The interior of Alexander Nevsky Church in central Sofia. After a few days of ceaseless chatter in various languages and all the associated too’ing and fro’ing of work, it was a welcome experience to be able to sit, be quiet and enjoy the cavernous interior of this church, lit only by candles (and bulbs that were supposed to look like candles).
Being shown around the old part of Bratislava earlier in the week. Only a couple of square miles, but such an amazing wealth of photographic opportunities. It’s everything I expected Sofia would be but turned out to be the exact opposite. Ah well.
Not quite. Last week I was in Sofia. Then I came home for the weekend. Then I flew out again on Tuesday to Bratislava (via Ryanair). Business Class… What’s that?
What, on further investigation, appeared to be a newsagent of sorts. Could’ve fooled me…
Making notes on the flight home on Thursday. Spent much of the last week working in Sofia, Bulgaria and very glad to be leaving to return to Dublin. The city is… well.. not what I expected to say the least. Strike it off your holiday destination list. More of that particular rant later perhaps. Also missed all of the damn snow. Went to Bulgaria fully expecting to be ball deep in the fluffy white stuff (that’s snow, not cocaine vicar)Read More
Following forests gardens and I can’t remember what else, I needed to get back to the beach. Fully intend on visiting one specific beach on travelling back down to Cork for the Blog Awards next month. Mmmmmmm beach rubbish….
Getting the dart down to the seaside, a summertime institution. It’s a little colder and a little greyer now at this seaside at least, but there are still people on the trains as proved by this discarded ticket. The 5D is off to hospital in the UK. I only had it a couple of months when I dropped it during a walk around a forest early last year. Since then, the battery grip had become looser up to the pointRead More
Steps on the pier in Bray, Co. Wicklow. It’s easily been about 4/5 years since I was last in Bray and this time only decided to go there after a quite lost drive around Dalkey and Killiney. It was bloody cold and bloody windy, but I had to get the beach fix I’ve been after for quite a while. The coldness of the wind was soon forgotten after a nice hot chocolate from the happy pear in Greystones though!
One of the most magnificent universities I’ve ever visited. Taken inside the cloisters at Glasgow University, facing out onto a frosty, snowy courtyard. A quiet, tranquil place to spend a bit of time… Unless there’s half a dozen members of a family playing an impromptu game of football 50 yards away from you.
A fantastic display of wit from one or more of Glasgow’s inhabitants. Although, they may have been operating with actual proof! Who knows?
Back to Inishmore for one. On a cycle around (part of) the island, we came across this dock area for fishing boats. Who can resist fishing nets and piles of worn rope? Not me anyway. Taken back in August. Seems like so much has happened since then. Well, so much has happened since then!
A pint of Dublin sitting on a bar in a hotel in Dublin. No, the Guinness wasn’t great. It rarely is. Taken after packing up the gear at the first Irish Web Awards, another hugely successful event organised by Damien. Hit a wall of tiredness after not too long and had to retire for the evening. but the night was a huge success. Well done to all those involved. On a somewhat more disturbing note, I’ve grown rather attached toRead More
…taking the rough with the smooth. In sharp contrast to the coarse, gritty sand. Sitting on a beach on Inishmore island, enjoying the sunshine.
Just about as close as I’m willing to get to the edge to photograph the sheer cliff face on Inishmore island. Some people were far braver, dangling various body parts over the edge. I’d rather not leave it to chance (and a strong gust of wind) to decide if I live or die. Thanks all the same. I’ll save myself from a severely gravitational death and back away to peruse other things in the immediate vicinity that are clearly allRead More
The path back down the hill from Fort Aonghus on Inishmore island. It rained on the way up. Rained the kind of rain that bounces back up off the ground and soaks you twice instead of once. My prediction was that it’d stop within 3 minutes and 30 seconds; I think I was wrong by about 5 seconds. Thankfully, the sun came out and dried everything out within a few minutes. Also thankfully, there was significantly less “I’m not goingRead More
Leaving Inishmore, why would anyone want to do it? Sitting on the grey, coarse sand after cycling (yes, cycling.. I shit you not) to the beach beyond the airport. Could go back and sit on that beach for hours. Unless it was raining. Which it did a lot.
Well, not quite. The very well built and freakishly well maintained walls of Dun Aonghusa fort on Inishmore island. Definitely worth the walk up the hill to see it!
The only thing that makes relaxing in ones own back garden anyway less enjoyable is knowing how much work has to be done to it. Or maybe doing the work is the enjoyable part?!? Herein lies the proof that we had at least one day this summer when it didn’t rain. Ahh Irish summers, best subject for complaint ever!