Photo on Sunday 28

Real life

After several weeks of prolonging our holiday (thank you Brom), we are back to real life and its trials and tribulations. It sounds worse than it is though. The main problem being gammy knee (Brom hinted at it several times) and wrists. 

I actually got down on the ground for this photo.
I had to be helped up again, but the photo worked out.

To start with the knee. Right before our holiday I had seen a physiotherapist who had told me to dangle my leg. That proved to be harder than it sounds as you don't always want to climb on a table to dangle! A solution was found in a cushion put under my upper leg and my foot then hanging free. 

Gera and Brom in the Silent Valley

The other thing of course was not to walk, but to cycle. That is all fine and dandy, but firstly I was on holiday with my sister. She does not own a bike anymore and as we then went to stay somewhere else without any bikes either... Secondly, cycling is okay when it's flat, but when you are in Northern Ireland it is difficult finding flat. It's all hills and mountains, especially where we were staying! We walked.

The beauty you see when walking

Which in turn meant I overdid it of course, but sitting still and not doing anything was not an option either of us liked. We took it slow, we cut down on what we did and I even tried the water. One night it was nigh on impossible to sleep due to the pain, but I muddled through. 

Perhaps I should try swimming too.
I bet this fish doesn't have a gammy knee!

Once back home however, a strict no walking policy was introduced. It doesn't mean I don't walk. The supermarket is not going to look favourably on me if I were to cycle down the aisles! But, no walks as I used to do. Having also gained a few pounds (well, 5 kilograms really) since getting the house, I did need to re-evaluate.

Which meant that of last week, I have started cycling. The Netherlands may be a cycling country, but that doesn't mean we are all avid cyclists in our spare time. I always cycled with a purpose. To get to school, work, town, friends. Cycling for cycling was never the goal as I don't particularly like cycling. I see something nice and by the time I have stopped, turned around and found my camera: gone! I prefer walking. 

Getting over stiles was a hazardous business.
I managed in the end, cheered on by Brom.

But needs be and such, I did start. Don't get me wrong, I am not cycling for hours on end. These first two weeks I had to do a minimum of 3,5 km a day, every day (about 20 minutes). Going over one day does not mean cutting down on the next. So far I have done it. In the sun, in the pouring rain (need a new rain suit, the one I have now is absolutely useless), in the morning, in the dark. Minimum so far was 3,68, maximum 5,15. From next week on, I will have to do 4 km minimum each day. 

There is however a small spanner, getting bigger by the day: the wrists. I was diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and am now waiting for operations on both wrists as they are equally bad. They will not be done at the same time, as that will completely unhand me and I don't even know when the first operation will take place, but hopefully in the next few weeks (I have an appointment with the surgeon next week). 

For me it would be the right wrist that would have to be done first as it is hurting terribly already. Certain actions like typing, can only be done when my hands and wrists can be in one long line. Bending is excruciating. I wear the splints at night and it would be preferred to wear them during the day as well, but that would limit any movement so much, I wouldn't be able to drive. I wear strong braces now which take some of the brunt and I am learning to use my other hand a lot more. 

A bit sacriligious, but I always expect those graves to start swaying from side to side.
Mind you, I would run in that case! Regardless of what they physio told me!!

However, I am pleased to say that after so many years of headache trouble, I think the solution is definitely the hydration. I did mention it before and was quite certain already, but I am now about 99% certain. Of course it means that I am always on the look out for a potty, but rather that than headaches.

I love this photo of my sister. 

Oh, and watching my food intake and doing the cycling (so far), has helped me shed one kilogram already. Which is good for the uniform and other clothes and of course the knee! 

All photos taken during our recent trip to see my sister.

Brom and the linen

Coocoo

On our last full day we had big plans. But even though Mara's knee did feel a bit better after the water, it was still not good. And we all thought it might be wisest if they took it a bit easy that day. So, instead of the folk museum we went to the linen museum in Lisburn.

