Tag Archives: Ireland

I’m a U2 junkie! Yes, there have been years that they fell off my list of priorities while having kids and raising them, etc, but I’ve still managed to see them in concert 10 times since my first time in December of 1987! I still remember that show. We lived north of Orlando, the show was at the Tampa stadium. My dad was with me and my girlfriend Andrea, we had nosebleed seats to the right back of the stadium, so Bono was an ant. To this day I get chills at a show when they play “Where the Streets Have No Name”, because that was the opening song on that tour, The Joshua Tree Tour. The back drop glowed red, Larry came in with the drums, the guitars joined in and then Bono’s silhouette walked out, him in a cowboy hat. It was amazing! I’ll never forget it. Back then the whole stadium full of people would walk all the way to their cars, after the show, singing the lines to “40″, “I will sing, sing a new song”, over and over again – like magic.

Wednesday night in Miami, I saw show number 10. The 2nd now on their 360 Tour. The stage has come a long way since the Joshua Tree. Huge rocket ship contraption, total spectacle, incredible production! They are still the most amazing entertainers having upwards of like 75,000 people in attendance. Incredible! We had field tickets and managed to be about 5 people back at the catwalk, right where the bridge ended on several occasions, (it’s a moving bridge). We all went into a tizzy when Bono AND The Edge stopped right in front of us for about two whole minutes! Sigh!

Once again a magical experience. Counting the days until the next album and tour. Not too far off actually! The kids will go with us next time, Gavin is really into music and was bummed not to see it last night, but we couldn’t get seat tickets and the field is not the place for them yet.

I have many U2 stories to share in the future, I love to talk about them:-)!

Organizations supported by the band:

ONE
Amnesty International
Greenpeace

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Set List of the show in Miami, June 29, 2011.

Main Set: Even Better Than The Real Thing, The Fly, Mysterious Ways, Until the End of the World, I Will Follow, Get On Your Boots, I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For – The Promised Land, North Star, Beautiful Day – Space Oddity, Elevation, Pride, Miss Sarajevo, Zooropa, City of Blinding Lights, Vertigo, I’ll Go Crazy (remix), Sunday Bloody Sunday, Scarlet, Walk On

Encore(s): One, Will You Love Me Tomorrow – Where the Streets Have No Name, Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me, With or Without You, Moment of Surrender

Peace!

Continuing our journey in Ireland, we spent a day driving through a portion of Connemara in West Ireland. I had been told it was possibly the most beautiful countryside in all of Ireland, and since I can’t compare it to any other Irish countryside, I whole-heartedly agree! We did half the loop, starting in Galway City, heading west towards and through the Eastern Boundary of Connemara, Maam Cross. Our first official stop, aside from the many ‘pull aside the road to photograph sheep’, was the little town of Roundstone. This is still the favorite town we visited on our trip. It was almost a ghost town this time of year, not many businesses opened yet for the Spring. We stopped into O’Dowds, on the pubs in town. It was cold, so I had an Irish Coffee, so cliche’, and we ordered chowder, which we had as often as possible, it was both necessary with the temperatures, and better than most in the States.

We chose to take the R340 south, then a coastal country road West to R341 south to Roundstone, this allowed us to witness so many adorable yet breathtaking coastal towns and lots of sheep!

1st Part of Drive

The lovely creatures on the way to Roundstone:-).

Next stop Kylemore Abbey.  We left Roundstone going north, then East through Clifden.  Oh, I wished we had had more time to explore Clifden, it was breathtaking coming up on the town.  Much larger than Roundstone, we only had time to drive through to make time for Kylemore Abbey and getting back to Galway City for dinner.

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Kylemore Abbey, the stunning structure rose up out of the ground, almost glowing.  It was overcast by the time we arrived and it began to rain before we walked over to the Abbey. Really, it was just magical in this weather, with the steam coming off the lake and the grayish sky.  Personally I was drawn to the Gothic Church on the property, being a fan of this style of Architecture.  If we’d had more time we would have also toured the Victorian Gardens as well.

