This trip included stops in North Carolina, Virginia, New York City and Ireland.
North Carolina:
Greensboro Airport Art
Flamingos at the Greensboro Science Center
Also a tortoise
The GSC also has a pathway through the treetops
More of the treetop pathways
Virginia:
With Linda and Barry at the Roanoke Star
I was so excited here that I failed to take pictures of the old trains and cars inside!
New York City:
First stop : MOMA
Highlight – I have certainly seen hundreds of representations of Salvador Dali’s “The Persistence of Memory” over my lifetime but nothing prepared me for the real thing. I always thought the main point of the painting was the surrealism of the subject but the drawing is exquisite and the colors are fantastic.
Lowlight – when I have seen van Gogh’s paintings before, in Seattle and, maybe, Los Angeles, their display allowed seeing the texture of the paint on the surface which enabled me to understand why he was thought to be on the brink of madness. However, “Starry Night” is such a celebrity that the security measures of the display prevent seeing the texture. The display might as well be a two-dimensional photo and I think that only the curators can currently truly appreciate this work. Hopefully, better “safe” displays of artwork will come along in the future.
A favorite by Matisse
Next stop:
An immense amount of stuff to see here but nothing I chose to share in photos. I am more interested in modern and contemporary art than older items.
Grand Central Station – many thanks to Reed for a walking tour and general info on the city.
United Nations
The Guggenheim – my favorite NYC museum because of its focus on modern and contemporary art. Also, the architecture is most interesting.
And on to Ireland:
Dublin:
At St. Stephen’s Green Park with Stephen McDonough, our tour guide, and Constance Markievicz, a revolutionary and politician who helped bring Ireland its independence.
At the Natoinal Museum of Ireland
The original home of Jameson’s
Belfast and environs:
Some photos of walls in Belfast that still separate “Catholics” and “Protestants” (not really a religious dispute but those who want an independent Ireland are predominantly Catholic while those who want to remain a part of Great Britain were predominately protestant).
To be a member of The Felons Club, you have to have been imprisoned by the British during the Troubles, which lasted for about 30 years until 1998. We were fortunate to hear a discussion here by three veterans of the conflict: one a formerly imprisoned member of the IRA, one a former member of the UVF (Ulster Volunteer Force, the protestant equivalent of the IRA), and one a former British soldier who served in Northern Ireland (the soldiers were supposedly neutral but normally faulted to the protestant side). President Bill Clinton helped initiate, and Senator George Mitchell helped push through, the 1998 Good Friday Agreement that ended most of violence.
As part of the Good Friday Agreement, there is no border control between Ireland and Northern Ireland (this is also true after Brexit so Northern Ireland is essentially a part of the European Union).
Although some walls still exist, most of the violence is in the past. Interestingly, social media are considered to be a positive effect for the future as kids from various parts of Northern Ireland become friends online without knowing which side of the conflict their parents or grandparents were on.
In a snug at the Crown
The Titanic Museum
The Northern Ireland Parliament
The graveyard at Grey Abbey
Horse portraits at Carrodore Castle
Donaghaadee Lighthouse
Wall at Cushendall
Ballycastle Marina
Giant’s Causeway
Giant’s Causeway 2
Dunluce Castle
Derry:
The Peace Bridge in Derry (or Londonderry, as the protestant side would prefer).
Derry city wall
A part of the wall
The violence may be over but feelings still persist. Derry was the site of the 1972 massacre of 26 unarmed civilians by British soldiers.
For a sometimes serious, sometimes comedic look at life in Derry during The Troubles, see “Derry Girls” on Netflix.
Donegal
View along the river in Donegal
Visit to one of the remaining handweavers
Donegal Bank Walk
How people used to live in Ireland
Neolithic Creevykeel Court Tomb
Early Ireland horse tack
Galway:
Coffin Ship – Famine Memorial
Another sheep farm visit – this time much of the talk was about how European Union rules make things tough for small farmholders.
Kylemore Estate
Kylemore Estate Garden Layout
Kylemore Estate Gardens
Kylemore Estate Ponies
Clifden – much of Ireland is green to the coast
At Letterfore
Saint Nicholas Collegiate Church
Galway – Eyre Square
Galway Poem on a Wall
An Unexpected Irish Shop in Galway!
One of the treasures at the Galway City Museum
A harp sculpture at the Galway City Museum – the harp is a national symbol of Ireland.
At Killinny
One of the structures at Killinny
An arch at Killinny
Graveyard at Killinny
No foxes involved these days.
Killinaboy
Kilcorney – Poulnabrone Domen, part of a neolithhic tomb
Wall near the tomb, definitely not as good as some seen in Scotland
Some of the land around the tomb
Aillwee Cave Entrance
My best shot of inside the cave, the walkway is on the left
Layout of the cave
Aillwee Birds of Prey Centre, the first time I have seen hawks in free flight
… or sitting on a stranger’s wrist.
Ennis Museum
Ballysteen – Saint Brigid’s Well
Inside area of Saint Brigid’s Well
Cliffs of Moher
At the Cliffs on a cool and slightly rainy day
Irish recycling Station
The bus transport for our trip around Ireland
Ron's Travels 