Flax. It looks just like hair!

Linen is a natural product made from the flax plant and it was used for everything and anything as the threads were really strong. Even upholstery was sewn together using linen threads. 

First we saw how the thread was made on a simple spinning wheel. The girl doing the spinning was single and looking for a husband, at least that was what the ribbon around the thread told us. Different colours were used for single and married girls/women. 

When we went to check out the looms however, there was a problem. There was a school party that used that room and there was something special going on. So we left and visited another part of the museum.

My favourite: a skirt with long tunic.

After we had seen the rest of the museum, we tried to get back to the looms, but they had still not finished, so in the end we left to get some food. We will have to come back at some other time I think. 

Tuesday's Travels 29

Well, there are of course plenty of arenas or colossea out there, but did you pick the right one? Did you pick the one in Nîmes, France? Points go to Harm and Yamini.

My story? During the week that I spent in the Provence on that school trip, we also visited Nîmes and its Arena. Inside we got a short tour to tell us all about it. It is still in use as well, so those Romans did leave something lasting behind. 

On to this week's challenge. Where is this? Have you ever been? Tell us your story. Answer next week. 

Brom meets Saint Patrick

Coocoo

Back again, with the last few stories of our holiday with Gera. And do you know, it is less than six weeks until we see her again! This time she will be coming over to see us.

This church dates from 1933

But you are wondering about Saint Patrick as we already had met him. However, Mara and Gera decided to see a bit more of him and we visited several sites that were connected with him. We visited a small church in Saul. 

When he arrived back in Ireland after getting the 'call', he landed close to Saul. The landowner was not happy at first, but he did convert in the end and gifted Patrick a barn, which became the first church. 

Two bathhouses

We visited Struell Wells where Patrick is said to have blessed the wells. They were already known for their healing powers before Patrick and it was a popular pilgrimage from the 16th until about the 19th century. 

Inside the women's bathhouse.
You would have to stand underneath the water!

The earliest records of Patrick tell of him spending a night at the wells and singing psalms and praying. Mara tried some water on her gammy knee and she thought it might have helped a bit. 

We saw the grave of Saint Patrick which is located in Downpatrick itself. According to legend, he was put on a cart pulled by an ox after his death close by and the ox was set free. Where he ended up was where Patrick would be buried. He is not on his own though: Saint Brigid and Saint Columcille (or Columba) were also reportedly buried there. The slab on top was placed in the early 1900's to stop pilgrims from taking earth from the grave.

Find the mistake!

In the church we got a little tour by one of the people who worked there. He told us that the cathedral that now stands at the site is not the first church on site, there having been several before. This one is a protestant one with absolutely lovely stained glass windows. 

The man who gave us the tour thought I had the best spot that day as I was tucked into Mara's shirt (she had left her coat behind in the car) and he even took a photo of me! I am famous!!

We were still not quite there!

The last thing we did that day was a climb that was hard. Very hard. It was steep and it was long, but it did pay off with a fantastic view of Saint Patrick. Well, a statue anyway. We couldn't read what it said on the base, as none of us can read Gaelic.

The path leading up was lined with crosses and there were several spots for contemplation and/or prayer. It even had a sort of platform where services could be held on special days. You can see it in the next photo.

And if you are wondering why March 17th is Saint Patrick's Day, it is because it is on that day that he passed away. The green is most likely nothing to do with him, but something that was invented centuries after his death. 

In the church in Saul

Brom becomes King of the Castle

Coocoo

Here I am again. And this time I am going to tell you all about the day we went and saw the castle. You may remember I love seeing castles and there was one quite close to where we were staying. And it was free as well!

First though we went to Newcastle. Mara and Gera tried to find as many Newcastles in the world and realised there wasn't even one in the Netherlands. There is one in Northern Ireland though, and that's where we stopped first for a reason. When Mara had packed her suitcase, she had forgotten to take some knitting with her, so she needed something to do in the evenings. Mara and Gera knew there was a nice wool shop in town, so that was where they were headed.

