Onwards to County Cork. And Ahakista. March 25-June22

Dublin, Wednesday night, switched to a cheaper hostel with co-ed dorms, shared a big ol' room with a pleasant German fellow named Falk.
Early-ish Thursday to the AirCoach to Cork city. Arrive in time to catch the next bus to Bantry in 5 minutes, so no exploring Cork for me, but the bags were heavy anyoldway. The 17 Euro bus ticket for a less-than 2 hour ride to Bantry about pissed me off, though.
Arrive in the afternoon and Monique and Kate are there to meet me. Grocery shopping and off to my new home in Ahakista. Monique and Luc are a Belgian couple, retired here for the last 12 years. They have a gorgeous 36 seaside acres with sheep and horses, cats, dog, garden. Luc is an ex-architect, living out his dream of always wanting to be a fisherman, and he makes an old salty one at that. Monique handles all things terrestrial and domestic, basically; a very capable woman, although she was a bit concerned about my being vegetarian and not really knowing what to feed me... we worked it out. (When their son and daughter, Peter and Grina (sp?) were about 10 years old, they took off and went sailing with them for a year. I loved talking about this experience and imagining the kind of bonding and mutual understanding and respect that must come from it.) I like these folks, and I am content in their home-space. I like this piece of land and sea quite a lot.
A bit about the routine: Meals are set – breakfast is at 9 and involves bread and spreads, coffee and tea, Lunch is at 1 and is the big, hot meal of the day. Always followed with a dessert. Tea is at 6 and is similar to breakfast, really, sometimes with a few other savory bits thrown in. It's interesting and I like the experience... a different way of doing things. Interesting.
(In general, the most characteristic thing about the following month of my trip is that I did not talk to Jay enough, really. But that's just always the case.)

Friday –
Kate and I mucked the stable and then did a bit of weeding in the garden. Luc and Monique were off to a family event for the weekend and we only had orders to watch after things for the weekend. Fair enough. I had my first swim since arriving here and it was excellent! The water was cold, sure, but whatever.
Kate made a nice lasagna for dinner and we just took it easy. People come around Friday nights to the private bar at the boathouse, attached to where WWOOFers stay, but we didn't join the group tonight.

Saturday –
Little bit of tending to the animals and garden and generally taking it easy...
Stevie, Luc's fishing partner, came by to pick up a few crabs (from the catch which they store in a sectioned-off sort of cement holding tank) for tomorrow's dinner, and he inspired Kate and I to go ahead and try our hand at preparing some. Eating crab has got to be one of the most savage activities one can participate in, but we did and it was really very tasty.

Sunday -
Afternoon, the family arrived home again, with son Peter and his girlfriend Sarah and their young child Daniel in tow. This little one is quite a performer – a flirt and a ham and very energetic. It was nice to have the extra energy of the family around, although Suzie, the dog, would regret the little one chasing her around and around before long.

Monday –
A bank holiday, so not quite back to routine. We had the afternoon off and went hiking over the hill to Kilcrohane, along the beach and back. It was a good exploration and got me started on my walking and exercise kick for the rest of the week. I could have just as easily been lazy... Thanks Kate for inspiring the walk.

Tuesday -
Who can recall anymore?
Got up early and had a good walk before breakfast. More like my own routine, feels good.

Wednesday -
Sometime this week the sheep-shearer came around and we rounded up the woolly ones for their seasonal clip. That was entertaining and character-building. Strong, they are, little things. We had one escapee, but he eventually came around to the flock again, as they do.
Kate is certainly a party girl. It's nice because she is out there on the scene, and she met a couple from Marin who she then arranged to introduce me to, and it's always good to make home connections.

Thursday -
Ah, writing this after the week is long over and my dates are confused, but I think today we did a lot of moving of hay bales, which felt like real good, solid farm work.
Luc and Monique have a little 'practice' vineyard with about 10 plants. It was in desperate need of some love, and a nice place to work with a breeze and a good view.

Friday –
Morning trip to Bantry for the market - a big affair something like a swap meet, with something old, something new, something cheap, and something completely useless - whatever you wish. The farmer's portion of the market is rather small and dominated by baked goods, but still I was glad to have a browse. I like cookies, after all. Actually, what I had was a gluten--free chocolate cake slice. And a mushroom soup for lunch.
Afternoon, nap and then finish up with the vineyard.
Been swimming every day this week, and I love it love it love it. My rule for time to get out is when I can't cup my fingers together anymore, because they are going numb. Seems to be working.

