Meeting Mary

One of the best things about Ireland for me was my great luck in meeting good people who have become fast friends, in addition to the family friends already made.  I met Mary during my first week in Dublin in 2012 and it seems I've known her all my life.  We have a lot in common: married the same Summer, fathers born and raised in Westmeath, a midlands county, mothers died in 2007, and a love for walking, We met on the walking tour that is offered weekly by the Dublin City Council starting in Sandymount and ending in Black Rock, all along the sea. Here's a picture of Mary taken just Thursday when we met for the first time since returning here last Wednesday. It's taken in Marlay Park, a beautiful park that was originally the home of the Taylor family of French Huguenots built in 1764.  See the link here:  http://curiousireland.ie/marlay-house-marlay-park-co-dublin-1764/

We've had lots of experiences together, in addition to walking sections of the Camino de Santiago ending in Compostela, Spain twice, we've done many Dublin-based walks along the sea to both Bray and Howth, along the Dodder River and, further out, on the River Barrow to the southwest.  The first time walking the Barrow was in 2015 when we did Sections 5 and 6.  We're planning another walk on October 7 and 8 on Sections 3 and 4: http://riverbarrow.net/barrow-way.html.  This adventure, like the one in 2015 will include a dozen other old and new friends and an overnight stay in Carlow.  Mary and I will take a road trip next Friday, Sept 8, to scope out accommodation for the group.  I have aspirations of organizing walking trips and this is a good exercise in how to do it.

It hasn't been a week yet, but I'm all settled in and eagerly awaiting the start of the set dance season next Tuesday (Sept 12).