Coldplay, Manchester 10th June 2012

The weather was good for our trip down the motorway to Manchester but I felt lousy. I had done a night shift at work on the Friday and for some reason hardly slept on the Saturday night, so Sunday during the trip tiredness caught up with me, so much so that I felt physically sick.  At around 2.30pm we arrived at Glen's son's house (he was at the Download Festival with his girlfriend that weekend) in Swinton where we were staying, I went to bed for a couple of hours and actually slept, anyone who knows me knows that normally I don't take naps but I so needed this one! I felt much better when I got up.

At 6pm we went for am meal at a nearby pub called The Farmer's Arms. It was ok, typical pub fayre, nothing, special but ok.  With the aid of my sat nav Glen drove through the centre of Manchester and on to the Etihad Stadium, I doubt we would have managed it without the sat nav. We parked our car for the extortionate fee of £10 and then walked the short distance to the stadium, it was a cool but pleasant evening, so much better than the monsoon conditions there had been the previous night. Everyone was given wristbands (xylobands) to wear at the turnstiles.

Our seats were in the 2nd last row of the top tier but not far back from the stage, it was a bit windy up there lol! One of the support acts, Robyn, was just finishing her slot. The set consisted of four circular screens at the back of the stage, a curved main stage and a small, x-shaped b stage reached by a catwalk, it was all decorated with vividly coloured graffiti. There was a buzz in the audience, I just love the atmosphere of a live gig.

Coldplay made their grand entrance at 9.15pm. Everyone's xylobands (named after part of the latest album's title Mylo Xyloto) started flashing in unison. There was a sea of red, blue, pink, green, blue and white lights all around the stadium and fireworks whizzed into the air from behind the stage, it was pretty amazing. Later confetti canons spewed hearts and butterflies into the air, some even managed to float up to our level. It must have been amazing to be in the crowd at the front.

The opening song was Hurts Like Heaven, followed by Rush of Blood to the Head. The sound where we were (I know sound can vary so much in a stadium) was not good unfortunately, it seemed to improve as the gig progressed but was never really good.

Chris Martin gave an energetic performance, bouncing about like one of the huge balloons that were fed into the audience at one point.  He talked to the crowd a bit, but I didn't feel he had the charisma that makes a front person in a band really special.

It was good to hear some of my favourite songs such as Yellow, Viva La Vida, Paradise which I really enjoyed. But there was never a time that I got that lump in my throat, felt deep emotions, felt transported by the music. Coldplay are good but they - for me as music is very subjective - haven't the depth about them that I find in bands like U2 and Snow Patrol.

The stadium lit up with the xylobands - stunning!

They came on for the encore and for a moment I thought "where the hell are they?" It turned out that they had come one at a time onto small stage right at the back of the field, a nice touch giving those fans furtherest away a close up treat for a couple of songs. The band then ran down the side of the pitch and went back onto the main stage for the final three songs. The first was Clocks and the xylobands flashed into life again. Now that it was completely dark the effect was absolutely stunning, so beautiful, like colourful blanket lying over the whole stadium, gently flashing and undulating in time to the music. It made every person feel a part of the gig as indeed they were.  To see that on such a huge scale (I think the stadium holds 55,000 people) and hear the crowd singing along was awe-inspiring.

The penultimate song was the lovely Fix You, another of my favourite songs by Coldplay. Every Teardrop is a Waterfall, combined with communal singing, sparkly xylobands  and then fireworks brought the gig to an end.

I enjoyed the concert, it didn't move me, but I had fun. Coldplay have been accused of being a bit bland, and  sometimes I can see where that comes from. But it can't be denied that they have also created some wonderful songs over the years too. Would I see them again? I don't think so, but I am glad I went this once - though I am miffed my xyloband remained stubbornly dark lol!

SetlistS

1. Mylo Xyloto
2. Hurts Like Heaven
3. In My Place
4. Major Minus
5. Lovers in Japan
6. The Scientist
7. Yellow
8. Violet Hill
9. God Put A Smile On Your Face
10. Princess of China
11. Up In Flames
12. Warning Sign
13. Don't Let It Break your Heart
14. Viva La Vida
15. Charlie Brown
16. Paradise
17. Us Against The World
18. Speed Of Sound
19. Clocks
20. Fix You
21. Every Teardrop Is A Waterfall

The Queen's Diamond Jubilee

When I was young I was very anti-royal family, I thought they were a waste of the people's money. Maybe part of that was because I'm only half English, I don't know. But my view has changed over the years (as views do) and, though not a massive royalist, I appreciate what the Queen has done for the country now.  And what struck me at this Jubilee celebration is that the Queen has been a constant in my life, she's always been there in the background since as far back as I can remember, and that's pretty.

Jubilee Concert Stage in Front of Buckingham Palace
(Photo Leon Neal AFP)

For an 86 year old she is doing well too, I was amazed at how long she stood on the royal barge during the Thames Pageant yesterday. Phillip too, though he's in hospital now with an infection maybe it was too much for him at 90! It was a typical British day weather-wise, windy and pouring with rain, one of the choirs on a boat was soaked, their hair plastered to their heads. But the British thing is to just ignore that and get on with things.

A lot of the time the Queen looks quite stern, yet when she smiles her face lights up, wish she would do that more. I don't envy her, still working hard at 86! But she has been a good representative for Britain, she's done her duties well and worked tirelessly - and there's never been any personal scandal.

