On Tuesday, Sharon decided that discretion was the better part of valor on a cold, windy, rainy day in Killarney and decided to stay in and nurse her cold. Part of the deal was that I would go out and play the solitary tourist. It usually does not work that way. Most often I am at a pen show and she is seeing the sights on her own. But there I was.
The joke was that freed from her leash, I would make a shopping day of it and, truth to tell, I would do some shopping before the day was over. But I began by driving to in to town. It actually is walkable, but we have been doing enough walking in this cold, wet climate that my knees needed sparing. I first hit the tourist office where a clerk and I set a modest day’s itinerary and I then struck out to see the St. Mary’s Church of Ireland, the Franciscan Friary, which Lonely Planet has as a must-see. After a pleasant lunch on my own, I wandered the streets, shopping. At Caragh Jewelers I saw an interesting window display, saw something for daughter Anna. I consulted electronically with Sharon but wanted her to see it before making the purchase.
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| St. Mary's, C of I, a lovely little early 19th century neo-Gothic church |
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with a spectacular organ
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| I was particularly taken with this little invocation to the traveler. |
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| Much more imposing, the Franciscan Friary |
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| Leaving, I almost missed this macabre reliquary |
I then made my way to Ross Castle. By then it was late afternoon so I decided not to go into the castle. I was sitting on a bench when who should show up but our friends from the morning before. After chatting a bit we bade one another farewell, wondering if our paths might cross once more in Dingle where they were headed and we would end up a couple of days later.
I picked Sharon up at about 5:00 and we went off to dinner a bit later at Gaby’s Seafood Restaurant where my scallops were cooked to succulent perfection.
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