Saturday -
Day trip to Glengariff - hike to Barley lake and then back down and into town through the nature reserve. Different landscape out here - higher mountains, more warped geology, more forest. And goats.
The town is a little slip of a thing, not much bigger than Ahakista, but apparently more famous with the tour-guides, with lots of souvenir shops.

Sunday -
Monique and I took Kate to Bantry for her bus first thing after breakfast.
Lovely afternoon meal with Luc and Monique, with the Sunday wine... it's a sweet ritual. And we had very good conversation - we talked a lot about sailing and family. I told them to let me know if they hear of anyone they trust taking a sailing trip who would want me along as crew, and be willing to teach me as we go. Maybe. Could be incredible. I'm compelled by bonding activities, if you haven't yet noticed.
I wanted to work a bit on a project I had started, especially since I had not worked Friday much or Saturday at all, so I did that until it was time to swim and then be on my way over to Peter and Amanda's, just down the road, around the bend. Monique drove me over with my bags and invited me to come swimming anytime while I was around, since the P&A live in a sheltered little hollow without sea access.
We had a good chat and a pleasant meal (they are also veg, so no worries about what to feed me).

Monday -
Weeding outside... getting used to the different rhythm here. Plenty of time alone, and it feels more isolated, more like being in the jungle.
Had an evening walk up the mountain for a look around before dinner, which was satisfying.

Tuesday -
Rain - painting Nirvana - weeding polytunnel
We watched a lovely, bizarre French film called The Hairdresser's Husband.

Wednesday -
Weeding outside
Living-willow-sculpture-gazebo project
Alder path clearing

Thursday -
More with the Alder path, plenty of bramble. Peter says my arms look like I have been self-harming.
Evening walk out to the Air Disaster Memorial – I don't know how long ago, a flight carrying mostly Indian-Canadian passengers was the victim of some sort of terrorist activity and went down over the sea about 100 miles out, but much of the wreckage washed up on the beach here and a memorial was erected. It is a lovely, peaceful place to reflect on tragedy and human folly.

Friday
Made nettle and comfrey compost tea – drove to Bantry for the market - Organico Cafe for lunch (good, and a comfortable place that makes a good social center for me and my ilk). Made a sweet potato, rice and black bean, kale and tikka masala casserole with fresh green beans in a honey-mustard-garlic glaze for dinner. And yogurt-cucumber salad, of course. Annabel (a fine local artist with a lovely garden of her own, and supplier of the kale and beans) and Klaus joined us for dinner and brought a local farmhouse cheesecake, which we topped with fresh berries, including some fine Irish strawberries. We went over to the Tin Pub after for more socializing. Played a game of darts called Killers. Too much fun. Found out I will be on the kitchen crew for the Vancouver Folk Music Festival - woohoo! That's mid-July. Should be a good time :)

Saturday
An altogether satisfying day. Laid around reading in the morning and had a leisurely late breakfast. Bit of fussing in the garden just for exercise and to commune with the buzzers and chirpers and Amanda took me along for a little tour of the neighboring peninsula, to run errands and to play. We went through Schull, where Annabel and Klaus have another gallery and their friend Lisa has a little health food shop. We had crepes (I went for sweet - called Honeyombs) at a little place with a back patio over a stream. The people operating the place are very French. Fresh off. It was lovely. We went to the little chocolatier, also French, but a local artisan if ever.
On to Skibbereen for the paint for Nirvana, and then to Lake Hyne for a walk up the hill. Gorgeous. The weather seemed threatening all day but stayed clear.
We came back and had a tea and then I got into making a stirfry and we had vanilla ice cream and berries for dessert, and a few of the French chocolates.
After, we watched Circle of Friends, and Amanda and I enjoyed sharing a bit of Tullamore Dew.
Kitties are piled all around me tonight as I wind down with my cuppa chamomile and my little laptop.