Fireworks at the End of Jubilee Concert
(Photo Anthony Devlin PA)

Times are hard at the moment, and this has given the country a shot in the arm. Britons don't usually show much patriotism, you hardly ever see a Union Jack flying, we seem almost embarrassed to fly the flag. We've done things we can't be proud of in our colonial past, but we've also given the world a lot of good things, and we shouldn't be afraid of celebrating our Britishness sometimes. It has brought the people together of the four countries that make up Britain, lightened these difficult times, given us the chance to have fun, and also we got an extra bank holiday.

The royal family does need to modernise itself and I think that will happen when William takes the throne, he will move the royal family into the 21st century

60 years on the throne is a massive achievement, wonder if Elizabeth II will beat Victoria's record of 63 years? She seems to be taking after her mother health-wise and she was 101 when she died, so I think she could. 

Bono on The Late Late Show 50th Anniversary Special

Bono appeared as a guest on the Late Late Show's 50th Anniversary Special on 1st June.  The host Ryan Turbridy asked about the new album to which Bono replied that they were writing at the moment and that:

"Edge is in denial of his genius, I'm a little too sure of mine....Larry is suspicious of both and Adam sees merit in both...... U2;s gotta do something very special to have a reason to exist right now ...... There won't be another U2 album unless there's something special  ...... The last three weeks in the studio have been the best since 1979."

Some of which is probably a typical Bono exaggeration and some of which is probably true LOL! He also talked about his admiration of Imelda May (who does a great performance on the show), U2's appearances on the Late Late Show over the years and the upcoming visit of Aung San Suu Kyi (who he calls "A lesson in grace") to Dublin later this month.


The programme finished with the former Miami Showband leader Dickie Rock, still popular with the older generation, singing a cheesy song and it was quite funny to see Bono clapping and singing along too.  But that kind of thing happens in Ireland, it is the one place where Bono is not idolised and can live a relatively normal life, and sing along with Dickie Rock if he wants to, and that's rather nice.  


Watch Bono on the Late Late Show on the RTE website here he appears at the two hour mark.

Bono Talking About his Dad's Last Days

This recently surfaced on the internet and features a telephone interview with Bono about his father's final days in hospital in 2001. It is very touching, yet also funny at times, with Bono showing his humanity, being very open and profound about things such as dignity when dying and his relationship with his dad. The interview is brought to life with fantastic, creative artwork called video-scribing, very clever. The interview finishes absolutely perfectly with Kite. Lovely.

Bono Meets the Queen

Amazing the places yer man turns up! He was amongst various luminaries present at a reception at London's Royal Academy of Art yesterday held to mark the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and to give awards to students.  He spoke of how much the Queen's visit to Ireland last year meant to people there.
"I wanted to take this opportunity to acknowledge the extraordinary magic that you made on your trip to Ireland last year."


He joked: "And the Queen spoke Gaelic. I can't even speak Gaelic."

My favourite part was when the Queen did her meet and greet bit at the end where Bono repeated what he had

previously said about he visit but added:

"Did you have fun at all or was it all work?" 


You've got to love him, I'm sure no one else has asked the Queen that Unfortunately you could hear her reply.  


Below is a video of the meeting.


You can also read articles about it in the Daily Telegraph  and Belfast Telegraph 

New U2 Music?

A couple of short clips of U2 songs have appeared on the Net today. It is definitely U2 though of course we have no idea when they were recorded, but they are clips that haven't surfaced before.  They are raw and full of Bongolese, but you know, I like them!  Maybe this is what they were working on in Dublin in February?

Dublin 3 - More Theatre, Champagne and The Fabulous Tea Room

May 8th

Samuel Beckett Bridge Under a Moody Sky

One of those blustery days with that fine rain that wets you more than you realise.  We got the Luas to Mayor Square - once we got past the Busaras stop I was astounded by the new buildings both residential and retail that had replaced the previously run-down area.  We walked over the elegant and rather beautiful harp-shaped Samuel Beckett Bridge and down the road to Hanover Quay.  The quay was not much different from last time we were there a couple of years ago, partly full of new buildings, partly undeveloped, there were a lot of "To Let" signs around even on the most derelict buildings. Previously each time we visited there were vast changes but the eastern end is barely developed and there's just a big hole where the now cancelled U2 Tower was going to be built. It felt strange, the Celtic Tiger had come to a stop here, literally butting up against the sturdy stone buildings from the past.

Nothing was going on at Hanover Quay so we got some tea in the Spar shop and sat on the seats beside Grand Canal Dock and ate the sandwiches we had brought with us. The rain had eased and it wasn't cold so it was quite pleasant sitting there watching the seagulls taking their afternoon bath in the water.

The Gaiety Theatre 

We went home and made a meal for ourselves before heading out again - this time to the Gaiety Theatre to see a play called Greener by Fiona Looney.  I love this theatre, built in 1871 it is  gloriously old-fashioned with a stucco embellished Victorian  auditorium in gold, turquoise and white with a huge central ceiling rose from which hung a fabulous candelabra.  We were in the front row of the dress circle, which you reach by a lovely wide wooden staircase.  On the landing there is a fake grass settee which was quite funny and totally out of place! Our seats were excellent, around the back of the dress circle were boxes and "The Gods" tier was above us.  It isn't a large theatre and it has a snug cosiness and a sense of the past about it.

The play was good, it starred Pauline McLynn (Mrs Doyle from Father Ted) as the unhappy Noirin and is about two couples, a lottery win and secrets, it is played out on a set of their dual kitchens. Above are two screens where every now and then text messages appear, from the start you realise something is going because of the nature of the texts but it is not until well into the play you realise two of the characters are having an affair.  The play was funny, with some serious stuff, though I feel that the characters could have had more depth to them. The lottery win brings the chance of freedom, both financial and personal for Noirin, but the grass is not greener on the other side and happiness does not necessarily come with what you think you want.

