Adventure as Delight

There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot, but there are others who with the help of their art and their intelligence, transform a yellow spot into sun... Pablo Picasso

Adventure was our target for a holiday in Ireland following a week of intensive work as we led a brain based conference for university faculty... So Ellen Weber and I decided to let our holiday week unravel with surprises one day at a time. Ever tried that? Here's how it works...

Avoid the way everyone else does it. Ellen has often said she doesn't picture herself "gumming bagels on a bus tour" during a holiday. So we bought rail and bus passes to insure we'd get where we wanted to go when we wanted to go.

Ask people...find out what they recommend We asked three mature, but lively ladies on a bus what we should not miss while in Ireland. "Killarney," they chorused. "Be sure to take a ride in a jaunting cart," one advised. So we put that at the top of our list.

Defy the elements The Irish people commented about the cloudy and rainy week. Rain and heavy misty air did not dampen our spirits... Test problem solving skills to enjoy each day...Umbrellas and light coats opened that window for us.

Ask questions of many generations... people love where they live and enjoy telling stories. For instance, as we waited for our bus, I asked a young man if he were from Australia since he had Billabong on his shirt. He said he lived right in Kinsale, a sister city of Newport, Rhode Island. Interestingly he's chef in an award winning pub, the Bulman. He told of his dream to open his own restaurant next year. Local folks make a visit more intriguing.

Taste the culture We enjoyed the Phoenix Players' version of Dylan Thomas's radio play Under Milk Wood. This play gave us the feel of local gossip and life in a small seaside village. "Dreams, thoughts and private and public conversations of these people are traced through a developing spring day. In the nonconformist Wales of the day, it was relatively slow in being accepted, partly because of its penetrating satire of typical Welsh characters, but also because of the references to sex and drink, which did not go down well with local Presbyterians. However, it swift acceptance elsewhere eventually resonated in Wales, and it is now generally accepted as a masterpiece, full of humor, with a joyful sense of life and love, and a strong Celtic flavor - all properties with with Irish audiences enthusiastically affiliate." You'd enjoy an early BBC radio version of Under Milk Wood.

Be flexible...let go when something doesn't work and look for other options. Most amazing surprises flow here.



We're at Muckross House in a jaunting cart. The driver covered our laps with blankets to keep us dry! Just think the owners of this house spent six years preparing for a visit by Queen Victoria!

Ready to transform a yellow spot into sun?