Dublin to Heathrow

It is Tuesday, 9 Aug and we are in our hotel at Heathrow prior to tomorrow's flight to Paris. Obviously this is a catch-up time for this journal. Access to internet services has been quite difficult. Internet cafes are not as common as we thought they would be. The hotels outside of London provide little or no IT service and of course our active itinerary precludes time during the day to visit libraries where there is usually some sort of access available.

Mon, 01 August.
Happy birthday to all those horses out there. Today we travelled by coach from Killarney to Dublin. Tiredness is starting to be evident in the group and most slept for the 4.5 hour journey. The route took us through the area around Tipperary, by Limerick, and Kildare. Believe me, Ireland is a beautiful country and the 'forty shades of green' were most evident as we passed through the valleys and mountains. Each town seems to be trying the outdo the other with their flowers and wonderfully constructed churches. We stayed at the 'Burlington Hotel' in Dublin. It was comfortable and very, very Irish kitch inside. I must say however, it was aesthetically challenged outside. A point of interest is the mature age of many hotel staff. At 4% unemployment there is work for anyone who wants it and in the case of the hotel staff their attitude is positive and their experience ensures we have been extremely well-served. Lesson here for Australia I think.

Tues, 02 August.
Today we explored Dublin. We were guided in the morning and Dublin proved to be a remarkable city. Much of the inner area is built in the Georgian style. Both sides of the street are lined with similar terraced houses differentiated by their coloured doors. The story goes that after an evening on the Guinness, men would stumble along only identifying their home by the colour of the door! In some areas, the terraces front onto large parks which are keyed and only available to the occupiers of the houses. The gardens are beautiful at this time of year and the parks a delight to walk through. In a corner of one park is a colourful statue of Oscar Wilde lounging on a rock....unforgetable.
We visited Phoenix Park which reminded us of Centennial Park in Sydney. A large cross marks the spot where Pope John said Mass for one million people. The Irish President has a residence in the park.
Dublin is a bustling city with many tourists. Along with them we visited Christ Church Cathedral (Catholic) and St Patricks Cathedral (Anglican!) We lunched in O'Connell St named after Daniel O'Connell who is most revered in Irish history for his struggle for Irish Independence. The tour of Trinity College was a high point. This seat of learning has intriguing architecture but more importantly is the home of the 'Book of Kells'. Scribed by monks between 7th and 9th centuries the Book contains the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The exhibition is well presented and the Book itself (now four books° invokes a respectful silence in the viewing room where a page is turned each week. Only a little less impressive than the 'Book' is the fantastic 'Long Library' in the college. Every book published in Ireland is stored here in magnificent shelving reching up to a high curved timber ceiling.
A friend and I were assured the Guinness Storehouse was only a five minute walk from the college. The friend's wife and Donna were to be met at the cathedral in 1.5 hours time. We set off. Thirty minutes later we arrived in a hot and sweaty condition at the Storehouse. The entrance fee of 13 euros gets you a pint on the seventh floor at the end of the tour. Concerned that the ladies would be waiting we skated through 6 floors of exhibition before securing our pint in the glass walled bar at the top of the building. We found a cab and saw the girls standing on a corner outside the wrong cathedral! We were only six minutes late...phew.

Wed, 03 August
Today we headed back to England by coach and ferry. The ferry was built in Perth WA and can reach 50 miles per hour. The trip across the Irish Sea from Dublin to Holyhead in NW Wales took about two hours. 3.5 hours later the bus reached Birmingham where we stayed at the Crowne Plaza.
Geoff Lawson and Damien Fleming were our hosts for the second Test at Edgbaston which is Warwickshire's county ground about two miles from the hotel. The ground seats about 20,000 people and the atmosphere was rowdy and robust. Very different to the quieter more sedate Lords. Our seats were well positioned although quite cramped. We had the Australian 'Fanatics' group sitting next to us. They kept up a constant singing and shouting match with the 'Barmy Army' who were celebrating their tenth anniversary. The big shock was McGrath's injury. We bowled poorly and batted even worse in the first innings. England was committed and aggressive. Flintoff was brilliant. We spent Thursday and Friday at the cricket.