The theme of marital discontentment ran through both plays we saw in Dublin, I feel that A Galway Girl was the better of the two, it was more emotive and the characters beautifully formed both in word and the acting.

We walked down Grafton Street towards the Luas, some people were still performing there.  Once home we opened a bottle of wine and got out the cheese and snacks - a perfect way to end the day!

May 9th

A really shite day weather-wise, as we have been busy since we came to Dublin we decided to have one of our mega-lazy days.  So we chilled out watching TV and chatting and I strained myself and had a wander to the local shops.  That evening we ate in having lovely tortellini and later popped the cork on our bottle of vintage Veuve Clicquot and savoured every drop!

May 10th

Our last day in Dublin, how fast the week has gone by!  We had a bit of a lie in as we had a late night and then went into the city for a while.

That evening we headed out quite early to The Clarence Hotel as we had a table booked in The Tea Room later and wanted to go to the bar first. When we arrived the General Manager Clinton Attwell greeted us and went into the Octagon Bar with us where we were given the choice of a cocktail on the house, how nice! We went for our mutual favourite, a cosmopolitan. The barman added the burnt orange peel and explained the rationale behind it as he did so.  After a short chat Clinton left us and we relaxed and enjoyed our cocktail, trying to sip it slowly as it is so moreish but also very strong!

At 8pm we went into The Tea Room which, amazingly, wasn't very busy, I don't know why because it is now very reasonable in price and serves fantastic food.  We sat down and a waiter came across with two glasses of champagne for us - on the house!  Debbi had told them in an email that it was the five year anniversary of the time we had stayed in the penthouse and Bono had bought us champagne and that had given us the taste for champers.  So it was so lovely that they did this for us, the service and attentiveness at the Clarence is second to none. The champagne glass had a strawberry on the rim and each time we took a sip we also caught the gorgeous summer aroma of the strawberry.

Champagne Slainte!

We had duck spring rolls to start and they were wonderful four large, succulent!  We both had the ribeye steak for the main, this was accompanied by fries and we asked for an extra portion of mash as we both love it.  The waiter asked if we wanted the mash instead of one of the portions of fries but we said we wanted it in addition to them.  When the main came we saw why, the portions of fries were enormous, and they were so lovely and crisp, I'm not the biggest fan of fries (I prefer proper chunky chips) as they usually end up soggy but these were delish.  The steak was very, very tender and I must say, though the one I had a Marco Pierre White's restaurant was good this one was better.

We had to have a break for a while before dessert but eventually Deb ordered a crème brulee (her fave) and I got a lemon tart with chocolate ice cream - had to have my chocolate fix. Again it was delicious, the lemon tart melted in the mouth and the chocolate ice cream was, well, very lusciously chocolatey!

We got our bill and noticed that the desserts were not on it, Debbi called over the waiter who said that the desserts were on the house also, my we were being spoiled, how lovely of them!  It all made it a very special evening for us, thank you Clinton and the Clarence!

May 11th

All packed and ready to go.  Pat came to the apartment at 10am and we swapped the keys for our security deposit and went to a cafe called The Third Space directly under the apartment complex for our breakfast before heading to the airport.  It turned out to be a very good choice, we had two Irish breakfasts of egg (tasty free range), sausage, bacon, tomato, black pudding, white pudding (which consists of pork meat and fat, suet, bread and oatmeal, it tastes nicer than it sounds and is a bit like haggis) with toast and two teas for E10, a bargain.

It was wonderful to spend a whole week in Dublin, we had time to do everything we wanted and immerse ourselves in the city once more. Next destination, Nice later this year!

Dublin 2 - A Horse Fair, Dolphins and All Dressed Up and Nowhere to Go!

May 6th

The Horse Market at Smithfield

I was woken up by the sounded of the clip-clopping of horseshoes, it turned out a horse fair was taking place at Smithfield.  The fair happens on the first Sunday of every month and has been doing so for around 400 years. The horse market is controversial due to accusations of cruelty and occasional violence between the traders and authorities have been trying to close or move it for a few years.  As we watched from our balcony we noticed there was a police presence and a large area was barricaded off where the traders looked at and tested out the horses and we saw nothing untoward whilst we watched.

Today we decided to do something we hadn't done for a few years, spend a few hours mooching around our favourite areas of South County Dublin.  We took the Luas to Connolly Station and then changed to the DART and headed out to Killiney.  The trip on the train is a wonderful journey as it runs along the scenic coast of Dublin and Killiney Bays.  I never tire of the view of Killiney Bay as the train emerges from the tunnel under Dalkey Hill, it is stunning.

Killiney Bay

It was a blustery, showery day as we walked the short distance from the station to the beach, but it is a fabulous place whatever the weather.  The tide was in, and we walked along the beach which only had a handful of other people on it.  Suddenly I noticed black fins in the water off-shore - it was a small school of dolphins frolicking in the sea.  I'd heard that dolphins now frequent this area but never expected to see them!

After our walk we got the DART and went one station north and got off at Dalkey. We went to The Queens pub for a late lunch.  It was very full, we found one table, but soon were surrounded by a horde of "merry" young men watching the football on the TV nearby (I seem to be getting plagued by loud alcohol-fuelled men on this trip!)  Luckily there was now space at the other end of the pub and we moved there.  We had a delicious lunch for a very reasonable price washed down with Irish red lemonade.

