Random thoughts

We are staying in Killarney, Ireland and have seen a bit of the countryside around as most of the courses have been within an hour or so of the town.

Summer looks like a good time for festivals in Ireland. There is the big one in Edinburgh of course that is just starting now... but each little town seems to have one as well. We just missed the Puck Festival in Killorglin where they pay honor to a goat for 3 days in festival. The story is best told here.

We played in Tralee today and they have a festival called the Rose of Tralee which looked like a big deal as we drove through. Looks like a beauty pageant, and excuse for a big party. All explained best here.

Sad to see that there are big box stores in Ireland, as well as suburban tract developments going in outside of the towns. I guess some would call it progress but it seems like slide into medocrity that is bad enough in the states. Too bad we export that as well to the rest of the world.

Music is good in Killarney - we've heard some traditional stuff with accordian and bass bazouki, and tonight heard a good band with bass, guitar, bodran and flutes and vocals that was excellent. A bit more modern take on traditional music that was good to hear.

We've met lots of really friendly people. The Irish seem pretty open, at least in the pubs where we keep meeting them. No hatred of Americans as they all seem to love Las Vegas.

Gaelic football is a crazy sport... we've caught bits and pieces of a couple of games. Killarney's team is in the running for the Gaelic Football league championship (like the super bowl in the states) but we won't have a chance to catch a game.

The Geography is much different than I imagined... lots of big mountain ranges (not sure how high but as big as foothills leading into the Cascades... probably 5000+ feet. The beaches along some of the golf courses look amazing... the ones around the town and course of Tralee were really really amazing. One nice thing about golf courses in Ireland and Scotland is that they are open to the public for walking through or on. Lots of people with dogs walking around and often on the courses. It's like they are all big parks for everyone.

Tomorrow we are off to Waterville to play golf again. We have 2 British journalists on the trip with us as it turns out and Alex and I are going to play a match against them for a few Euros. Should be grand as they as say here.

More photos soon. Just need to download them.
Bradley