After browsing and eventually buying lots of yarn and a crochet needle, they made their way back to the car so we could go see the castle. They had brought lunch with them and of course they stopped on the way to eat their sandwiches. In the mean time I was hopping up and down! Come on!!!

Anybody home?

Eventually we made it to the castle in Dundrum. Well, I say castle, it was more of a ruin. There was nothing left. But we did go on a walk around it, which was quite funny. First there was a steep hill down and at the end there was a steep hill up again. I think that it would have been very hard to attack back in the olden days. 

Finally we made it to the castle ruins themselves. I could see why they had built it there, as the view was fantastic all around. Mara took me up some steep stairs so I could see for myself. You could still see where the fire place had been and the garderobe (the toilet for regular bears). 

When we had seen everything and used the toilet for ourselves (no, not that one, a proper one), we made our way back to the car and back home. But we didn't go home, we took a detour and drove through the Mourne Mountains to see a bit more.

View towards the Mourne Mountains from the castle

Mara even recognised some bits, as she had driven a coach there. I thought she had been mad and she quite agreed, but that was her job. She was glad she was a passenger in a car now though and could take photos when she wanted or when Gera was able to stop the car in a safe place anyway.

You can see the Mourne Wall in the photo as well.

She managed to find a small parking spot from where we had a really lovely view all around. We got out and took some great photos of the area. Even of the burnt trees in the next field. That happened a few years ago when it was really hot and there were a few fires in the area. 

We drove home after that. It had been a lovely day again.

Brom goes cultural

Coocoo

On the day of the fish, we went somewhere else in the afternoon. Mara had seen signs for a Saint Patrick Trail and thought: why not follow that? There would probably not be enough time in one afternoon though, so first we went to Downpatrick to see the Saint Patrick Experience.

I knew Saint Patrick was the patron saint of Ireland, but didn't know much else about him. Well, apart from Saint Patrick's Day on March 17th, when the world goes green. But Mara said that didn't really happen when he was alive. She thought. 

And she was right. I learned that Patrick was living in a nice home in England somewhere when he was captured and sold as a slave to Ireland. He possibly already knew about Jesus and God and when he was herding his sheep and pigs while freezing his behind off (bears have it easy), he started praying more and more. 

He eventually escaped back to his family. From there he went to France and trained as a priest or something similar and then he wanted to return to the country where he had had such a bad time. He was not the first missionary to arrive, but he made the most impact. He landed in the area where we were as well and that's why the trail was there. 

We also saw a film that made me a bit seasick, but was very interesting as it showed his life and travels even better. He really made an impact with all the monasteries he helped found. He wasn't the only one though, there were others who were there at the same time or just a bit later. 

Through time his story became a bit of a legend and things that never happened, suddenly happened. Like the snakes that he supposedly cast out of Ireland. There were never any snakes to begin with, but Mara said it was most likely something that was more a metaphore (whatever that is) than anything else. 

And so Patrick died, but his words flow on
from Ireland to Dark Age Europe and Beyond

When we had finished, we asked about the trail and were given a map which showed a very long trail, taking us from Armagh (close to where Gera lives) via Downpatrick to Bangor. We decided it was a bit too long to do and we would only do a few things in and around Downpatrick. But that was for another day, as we were heading home to enjoy our cottage.

Tuesday's Travels 28

There will come a time when I get you all flummoxed, but not this time. Because of course Harm and Yamini knew this was the Pont d'Avignon in France. Both get a point.

My story? I once did a school trip to the Provence and we stayed in Avignon. I had one day off and went to see the local sights. And this one was right next to the campsite I was staying at. I was able to take several photos of it, but I think this one was the nicest. 

On to this week's challenge. Where is this? Have you ever been? What is your story? Answer next week.