Declan and Me

We intended to have a browse in The Exchange Bookshop on the main street, but were sad to see it had closed just a month earlier.  What a shame, it was a great place to potter around in.  After this we headed back home.

That evening, our friend Declan came round to our apartment, we hadn't seen him for a while so there was a lot of catching up to do.  We had a lovely evening, I'm so pleased that we had managed to meet up with all our Dublin friends on this trip.

After he left Debbi and I had a few more bevvies, just for a change .

May 7th

At lunch time we went to Bewleys Cafe Theatre.  For E8 you get soup, soda bread and a drink and see a play lasting 50 minutes, excellent value.  We have been many times and have always really enjoyed the play. The Cafe Theatre is a medium sized room above the floors of the cafe,  filled with tables and chairs with the small stage set on a dais in one corner.  The huge windows are covered with thick, red velvet curtains.

We got our soup, soda bread and water and found a table from which we had a good view.  The play we were seeing was A Galway Girl by Geraldine Aron starring Joe Hanley and Clare Barrett. It depicts a marriage from the start to the death one one partner.  Beautifully acted, Maisie and Dermot saw their different dreams gradually drift away as the years passed by.  Ending up living separate lives of quiet desperation in the same house until death did them part.  Very moving and at times very funny,  so typically Irish.  I love the intimacy of this theatre, I've seen plays here for a very long time and have never been disappointed, if you are in Dublin go there, you won't be disappointed - lunch and theatre for E8 to E12 (depending on which day you go) that's what I call good value.

We went back to our apartment and later got dressed up for our meal out at one of our favourite restaurants The Town Bar and Grill.  It was a windy, very wet night and we took a taxi there, paid and were left on the pavement looking at a padlock on the door of the dark restaurant!  There we were, all dressed up and nowhere to go being buffeted by the wind and rain.  We had to find somewhere else to eat.  The nearest place was Buswell's Hotel, we stumbled in hungry and windswept, but their restaurant was closed too!  We checked out the menu in the very quiet bar but we wanted fine dining and a place with a bit more life.  Debbi  told the barman what had happened and asked if he could recommend another similar restaurant nearby and he suggested Marco Pierre White's Restaurant.  He was such a wonderful, helpful man that he even offered to ring the restaurant and book us a table, how lovely of him!  Then he took us to the door and showed us where to go and indeed, it was close by.

Us in Marco Pierre White's Restaurant

It was almost full and had a good atmosphere, the decor mainly brown and cream with a row of black and white photos of celebrities from all eras around the room.  The waiting staff were  pleasant and informal and the food was good.  We both had goats cheese and beetroot to start, it was a large portion and gorgeous.  I had ribeye steak which was very tender, accompanied by chips.  Deb had her favourite meat, lamb which she said was also very good.  I'm certainly not a fan of Marco Pierre White, but his restaurant in Dublin is excellent. So the night was saved for us by the barman at Buswell's Hotel, thank you!

I emailed the Town Bar and Grill and they apologised and said they had sent me an email saying they would be closed that night but I never received it, it must be floating up with the Northern Lights in cyberspace or something.  They offered free cocktails next time we visit Which made up a little for our inconvenience and disappointment.

Dublin 1 - Luxury Apartment, Fab Dublin and Multi-National Dinner

May 4th

The train to Manchester Airport rolled into Carlisle station, but there was no coach A where my seat reservation was. I approached a member of staff and said my coach was not on the train and he looked at me and said.

"Yes it is, in the second half," smiling at my puzzled look he continued, "Half of the train comes from Glasgow and half from Edinburgh, the other half will be here in a few minutes."

Debbi Pointing out our Apartment Four
Windows Above her Finger!

Sure enough the second half soon arrived complete with coach A shortly afterwards.  In the coach there was a party of eight very drunk Scotsmen.  I moved as far away from them as I could, and though they were not nasty, they were very loud throughout the trip .... lovely, not!

I met up with Debbi at the airport, we were both very excited about the trip as it has been a few years since we've spent a whole week in Dublin.  The flight was smooth and we took a taxi to our apartment in Smithfield.  The landlord, Pat, met us there and if there was a human equivalent of a leprechaun he was one. Small and rotund, with a smiling face, bright, sparkly eyes and a pleasant and humourous demeanour, you couldn't help but like him.

We paid him got the keys and explored our home for the week.  It was a generously-sized two bedroomed luxury apartment, with good quality, modern decor, we were chuffed to each have our own bathroom!  There was a large balcony that looked out over Smithfield, (in Irish Margadh na Feirme, meaning "Farm Market.") It was originally set up as a market place in the 17th century.  In the late 1990's the area was renovated, which included relaying the original cobblestones and erecting 26 metre gas lamps and floodlights on the ground  that reflect in the huge shades on the lower portions of the masts.  I remember I found the flames and lights impressive when I was at Smithfield for U2's Freedom of the City ceremony in 2000.

Smithfield, Dublin from our Balcony

The chimney of the famous old Jamieson Distillery was almost opposite our apartment.  As we were on the fifth floor we had a wonderful view over the rooftops of Dublin, even in this day and age it was dominated by the spires and towers of many churches.  To the right were the spires of St Patrick's and Christchurch cathedrals , close by was the tower of St Michan's that has the fossilised bodies in it's crypt (well worth a visit). Plus lots of other churches I could not name.  Also, very close by, was the dome of the Four Courts.  Our side of Smithfield was mainly apartments whilst on the other side were court buildings and a hostel.  At the north end was a derelict area that encompassed the Cobblestone pub which Pat told us was the kind of place you wiped your feet coming out not going in! But he did say they have some good traditional music there some nights.

