A través del espejo

Thursday, 9 pm. My flight to Barcelona is delayed. It seems that my holidays are not starting well. Nevertheless, it is such a long time since I wanted to visit Ireland that any inconvenient seems to be as important to stop my happiness.

After two hours and a half delay, I arrive to Barcelona. Too tired to talk too much, I go to sleep and again the sunshine wakes me up on friday. Back to the airport and another half an hour delay but I don´t think about it. I only want to arrive.

How lucky I was: sun shines in Ireland when I can read Baile Atha Cliath – Dublin. A very nice gentleman picks me up at the airport and we pick up another mensan on the way to Enniskillen.

The center of the country seems to be quite poor but the greeness of the land and the blue sky is the most important thing at the moment. We arrived in an hour and a half to a cozy hotel. The sun was still shinin and it was like that during all the next days.

Friday afternoon. Mensans were arriving and he had a nice dinner and a funny test just to know each other. As usual, I went to sleep soon. Saturday morning, we went on a walking tour to Enniskillen. Security cameras were at each corner but the atmosphere was quiet. A Catholic church opposite to Church of Ireland parrish. We went down to the lake, the Erne, near the castle and walked around until lunch time.

In the afternoon, I went back to the castle to visit the museum. I bought two nice pictures and a pictures book about Fermanagh. I lernt -gh is never pronounced in Gaelic. I didn´t attend to the dinner.

We are already on sunday and it is a long day to go sightseeing in a coach tour. From Enniskillen to Belleek, where the border between NI and Ireland is. We stop to visit White island, with remainings of an ancient church. Then, Archdale Castle. After that, we visit Belleek pottery, by the lake. We have lunch in a Michelin Restaurant, my favourites, at Hotel Carlton.

Then we go back to Enniskillin. On the way, we visit Tully Castle and Monea Castle. I can fel the air from Middle Age. At night, we have dinner at another Michelin restaurant. My stomach is happy indeed with such a pleasure.

Monday and the travel is coming to its end. On the way back to Dublin, we stop to pave lunch inear Canvas. The sun is still shining and the sky so blue that I am really impressed. I didn´t expect to be in Ireland and not to wear my boots or carry my umbrella.

Dublin, at last. Phoenix park, really impressive, the biggest park in Europe. We visited also Fermlaigh, the residence of the Queen when she is in Ireland. The dancing room and the concerts room, also the library, they are fantastic. O´Connelly Street was my last destination for the day, in a hotel, close to the post office, which is the biggest I have ever seen. Theater at the corner and a Writer´s museum waiting for a vit on tuesday morning.

A quick visit, first thing in the morning. It was nice. I learnt about Yeats, Dracula and many irish writers. Then, to Trinity College, Bank of Ireland and the final destination: National Gallery, a modern building, different than the one I expected. The best painting, a Venus and Cupid, from Fragonard. I had never seen that picture before. I also know Fragonard is not one of the best paintors all over the centuries but I simply find his paintings a good example of elegance. Simply marvellous.

What else after that? I had seen all I wanted in Dublin, the bridges, the harp from Calatrava. I wanted to go back home. The airport is new, clean and good to learn. I had to put in order all my remembrances from these wonderful days. Hope to go back to Ireland in a near future!