Rome - March 2005

For our anniversary this year we decided a trip to Rome was in order. We stayed in a hotel just down the road from the Colosseum, which was the first thing I wanted to see, and which we saw for the first time at sunset. Marvellous!


Colosseum at sunset

Since this was a sightseeing weekend, not a resting weekend, we set off early next morning, starting at the Colosseum and continuing through the Roman Forum adjoining it. Wandering around in the brilliant, warm sunshine in such awesome surroundings soon helped us forget we had hangovers from the previous night, which involved St Patricks Day celebrations in two of Rome's Irish pubs.


Overlooking the Roman Forum from on top of Palatine Hill

We exited the Roman Forum at the opposite site to where we had entered it, and found ourselves outside what is possibly the most beautiful and impressive building I have ever seen. The Victor Emmanuelle Monument, home to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, with its white marble exterior and exquisite statues and carvings, is simply enormous. Come to think of it, everything in Rome seems to be enormous - the Romans obviously never believed that 'Less is more'!


Victor Emanuelle monument

Ignoring the fact that we'd been on our feet for half the day already, we set out across the city, taking in the beauty of the Pantheon, having a leisurely cup of coffee at an outdoor cafe in the Piazza Navona and then strolling through endless narrow streets and piazzas until we found the Trevi Fountain. It was packed with hundreds of people, and we joined the hordes in tossing coins into the water to ensure our return to the city one day.


Trevi Fountain

After a brief, failed attempt at shopping due to exhaustion, we trudged back to our hotel for a quick power nap before heading out to dinner, where we indulged in a delicious meal and too much red wine.

The following morning after a hangover-beating breakfast of coffee and pastries, we hopped on a bus to Vatican City. Once again, the sheer size of the place left me breathless, and all I could say for a while was, "Wow!" It took hours for us to take in the sight of the massive columns flanking St Peter's Square and then to wander around St Peter's Basilica. The beauty and opulence of the place left us feeling extremely insignificant in the grand scheme of things.


St Peter's Square

From there we wandered over to the Castel S Angelo, across the bridge lined with statues of angels, and through more narrow winding streets, discovering something amazing every time we turned a corner. There seems to be a grand piazza, Church, obelisk or other architectural wonder at the end of every road in Rome, not to mention plenty in between. Eventually after a couple of wrong turns (my navigational abilities seemed to break down for a while) we reached the Spanish Steps, where we joined hundreds of other tourists resting in the sunshine.


Spanish Steps

We had pizza and beer for lunch at a trattoria nearby, and spent the rest of the afternoon shopping on the Via Del Corso, finding our way through the police line at the top of the road where a demonstration was in progress, to do some more shopping on Via Nazionale before returning to the hotel. Another delicious dinner and even more red wine made for another perfect evening.

Since we had some time before having to leave again for the airport the following day, we spent the morning wandering more or less aimlessly around the streets surrounding our hotel. Rome has so much to offer, and there is so much to see, it is impossible to cover everything in one long weekend.


Santa Maria Maggiore church - at least that's what we deduced using our map-reading skills..!

So, hopefully the coin-in-the-Trevi-fountain thing pays off, because of all the cities I've been to, Rome is the one I most want to see again!

South Africa - Dec 2004-Jan 2005

We decided to take a long-overdue trip home in December 2004, for a full four weeks. It was just what the doctor ordered! We left a dreary, miserable, wintery Dublin in the morning and stepped off the 'plane that night into a beautiful, warm, summery Cape Town.
The next morning we picked up our rental car and set off along the N2, leaving behind Table Mountain, wound our way up Sir Lowry's Pass and headed purposefully Eastwards. We drove past the vast farmlands of the Western Cape and took a 100km detour to visit the Southernmost tip of Africa, where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet at Cape Agulhas. We eventually reached Knysna around sunset, and spent the night with our friends Kevin & Joan, enjoying much-missed South African hospitality.

After a short walk around town in Knysna the following morning we started driving again, following the familiar road through Plett, past Jeffreys Bay and into Port Elizabeth where the feeling of coming home that had been building, finally became complete.

Spending the month with our family and friends in the South African sunshine slowly restored the energy to our souls. Living in the Northern Hemisphere has a way of sucking the life right out of us. We visited, shopped, beached, ate, drank and were generally merry, until all too soon it was over.

To all our family and friends in South Africa: We miss you, we miss our country, and in the immortal words of Arnie, "I'll Be Back"!!

We took hundreds of photos while we were there, these are but a select few. Enjoy!


Western Cape farmlands


Southernmost tip of Africa - Cape Agulhas


Where two oceans meet.


Overlooking Wilderness


Overlooking Knysna lagoon from Kevin & Joan's house


The road to home through the Tsitsikama Forest


Watching a summer storm roll towards Grahamstown


Hobie Beach in Port Elizabeth


Hobie Beach, looking back from Shark Rock Pier


Home!


Breakfast run to J-Bay with Wayne & Marike. Thanks for a great day & the loan of your bike, guys!


Leaving again... Cape Peninsula from the air

Russell & Sheena visit Ireland - October 2004

In October 2004 Russell & Sheena came all the way over from Grahamstown to visit us. It was great to see our friends again, and one of the things we did was spend a weekend in a little village called Adare, in Co Limerick. From there we drove out to the Cliffs of Moher on the west coast of Co Clare. On the way back to Dublin we stopped at the Rock of Cashel, that ancient, impressive but now defunct monastary which can be seen from miles around.


In the park in Adare


The Cliffs of Moher


Russell & Sheena at the Cliffs of Moher


Rock of Cashel


St Patrick's Cross at Cashel


Inside the cathedral ruins

Gran Canaria - August 2004

As a special treat in honour of Dave's 40th birthday, we booked ourselves a week in the sun on the island of Gran Canaria. We did nothing but laze about on the beach or at the pool, although we did gather enough energy to go wave-jumping on wet-bikes, and do a spot of parasailing. We were also happy to find a pub near the beach to watch the Springboks win the Tri Nations!!! GO BOKKE!!!!!


Gorgeous weather every day


Getting ready to watch the Bokke!


Enjoying sunset views from the restaurant balcony


Amadores beach