We went shopping at a supermarket at the top of Smithfield on our side.  I noticed that almost all the retail units underneath the apartments were closed, we saw lots of evidence that the Celtic Tiger has come to a shuddering halt in the recession during our stay.  Also I remember a few years ago there were so many cranes dominating the skyline, from our vantage point in the apartment we could now see only one.

That night we made our own meal and just relaxed over some wine, happy to be back in Dublin.

May 5th

Sand Sculpture on Grafton Street

We were greeted by sunshine this morning.  We walked the short distance to the River Liffey and crossed over a bridge and walked through Temple Bar, we were hoping to go to a food market, but it had turned into a book market!  We walked on to Grafton Street which was as eclectic as ever.  We passed an Irish harpist, a jazz group, someone making beautiful sand sculptures, another balancing glass spheres and numerous others.  We had coffee and cake in iconic Bewley's, it's ages since we went in the cafe there and it was as lively and snug as ever and has the best coffee in the city!

We walked back home via O'Connell Street and Henry Street, we passed a sign for the Leprechaun Museum, must have a look at it sometime, wonder if Pat hangs out there?

Beautiful Ironwork on the Fruit, Vegetable
And Flower Market Building, Dublin

We passed by the Fruit, Vegetable and Flower Market, an old building with beautiful carvings of various fruits and vegetables on the stonework. The whole area was a little derelict but had a real atmosphere and sense of age, people from Dublin's past would still recognise it I'm sure, I liked it, I always love a place that has a sense of history about it.

That evening we caught the Luas tram and then the DART train south to Dun Laoghaire to have a meal at our friends' house.
It turned out to be a multi-national dinner, there were the hosts Ken (English) and Elizabeth (Irish), Claudia, a yoga instructor from Argentina, Breda from Ireland, Fred, an animator for Windmill Lane and his partner Eve both from France and Debbi and I from England!  They were all lovely people and, with the exception of Deb and I, got to know each other at a dog walking club that meets in the local park.

As usual Ken and Elizabeth were fabulous hosts and we had a great meal and plenty of alcohol!  The conversation and company was good and we had lots of laughs.

Yesterdays newspapers

On our way back to the DART station we passed a newsagents that prided itself on selling yesterdays newspapers, for up to five or six days, mmm, only in Ireland.  We passed the Town Hall looking very pretty all lit up with multicoloured lights.  I love Dun Laoghaire, the seafront has changed a lot over the years, for the better I must say, but the main part is much the same as when I first visited well over twenty years ago - wow how time flies!

Once home we had a little more wine and relaxed and chatted until the early hours, good times!

Dun Laoghaire's Colourful Town Hall at Night

A Jail, An Abbey and Meringue!

I've been neglecting my blog these past few weeks, lots has been going on and I haven't had a lot of spare time to devote to writing.  But I thought I'd write up a visit I recently made this weekend to Jedburgh in the Scottish Borders.

Jedburgh Jail

I met up with my friend Alison in Hawick - I'd taken the bus there because with the sky high price of petrol now it was cheaper than taking my car.  We went for lunch in The Bourtree, a Wetherspoons pub in the centre of Hawick.  It was a rather grand building, that had a sweeping wooden staircase that led to the loos!  Apparently it used to the a Conservative club, and the name Bourtree comes from ancient elder trees that used to stand where the present day building now is.

After a nice lunch we drove the 10 or so miles to Jedburgh.  I'd never been there before and thought it a lovely town dominated by the old castle-like jail on top of a hill at the head of the town's main street.  We first visited the jail which was on a prominent site where there was originally a castle built in the 12th century by King David I.  Being only ten miles from the border with England the castle was constantly fought over and by the 1400's had fallen into disrepair.

In 1823 the remains of the castle were removed and a Howard Reform prison was built on the site.  At the time it was the most modern and forward-thinking form of incarceration.  It has the look of a well preserved castle with turrets and walls and a portcullis-like entrance through the outer wall.  Entry was free (donations welcome) and what we noticed first was how bitterly cold it was inside - colder than outside!  That was really odd, maybe the stories of it being haunted are true.  We saw a display of the history of the building, the bleak cells with huge iron doors, examples of crimes - a 9 year old boy imprisoned for stealing potatoes was an example I remember.  Examples of the prison clothing was exhibited and the prison diet consisted of porridge, milk and potatoes.  It was a reformist jail but it still seemed pretty harsh.

Jedburgh Abbey

It was a relief to get outside again and warm up a bit!  We went to look at Jedburgh Abbey nearby.  It was a large building quite well preserved.  We didn't actually go into it as you had to pay but wandered around the perimeter.  Jedburgh is a small town of 4000 inhabitants today, but was clearly was an important religious seat in past times.

Mary, Queen of Scots House

We walked down Castle Gate and noticed a very old house called Mary, Queen of Scots House so we went to investigate.  It was another donation only museum so we went in to look around. It is rumoured Mary stayed at this house, owned by the Kerr family, while recovering from illness in 1566.  It is has four storeys which you reached via a stone spiral staircase and is full of memorabilia of Mary and this era. Once she returned from exile in France to Scotland, and later England, she seemed to have led an almost nomadic existence staying at various castles and grand mansions along the way.

The walls are wood panelled, the floors stone flags.  In one room there are panels painted with the images of people who played a role in Mary's eventful life.  A family tree shows all the royal inter-connections between those vying for the throne of England at the time. There is also a death mask of Mary taken after her execution in at Fotheringhay Castle1587 in the museum which shows her to have been a very beautiful woman.

