireland

We spent some time in Skelig Michel country yesterday. The island, deemed a World Heritage sight, lies off the west coast of Ireland and can be seen while driving the Ring of Kerry.

Yesterday, we could see both Skelig Michel and many other islands as we took a drive on a spectacularly beautiful day.

We've had the luck o' the Irish so far with weather, but that bonus may not last, as we all know that it's rain which keeps the island so green. So, we may encounter some moisture, but we're equipped and aware that when the weather's nice, enjoy it.

Our trip included a lunch at Port Magee and an attempt to grab an ice cream cone in another village. Unfortunately, the ice cream shops were closing as we drove in.

On the eating side of things, last night we also discovered where the delectable steak and potato cakes have gone after our perennial favorite PF McCarthey's had sold over the past year. Our friend Vince works as the chef there, but sadly our stay in town happened on his days off.

So, we went to the Kenmare Brew Pub which has the potato cakes. They are an appetizer, but Debbie ordered them as her meal, while Bill and I split an order to go along with our respective main dishes.

Nothing rivals this recipe which includes the cakes bites of steak swimming in peppercorn gravy.

Last night I thought they tasted better than ever, possibly because we thought we'd never have the experience again.

Like the crusted pecan chicken salad at the now former Trinity Restaurant in Sandpoint, the appetizer has found its way to a new home in Kenmare. And, we shall keep that in our minds for future trips.

There was music at the pub last night. A local guitarist/singer and his birthday-girl fiddle player put on a great show, combining Irish folk classics with contemporary selections.

She was nice enough to sing The Parting Glass for me, and while she was singing, a couple invited me to sit with them in their off stage front booth.

Between the beautiful sounds on the stage and the immediate warmth emanating from the young couple, the moments turned into lasting memories. My new booth friends escaped Ukraine and now live in Kenmare with their 10-year-old child. Both are involved in the tech world.

Vitallii came over to our table and visited for a while. He has promised to keep in touch and tell me their story after I return home.

Earlier in the evening, Kenmare Brew Pub also served as the meeting place for Willie to connect with the Irish National women's basketball coach and a local boys basketball coach.

Initial getting acquainted led to Willie accompanying John, the local coach, to a team practice where Willie did what he loves best: coaching basketball.

Coach John also has a wealth of local Kenmare history, so he invited Willie to his home to give him a book about World War II soldiers, which includes some of John's colorful family history.

It was obvious when Willie met us at the pub that he had experienced some notable and meaningful interactions with his coaching friends.

And, so another day in Ireland ended with all of us marveling at the places we saw, the meals we loved and the new friends we had made.

This is precisely why we love to travel---minus the airplane experiences (which I have come to describe as purely draconian in far too many ways). Once we arrive, however, in our general destinations, the joy begins and continues through each experience.

We see new places, make new friends and continue to broaden our horizons.

Today it's on to Clifden and Sharamore House B and B where Bill will be anxious to sample Sue's pancakes and where us oldsters will be fondly called "the kids."

With the continuous stairs we've slowly climbed and carefully descended on this trip and the occasional hitches in our get-a-longs, we savor the suggestion that we are "kids."

Happy Wednesday.

Enjoy the photos.