Sat, 06 August
We picked up our rented car and headed due west out of Birmingham to Kinver in Staffordshire. Phillip's maternal grandfather was born and raised here. Kinver is set in rolling undulating country and is picture book beautiful. The main street has been listed and retains the charm of yesteryear. The town is dominated by a church set upon a hill. A ridgeline extends around and here the early Vikings set up a semi-circular fortification to afford observation and protection. The hill is composed of sandstone and on its lower slopes house with every facility were dug into the stone. These houses were occupied until the 1960's and at one stage 11 families lived there. Lunched at the 'White Stag' and tried 'gammon' which is a lean steak of pork...very tasty with a pint of bitter.

Sun, 07 August
Headed south today towards Oxford. This is 'Cotswold' country and everything you have heard about its beauty is true? Stopped briefly at Shakespeare's home at Stratford Upon Avon. Time enough to take a 45 minute cruise in a long, narrow boat down the Avon River. In the car again and the cricket was becoming dramatic with Lee and Kasprowicz fighting a famous rearguard action. We sat in the car at the gates of Blenheim Palace (Churchill's birthplace and home) listening to the drama unfold. Queen Anne gifted the land and funds to the first Duke of Marlborough as a reward for his defeat of the French at Blenheim. The castle is splendidly decorated with tapestries, paintings, furniture and memorabilia of 10 Dukes and Winston Churchill. The gardens, lakes and park-like grounds are breathtaking. We lunched at the Palace in the 'India Room'.
On now to Abingdon where Cecil Kimber brought the MG marque to life. The factory is now a housing estate but we did find the HQ of the MG Car Club which was closed!
A shortish trip across to Oxford where we arrived about 4.00PM. No-one really knows when the University started but it is generally accepted that a group of monks had a teaching facility there around 750AD. Whatever the case, there are now 36 Colleges supporting over 10,000 students. We watched the punts being pushed down the river in a genteel fashion and generally absorbed the atmosphere strolling around the streets and buildings.

Mon, 8 August
Today we drive 60 miles south-east of Birmingham to Kettering where my maternal grandmother was born. Kettering is a modern town different from Kinver. Its history lies in manufacturing, shoes in particular, for which it is quite famous. The Heritage Quarter houses an 800 year old church with an imposing, yet beautiful, spire. The museum is located in the adjacent 'Manor House' . We were disappointed it was closed Mondays. However, the local tourist office rang the Council which sent down 2 staff to open the museum just for us! We continue to be impressed by the thoughtfulness of the British and Irish people we have met.
On the way back to Birmingham we noticed a sign to the Naseby battlefield. The battle was fought between the Royalists (Charles 1) and the Parliamentarians (Cromwell) on the morning of 14 Jun 1645. The memorial is at a point towards Cromwell's right flank position. It is easy to appreciate the deployment of both sides and to follow the phases of the battle on the ground was awsome... think flanking moves with available reserves. 22,000 dragoons, cavalry, musket and pikemen fought on what is now a wheatfield. Cromwell's 13,000 men achieved a bloody victory which resulted in the first steps towards a parliamentary democracy being instituted. Interestingly, Cromwell positioned a small force forward of his line to impede any Royalist advance. The force was called the 'Forlorn Hope'!!
This evening we had a dinner function at Edgbaston grounds hosted by Merv Hughes. During dinner speakers included Stewart McGill, Darren Lehman, Rodney Hogg, and from England, Angus Fraser.

Tue, 9 August
Today we travelled from Birmingham to Heathrow. The goodbyes are being said all round. We look forward to France tomorrow. Four of our original group will be coming with us. We will let you know what happens.