Finally Alison and I went to a meringue shop, my idea of heaven LOL!  Border Meringues supplies meringues to shops etc in the region, and it's very ordinary exterior hides a lovely cafe with meringue and cake delights to please everyone.  Delicious and well deserved after our historical traipsing around Jedburgh.  It's a small, but historically interesting town and well worth a visit.

A Dog Called Hope by Bono

Photo taken from BuzzFeed website

Bono left this poem in his hotel room in Jerusalem after his recent visit to Israel. For those who can't read the writing here is a transcription. Amichai was an Israeli poet.


"In Jerusalem, hope springs eternal. Hope is like a faithful dog, sometimes she runs ahead of me to check the future, to sniff it out and then I call to her: Hope, Hope, come here, and she comes to me. I pet her, she eats out of my hand and sometimes she stays behind, near some other hope maybe to sniff out whatever was. Then I call her my Despair. I call out to her. Here, my little Despair, come here and she comes and snuggles up, and again I call her Hope."

He signed, "With great thanks for great room in great hotel in great city, Bono.  

reading Amichai ___" (can't make out the last word)  

Beautiful words, scary drawing (love the shades though)!

Bono in Israel

(Photo by Bauer Griffin)

There have been recent reports of Bono being in Israel.  Here are some pictures taken at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem - the hair is looking better I am pleased to say LOL!  So much for U2 being busy recording, but then maybe it's just an Easter break while the kids are off school.  Let's hope so, it's about time U2 got serious about making new music.

More photos can be found here .

Bono Introduces Dierks Bentley at the 2012 Academy of Country Music Awards

Here's a video of Bono introducing Dierks Bentley at the 2012 Academy Country Music Awards on April 1st.  I have to admit I've never heard of this guy, but then again I can't stand country music so never listen to it.  Good to hear Bono is in Dublin, so maybe the rumours that the band is working on a new album there (at last!) are true....  Don't know what's happened to Bono's hair though, is he trying to cultivate a quiff??  My advice, (which I'm sure he wants LOL) get it cut!

Iceland 3 - No Whales, a Reykjavik Tour and Pizza

24th March 2012
Luckily we could lie in a little today as our whale watching trip did not leave until 12.30pm.  Last night we got back to the hotel at 2am and I was so excited I didn't get to sleep until after 3am!  I was just lying in bed coming round when I got a text.  It was from Elding, the firm that was running our trip today, saying that due to predicted bad weather the trip was cancelled.  I looked out of the window, the weather was the best I'd seen it on this trip to Iceland, but that country is a bit like the UK, the weather can change in minutes.

Hallgrímskirkja

Glen and I met up and discussed what to do this afternoon instead.  We decided to do another trip, and went for the Reykjavik tour.  So at 1pm we were heading into the city on the bus, our guide was Julia, was half English.  Our first stop was Hallgrímskirkja, the gorgeous main church of the city, you see it's graceful steeple from many places.  We'd visited it before nut it was good to go again, it is such a beautiful building, said to be inspired by the volcanic though it is light coloured as are many of the buildings in Iceland.  By now there was a vicious, icy wind blowing - now I realised why the boat tour was cancelled!

We visited the harbour and saw our Elding boat in dock.  On the opposite quay were two whaling boats, it turned my stomach to see them, and sad to think that some of the whales the tour company sees at sea may end up on those killing boats.  It was interesting to hear that there is also a lot of opposition to whaling in Iceland itself which was good to hear.

We went to another seashore and the Presidents home across the bay was pointed out to us.  Last time we visited it, but on a day like this we would have been blown off our feet as it is a very exposed area.  We then went up a wooded hill called Öskjuhlíð to Perlan - The Pearl.  Our guide for some reason did not like the pine trees, but I liked them, there are few trees in Iceland and a patch of green was good to see.  This where the geo-thermal water is stored in large tanks before being pumped around Reykjavik.  Above the tanks was a big dome that housed a museum, cafe, restaurant and shop.  It also has a 360 degree walkway around the dome that gives stunning views over the city and countryside.  Again we had visited Perlan before but it is always a lovely place to visit and we had lunch there. Not many people went outside and those that did came in looking very windswept to say the least!  We didn't go out, we got fantastic photos last time.

We continued our tour, which was turning out to be very different from the last city tour we took here, I suppose each guide has their own routes and places on the agenda.  Julia's trip was nice because it was very personal and she told us how Reykjavik has changed since she was a child here in the 50's and 60's. She told us the story of the washerwomen from the city who would walk miles to a hot spring in the valley to do their washing, at least they had hot water! It struck me once more what a spread out place Reykjavik is, the centre is relatively small and there are lots of large open areas and sprawling suburbs.


Our last stop was the Ásmundur Sveinsson Sculpture Museum in the Laugardallur Valley, a residential area of the city. Sveinsson (1893-1982) was a native of Reykjavik and the building the museum is housed in was both his home and studio.  We didn't have time to go into the museum but we walked around the garden around it which had numerous sculptures on view.  Some were very abstract others more realistic, I found I really liked his work, there was something very moving about them.  He had a sculpture there of the washerwomen Julia had told us about earlier.  Some sculptures were large others quite small and various materials were used. Shame we didn't have time to go inside.


We were dropped off in the city centre as we wanted to do a bit of shopping and have a meal.  We pottered about some souvenir shops, we both bought a Frostroses candle holder which a very pretty and I've never seen anything like them anywhere else.


