C a m b r i d g e

I have always wanted to visit Cambridge, and the opportunity came when we travelled to Ireland. I made Cambridge a part of the itinerary after the Ireland leg, and we met up with my bro in-law who was studying there. He was our tour guide for the day.

 Cambridge is a university town, and is home to many beautiful architectures such as the Queen's Gatehouse.

 It is not advisable to drive in the city so bicycles are handy. We rather walk to see more.

 One of many churches that defines the architectural landscape of Cambridge.

 This is a must-do when you visit Cambridge - Punting. To see the city, you rent one of these boats to cruise down River Cam.

 You could punt on your own if you are not afraid of falling off....

 ...or you could, like us, hire a punter who also narrated useful history of the city. The girls went ga-ga over our handsome-Prince-William-look-alike punter.

 You need skills to manoeuvre the punt along the river, especially when the passage is crowded

 Going under the Bridge of Sighs.

 Students waiting for their ride to arrive, or just hanging out?

 Kings College on the background.

 Narrow streets with shops where you could find something interesting

 And loads of eateries to fill your appetite.

 The ever so familiar red telephone booths of UK.

 Senate House & Gonville and Caius College in the city centre.

Walking on the King's Parade outside King's College Chapel.

Cambridge is a beautiful town. It is clean, has little pollution, lots of eating places, shopping, and importantly, offered plethora opportunities for my photo shoot. If time could permit, we would have stayed another day to explore beyond the city. Unfortunately, we have to make our way to London to catch a flight home.

And another travel trip awaiting....

D u b l i n

My travel to Ireland ended in the city of Dublin, where we took a flight to London. Enroute to Dublin, we made a stopover at The Rock of Cashel - one of most visited tourist attraction in Ireland.

 This former fortress was undergoing restoration work when we visited.

 The guide briefed us on its construction & the surrounding elements.

 Here, we patiently listened to its history and viewed the artifacts on display.

 The dampness accumulated over the centuries in the chapel, which is made of sandstone, has significantly damaged the interior frescos.    

 The round tower is well preserved and is the oldest building on the ground. 

 The cathedral has lost its roof.

 External facade showing the strain of time.

 Stone carving of the crucifiction.

 High cross tombs resting on the plateau overlooking lush green.

 We hit the street immediately when we reached Dublin.

 Spire of Dublin on O'Connell Street.

 The buskers were out on a Sunday.

 Hope to make some takings for the day.

 Nice building on Dublin City Centre.

 The buildings are not tall and are mostly uniformed in height. I like it this way against the concrete jungle in some cities.

 In scale sense, Dublin is considered a small city. We left the car in the hotel and made our way around by foot, which is good as we could see more things.

 A group of cub scouts out on an excursion.

We finally left Ireland after 8 days. It was a wonderful trip where I got to visit the rugged coastline, the vast green land and historical sites & buildings. Although the drive was long, I thoroughly enjoyed myself as I could visit many places that I would normally not if we had joined a tour package. We are free to stop as we like, and are not bound by time and venue. That is the primary advantage of a self-drive holiday.

And another travel trip awaiting....

  

C o r k

We visited Blarney Castle that is near to Cork, where we stayed for a night.

 The castle is a partial ruin with some accessible rooms and a keeper's watch tower

 Not much to watch about but the sky.

 What would be the original Blarney Castle.

 View from the top.

 Tourists queuing to receive the gift of the gap.

The saying is, if you hung upside-down to kiss the magical Blarney stone, you would receive the gift of eloquence. I rather save the kiss for my wife.

 The Blarney House is spotted from afar.

 A closer look at Blarney House.

Surrounding the house are gardens with manicured lawn, rose beds and hectares of parkland filled with rare & unusual trees.

A uniquely looking tree at the castle ground...

...that prompted the Tarzan in me to climb it. Unfortunately, my landing was terrible and I sprained my ankle that hurt for few days. 

 From Blarney, we drove to Cobh, a seaside town on the south coast of Cork County.

 Tilting houses?

 Saint Colman's Cathedral

 Side view of the cathedral.

Titanic Memorial - Cobh is the final port of call for the RMS Titanic as she set out across the Atlantic Ocean on her ill-fated maiden voyage.

I supposed the atmosphere in Cobh was a lot lively and full of vibrancy when the Titanic came to town. In contrast, the current day of Cobh is a quiet town, with many businesses closed. I do hope their economy would pick up soon, as the town has certainly more to offer. Perhaps another 'Titanic' might call to berth here.

And another travel trip awaiting....