Sunday -
Leisurely morning and late breakfast again. After perusing recipe books for a while and putting ingredients into the bread machine for a basic French loaf; waiting to see if the weather would do something or simply be threatening all day, I decided the latter and went walking. Up over the mountain and along the ridge, down Finn McCool's seat and up to the Peakeen Ridge and finally down into Black Gate where I wasn't on the road long before a lovely little Irish family stopped to pick me up and take me along with them to the end of the Sheep's Head Peninsula. Amanda had told me the cafe there made a nice Guinness cake, so I had a slice of that and then headed down the path to the lighthouse, where I saw the family on their way back up. I had some time to stand at the edge of everything and muse poetically about the sea and the stone and caught up with them again just as they got to the parking lot. It was getting around supper time and I could have been left with a very long walk back, so it was nice to catch them. They were Amanda, John and Sarah (who was in her first communion dress, having been in the procession for Corpus Christi) and Jack. They had wonderful West Cork lilting, sing-song accents and were very kind to drop me back at Peter and Amanda's doorstep.
I made Dukkah (and Egyptian spice and nut blend I discovered in NZ and have not had since, but I sometime think of it and recall that I loved it. I never tried to make it before, but it turned out very well.) The bread was ready and fluffy and perfect (I think I could get used to having a bred machine, after all.) Amanda made a nice pasta dish with fava beans and peas and beet greens and it rounded out my weekend just fine. We finished with a bizarre recipe I found in the Irish Farmhouse Cheese Recipe Book – basically blue cheese stuffed dates and prunes. The dates went better than the prunes, but it was all a bit intense and I think the remainder of the stuffing will have to find it's way into a gratin of some sort.

Monday -
By the time we finished breakfast, it was simply pouring rain, straight down. I painted inside the little shack called Nirvana and then came in and made soup for lunch. After lunch, it was bright blue, clear sky and hot sun. Wild.
Weeding outside and afternoon tea by the pond. Perfect for swimming, so Amanda came along and we began at the usual swimming cove at Luc and Monique's. Amanda saw some jellyfish at the shoreline, but I thought I would brave it anyway – I was cruising along and it was a bit challenging because the normally crystal-clear water was rather murky (ostensibly from the morning rain washing the mountains into the sea) and suddenly I realized I was swimming in a SEA OF TINY JELLYFISH. It was a bit startling, to be honest, and I made my way back to shore. Yes, indeed, the jellyfish were spawning. They were everywhere. We saw about four different species. The most plentiful seemed to be something called a Sea Gooseberry and they were very shiny and lovely to watch. Anyway – we moved down to the next potential swimming area – to find more murky water and more spawning jellyfish. Luc came out to encourage us to swim, saying he saw plenty of them all morning while he was out with the fishing boat, all across the bay, but that they wouldn't sting (which I was willing to believe, actually) but it was all too much for me – the murkiness, low-tide and high-seaweed, and the odd feeling of little creatures bumping into my hands with every stroke... and being all in my face. Yeah, it wasn't happening.
But we tried again anyway. Down to another secluded cove with way too much seaweed and jellyfish littering the shore. Alright, fourth try down to the public dock and beach. I had a few laps of a swim, and Amanda even got in despite the cold water, but the little ones were overwhelming and I got out much sooner than I would have due to temperature or tiredness. I still wanted to swim and it was a bit frustrating, but that's what I get for being squeamish, I guess.
It was very nice that Peter had supper waiting for us when we returned home – avocado salad with some of the tastiest capers ever and a risotto. With a light, sparkling wine, Prosecco. Perfect.
Amanda wasn't feeling well this evening, though, and I hope it wasn't the shock of the water from our swim. I'd feel guilty about that – I did egg her on a bit...

Tuesday -
Hmmm... Pretty much just a regular day of gardening and chilling around the old homestead. No sign of Amanda, who was down for the day with the ick. Moved a bit of earth, opening a path through the canal mound past the alders. Unfortunately found and disturbed a hive of ground bees – they were flustered and would have rather I weren't there, but they weren't stinging. Lucky for me.
A gentleman called Harry came around with the new conservatory for the front of the house – it is essentially a greenhouse built over the porch. It's a several-day construction project, but I wasn't commissioned to help.
Rain rolled in for the afternoon and proceeded for the rest of the night, which made it a bit restless. I had been having lots of dreams here, unusual for me to remember them, which I think had something to do with the Valerian tea before bed - but I think it was also making me groggy, so I stopped drinking it. Alas.

Wednesday -
Rain cleared and it was a gorgeous day. I sliced my finger with the scythe and had a run-in with some bramble, but nothing I won't survive. It's my last night in Ahakista. Amanda was out and about a bit more and joined Peter and I to watch an odd film called 'Withnail and I', which I haven't decided whether I particularly like or not...
Stayed up too late because that's what you do before a trip, right?