We  wandered along looking for a restaurant we could afford and picked an Italian (can't remember its name) that was reasonably priced.  It wasn't a fancy place but the pizza we had was absolutely delicious and huge.  We even treated ourselves to a glass of wine each, (having wine in a restaurant in Reykjavik is a treat!) well it was the last night of our holiday and we actually had a little money left.

Polar Bears on the Streets of Reykjavik!

We left the restaurant and found the weather was getting really bad, the strong, icy wind was still there along with rain now.  We decided to get a taxi back to the hotel seeing the weather was so horrible.  


Once back at The Cabin we had the last of the wine that we had brought with us before going to bed really early as we had to be up at the ungodly hour of 4am the next morning!  Night owl me was surprised that I managed to get to sleep by 10pm, must have been all the fresh sea air.


So our little holiday in Iceland was over.  I still feel Iceland is the most amazing place to visit, and the people are friendly and helpful (and speak excellent English).  The Blue Lagoon was like stepping into another world and what a wonderful day of chilling! It was disappointing not to get out on the whale watching trip, but that's the way with tours that require nature to play ball.  Seeing the Northern Lights made up for missing the whales though, the magic of that time on the snowy mountain pass watching the Aurora will stay with me forever.

Iceland 2 - In Search of the Northern Lights

After our exquisite day of chilling at the Blue Lagoon we went back to our hotel and had a meal, then we checked at reception whether the Northern Lights trip later that night was going ahead - the tour company cancels by 7pm if it is not happening and you can try again the next night.  As it was raining and cloudy outside we fully expected a cancellation, but much to our surprise the trip was on.


The bus picked us up at 9.30pm and sure enough the clouds had lifted and the stars twinkled above us. We headed through the suburbs of Reykjavik, I noticed that most people in the city did not close their curtains/blinds at night when their lights are on, rather strange...  We drove on into the blackness of Iceland's interior, we were heading Þingvellir, the site of Iceland's parliament from 930 to 1789.  It is also the area where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet causing a major fault line, fractured rocks and regular earthquakes. It's a fascinating place to visit (Glen and I went there in 2010 on our last visit to Iceland) in daylight, but of course on this night we could see none of this.


The northern lights or Aurora Borealis (this term was first coined by Galileo, Aurora was the Roman goddess of dawn and Boreas was Greek for the north wind) are seen around the north and south magnetic poles of the earth.  They are caused by the collision of charged particles with atoms in the high altitude atmosphere. The charged particles originate when solar wind (caused by solar flares) hits the earth's magnetosphere. The differing colours are the result of both the height of the phenomenon and whether the particles collide with oxygen or nitrogen.  


At Þingvellir there were loads of people, and it took some of the special atmosphere away somewhat.  We got off the bus and joined the throng with eyes raised to the heavens.  There were a few lights scattered around the valley but not many and the sky was very dark, so many stars were visible, it was especially clear because there was no moon, it looked beautiful. The plough constellation was overhead, much higher in the sky than in the UK. It wasn't too cold so the wait was not uncomfortable - then again I was well wrapped up in long-sleeved vest, long johns, thick socks, wool lined boots, thick trousers, velour top, down coat with hood, ski gloves and a wool scarf wrapped round my head!!    


Unfortunately we did not get a show of Northern Lights, all we saw in an hour and a half was a slight arc of white.  It was very disappointing and the bus was quiet as we headed back towards Reykjavik.  Then after about 15 minutes our guide said that he could see Northern Lights in the sky to our right.  Everyone immediately went to the right and sure enough we could see some lights, suddenly the bus had come alive!  The bus driver pulled off the road onto a side track and we all excitedly piled out of the bus.  We were on a high mountain pass and it was very cold and there was snow all around, and there, above the jagged snow-capped mountain tops, were the Northern Lights.  They were a curtain of white/very light green that covered about a quarter of the sky. There was little light pollution here, only the lights from a ski slope just behind a mountain and the orange glow of the lights of Reykjavik glowed faintly behind other mountains.


The aurora were moving very slowly as if being blown by a very gentle, slow-motion breeze, there weren't many people now and there was a hush as we marvelled at one of the most beautiful natural phenomenons there is. There was something incredibly moving, almost magical and awe-inspiring about it. They would fade only to be reborn in a slightly different form and I felt quite emotional as I watched their graceful dance, one of my dreams had come true, and there was nowhere else I would have rather been at that moment than that cold, Icelandic mountain pass. 


After about half an hour the lights became fainter and we all piled back on the bus.  We had a bit of a scare when the bus wouldn't start!  I had visions of being stuck on that mountain pass all night watching the lights - not a bad thing!  The driver soon got the bus going though and we were soon heading back towards Reykjavik with a now very happy and chatty busload of people!

Iceland 1 - Volcanic Bathing and Pampering

22nd March 2012

My cousin Glen and I landed in Keflavik airport, Iceland on a damp, murky afternoon.  The airport is small so we were on our way to Reykjavik on the Flybus in record time.  It was misty and we couldn't see far beyond the road, occasionally eerie, black statues standing on plinths were visible amongst the chaotic lava fields that the road runs through. Iceland really is like no other place on earth.

Our hotel was The Cabin, a bit out of the centre of Reykjavik, overlooking the sea and beautiful Mount Esja. The rooms were very small, they lived up to the hotel's name, but were fine for our purpose.  By now the weather was really bad, windy and driving rain.  We had intended - at the recommendation of my friend Michelle - to go to see Icelandic singer Magni play in a pub called Den Danske Kro.  We were tired, it was a bit of a trip into Reykjavik city centre and the weather was vile so we decided not to go.  Instead we had a nice, reasonably priced meal at our hotel followed some of the wine we had brought with us (alcohol is very expensive in Iceland).