On the way back to Galway City, we stopped briefly in Leenane, home of the only Fjord in Ireland. Amazing how the mountains drop down into the river like that.  I can only imagine what seeing them in places like Norway must be like.

The fjord in Leenane, Connemara.

We could have easily spent a week just exploring Connemara, beautiful countryside and quaint coastal villages, and have I mentioned the mountains.  I was really ignorant arriving in Ireland, I had no idea they had mountains the size we saw.  Snow-capped and beautiful!  All a part of the Connemara landscape, and I haven’t mentioned yet the warmth of the people.  We found that the Irish are born raconteurs, they love to tell a story.  If you ask an Irishman a question, ask knowing you may learn some history.  A very open, helpful people they are.  So much so that prior to our trip we had read to get lost, ask for directions, it’s a great way to meet and learn about the locals.

Cliffs of Mohar, The Burrens and Dublin still to come….

Note about the sheep: And in case you are wondering about the different colors sprayed on the sheep . . . this is a branding technique. When it come times to round up the sheep, their ownership can be sorted out by their colors. I dubbed them sherbet sheep:-)!

Galway City

The Luck of the Irish that is.  We just returned home from our family trip to Ireland, kinda piggy-backed on PFMan’s yearly trek out there to broadcast live for St. Patty’s Day.  This would have been his third year in a row and I was not letting him go without us this time!

We flew out several days prior to the broadcast, finding our way by car to Galway City where we called home for our first four nights.  We stayed at the Kilcullen House B&B which is about a 10 minute walk outside of the City Centre, close enough to enjoy the city, but a distance from the noise.  Many times while walking in Galway I felt as if I were a character in a Dickens novel or a miniature in a Christmas Village scene.  I love that, the old worldliness of it. 

Our favorite food in Galway was hands down found at Ard Bia in the Spanish Arch.  It’s located in the Arch which is very medieval in style, but once you walk inside, it’s the small, cozy and very eclectic eatery.  It was love at first site.  The menu is so creative, using local and sustainable produce and meat sources, which I love!  My favorite entree was the St. Tola goats cheese & pistachio cracked wheat cake with wilted greens, garlic yogurt & muhumara.  I will crave this until I return! Honestly we couldn’t decide what to order so we had them bring us the two most popular starters and mains.  We were NOT disappointed.

Other places we enjoyed eating: McDonagh’s, O’Grady’s on the Pier (actually in Barna on the coast near Galway), and Griffin’s Bakery! McDonagh’s is THE place to go for your required Fish n’ Chips, with many different fish types to choose from you can’t go wrong here. O’Grady’s was recommended to us by Emer and Russel, the Inn keepers at Kilcullen House. It’s located in the tiny coastal village named Barna, just outside of Galway. Located on the pier, great views and the BEST chowder I’ve ever had in my life, no kidding! Griffin’s Bakery, originally founded in 1876 also recommended by Emer & Russell. OMG, we each picked a pastry and thank goodness we got four, they were all DELICIOUS. Again, the BEST scone ever. I could have died happy.

I have to stop here, with the food, I haven’t yet mentioned the PUBS, or the Irish Countryside or our time in Dublin or…. So, you’ll have to stay tuned and for now, enjoy the pictures.

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I posted my Perfectly Flawed List last July, so I thought it was time to revisit it, see how the check marks are stacking up. NOT WELL. However, I will be checking off several things here in the next couple of months. If you’re reading this, I’m in Wine Country right now with three of my best-est girl friends. On our itinerary, Sonoma, Coppola, the Coast, San Fransisco. I’m sure I’m having a wonderful time right now, taking crazy amounts of pictures to share with you soon!

In March, PFman, PFkids and I are flying to Ireland for a week. PFman does a live broadcast over St. Patties Day every year and I wasn’t letting him go alone for the third year in a row. NO Way. We are booked at the Kilcullen House in Galway our first four nights. Plan on seeing the Cliffs of Mohar, Aran Islands, Connemara and then heading to Dublin for the Big Day. Oh yes, Guinness Storehouse here we come. Oh poo, this is going to set the diet back again, lol.

The List!