Thursday -
Peter woke ill with the stomach bug, so our plans to drive to Cork together were dashed and Amanda offered to take me to Bantry for the bus to Cork. I had enough time to go over and say goodbye to Luc and Monique... so I thought. I got there and the fishing boat was out and Monique was not around the house or fields near to it. I figured she might be in the far field, but then thought I should just leave a note and be on my way. Ages to find a pen and paper and as I finished it, Luc and Stevie were pulling into the harbor and Suzie spotted me and was barking madly. So of course I had to run down, and he said Monique was, indeed, up in the back field. I ran out to find her and we walked back together chatting and saying goodbye and then I ran back to meet Amanda just in time. It was good to have the exercise, given all the auto travel I was embarking upon.
I met a couple girls on the bus who had been WWOOFing with Annie King, who co-operates WWOOF Ireland, and it was nice to chat and exchange stories. They were headed to Kinsale, which I was envious of, because I've heard it's interesting and there is a permaculture program there that draws people, but alas, I was on my way to Cork where I would meet Ella, with whom Kate (my co-WWOOFer in Ahakista) had connected me. I met her at her hydroponics shop, Utopianation, on Barrack St. She made me a coffee and we talked along with the other few folks who were coming and going and sorted out our plans for the evening before I went to explore town for a while. Didn't get up to much but had a salad at the Quaay Co-op and then visited the English Market, which was alright, but didn't impress me as much as people seemed to think it would. Alas.
Back to the shop and to Ella's apartment on the Quay, comfortable and with a great view :) For the night our group would be me, Ella and her boyfriend Dennis, who is long in the music industry, and friend Kate, who is a gorgeous musical artist from the US. We left around 7pm for a private send-off party at the Black Rock Castle, which is an observatory (astronomy) for a woman named Connie who is part of Ella's social group and returning to California after 20 years in Ireland. It was a great scene, lots of families and friends enjoying the evening together. There were burrito and mojito fixin's and music and everyone was very social. Dinner, dancing and then we were off to a mixed-bill concert of Punk music which was a benefit for cancer research at a venue called the Pavillion, which was across the alley from an old Huguenot burial ground. (It's Ireland, and these things happen.) More dancing, and having my ears blasted, which I could do without, but it suited the atmosphere... home for a late-night meal and a late night in general; bed at 4:30...

Friday -
...sleep until afternoon and brunch at home for me, Kate and Ella. And Montana Kate, who joined us. So it turned out I didn't have time for shopping or lunch at Cafe Paradiso as I had planned to do with my day in Cork, but it was well worth the change of plans. I was able to ride along with Kate and another friend, Joia (a gorgeous Dutch girl who was driving North to do shamanic firewalking in celebration of the solstice) up to Dublin and hear their stories of love, loss and lunacy instead of taking the long, quiet bus alone. And that was good. Made it to Mooney's place. Sadly, Winnie had gone home for the weekend to meet some cousins visiting... all old school like. But still it was a good way to round out my trip, since I had stayed with them when I first arrived in Ireland. We talked, walked, and had dessert at Eddie Rocket's, an Americana-type diner. It was suitably ironic for me. And that's about it.

Saturday -
Travel - you know the routine. Nothing extraordinary, just on my way over the Atlantic and back to old homesteads. DC/MD first. Watched Arsenic and Old Lace on the plane and dozed and read and eventually got to Newark, transfer to Baltimore, where Lex met me at the airport and we came home and visited with Alex and rested and then dressed and off to a concert of Madeleine Peyroux and her excellent band, opened by Kelly Joe Phelps, so very good. I was in that ethereal drowsy state for most of the concert that makes the world surreal and beautiful.

Sunday -
Happy Solstice. And happy father's day. Lex made omelets for breakfast and we went to the Farmer's Market in Takoma Park so I could say hi to all the old friend there and get my greens fix. After, Alex came along with us to Shenandoah National Park for a hike up Old Rag, which made me say things like 'I have to be honest, I really like America' and 'oh yeah, I want to hike the Appalachian Trail'. It's a great walk and climb and I hope I'll go again someday. We made it home around 11pm, exhausted. Emily came home and we caught up for a minute before I crashed. Tomorrow, tomorrow. I'm really fighting the jet lag, and the change-of-weather sore throat and ick that seems to want to settle in. I'm surprised it never came sooner.