23rd March 2012

Up early today, had breakfast and then were collected for our trip to the Blue Lagoon.  That's something I like about Iceland bus companies pick you up and drop you off at your hotel. We took the road back towards Keflavik and branched off into the lava field not far from the airport.  As we approached we could see plumes of steam rising into the air.  We were dropped  off by a  pathway that weaved through the the six foot high lava.  It was very windy but dry.

After a short walk we went inside the building and got our dressing gowns and went to the modern changing rooms.  You enter the Lagoon via an indoor pool that is waist deep and then go out of a door into the Lagoon proper.  Initially the cold hit us, and what you have to do is crouch down until your head and neck are all that is not submerged under the bath-warm water of 37-39 degrees C. It's handy being small like me as I didn't have to  crouch very much, but as the water is very saline it wasn't an effort to crouch anyway.

The lava surrounding the Blue Lagoon was formed in 1226, it is known as Evil Lava as it is very rough and difficult to traverse. The geothermal water originates 6562 feet below the earth's surface where it is heated to 240 degrees centigrade.  As it comes towards the surface it cools and captures minerals from the earth which gives the water its distinct blue colour.

The Steamy Blue Lagoon

The water was deliciously warm, the heat of it varied a little in different parts of the Lagoon, but it was never cool.  There was a sandy/rocky floor which seemed natural but it must have been manmade as the rock all around is the Evil Lava which would not be good under bare feet!  I have a bit of a skin problem at the moment and found that as soon I was in the water it was soothed, and now days afterwards my skin feels as smooth as a baby's bottom!

It was very relaxing in the water, it wasn't very noisy or crowded and the Lagoon is also a lot bigger than I expected. All the rock on and below the waterline was white with a layer of silica from the water.  Steam rose from the water and beyond, mountains were visible in the distance.  It all felt very elemental and other-worldly as does so much of this amazing country. It is definitely a must-do when in Iceland.

One tip, if you wear glasses like me take them off they'll only steam up in the Lagoon, I had to store mine in my cleavage LOL!

One of the Outer Pools

We left the Lagoon showered and got dressed and went for a drink in the cafe.  We had facials booked Glen was in first at 1pm and I was at 2pm.  While Glen was receiving her treatment I had lunch of a very expensive burger in the Lava Restaurant.  Just before 2pm I went up to the treatment area and waited in the seats there, Glen came out looking very chilled and fresh-faced!  Then it was my turn to have a facial with Kristjana.  The "bed" was fabulous, it was shaped so that you lay in a gentle curve, very, very comfortable.  The room was quite dark, lit by candles and soothing music played in the background.  The facial was bliss, especially the massage part and she used Blue Lagoon creams rather than oils.  All too soon it was finished, as usual after a facial/massage I felt a bit spaced out and took a while to come round.

Glen and I went to look around the shop which was lovely but very expensive, I bought some shot glasses and a fridge magnet (I always buy the latter as a souvenir when I go away).  We then went for a walk along one of the paths around the lava fields and outer pools.  It was quite open there and there was a fierce wind that nipped your cheeks. The outer pools were as blue as the ones in the Lagoon but the water in them was cool.

After this we got our bus back to Reykjavik and our hotel.  It had been a fabulous day of chilling and I felt re-invigorated, I loved every minute of it!

The Joshua Tree - 25 Years Old!

I know I'm a day late, but here's to The Joshua Tree, released 9th March 1987!  After all these years it's easy to forget just how revolutionary it was at the time.  Big sounds, full of songs that were to become classics with soaring voice and guitar which brought a new emotion to rock 'n' roll.

I was a fledgling U2 fan at the time and remember listening to the record (yes record!) for the first time and instantly loving every song.  That had not happened before or indeed since with any other album. It also cemented my love for U2's music, which in turn has led to making some wonderful friends, travelling all over the world and lots of other fun times. So as well as being a great album The Joshua Tree enriched my life in so many ways too.

Disasters and Jobs

I've not had a lot of time over the last couple of weeks for my blog as other things have taken priority.  I've had a few domestic disasters, the worst needing a claim on the insurance.  I won't bore you with the details, but am pleased to say the problems are nearly resolved.

A couple of weeks ago I found out my job with Age UK was finishing at the end of this month.  Social Services have not renewed the contract so the service I was part of will be discontinued.  I feel bad for the old people, they are losing what, for some, is such an important part of their lives.  One lady I visit each week cannot move from her chair due to a stroke and she looks forward to have someone like me coming in to chat and do crosswords with.  It may not sound like much, but to her it means she does not just sit alone in front of the TV for hours on end.  It seems that the elderly always come last on the list when it comes to funding, which I think is a big indictment of our society.

It also means I need another job, which I think I may have found.  A company that provides support workers advertised an open day in our local paper so I went along to it on Monday and ended up getting an interview right away.  All the forms have been filled in, references and Criminal Records Bureau checks are in hand, so it looks like I'm well on my way to getting a new job.  It will be supporting elderly people in their homes after they have left hospital.  Fingers crossed it works out!

Less than two weeks until my cousin Glen and I go to Iceland.  There have been superduper solar storms these last few days that have resulted in fantastic displays of northern lights in the Far North so I hope they continue along with clear skies when we are in Iceland.  It's three months since I was in Dublin and I find that after three months I get antsy and am ready to travel again, so I'm ready that visit the island of ice and fire!