Sunday, July 25, 2010

Waterford

My current blog design feels a little claustrophobic, so I'm keen to revamp but inspiration is proving difficult to come by, I do want to keep my Morris background though!

This time last week I was in County Waterford to visit my friend for a long weekend. I had a lovely time, her family are so warm and welcoming and her mum is a brilliant cook and a former vegetarian so she knows what's tasty for us herbivores.




I arrived at Tara's after a seven hour bus journey (if I drove it would take me half that time) and kipped out on the couch watching trashy tv, after dinner it was a pleasant evening so she brought me out to Tramore, a coastal part of Waterford. We went adventuring on the cliffs.


On Friday we went to the amusements in Tramore. It was my first time on the waltzers in years and my stomach may be older but no less hardened. I was disorientated but relieved when we disembarked! There was three of us girls in one of the only three occupied waltzers so the young lad on duty delighted in picking us as his main target for some serious spins.

On Saturday we went sales shopping where and had a lovely lunch and desert in a café on the docks called Berfranks, where our waiter was indifferent but the food was nice and the boss was a sweetheart, commenting how our group was like a rainbow (my purple trains and colourful top, my friends orange hair and the other girls pink and black hair). I've no pictures of this as I'm lazy and wasn't bothered to be honest.


We did go out that night, where we danced ourselves silly (I had stiff joints for two days afterward, no lie!) and I amused myself immensely afterward greeting everyone I passed on the street afterward with the Waterford greeting "Well!"


No visit to Waterford was complete without venturing to recently renovated and reopened Waterford Crystal. Tara works as a guide there, so I had more of an opportunity to chat to the carvers and engravings who were lovely and only too keen to entertain my many questions!


The level of skill is completely awe inspiring! This is Tara with a sculpture of the Waterford crest.


Joanna Newsom watch your back...


At the end of the tour you can get your photo taken to ~remember~ your trip, it gets emailed to you, it's cheesy but cute! I'm wearing my Orion cardigan that I bought 3-4 years ago and haven't worn since first year. I've fallen in love with it again and my bright purple trainers that I got in Oxfam for €6.50, love them!

Now I'm determined to list a few WC items on my wedding list when the time comes. Tara met John Rocha when he visited the factory at the start of the summer too, she says he was adorable in the flesh and he wore runners with his suit, but in a fashion forward way, naturally!

Also there is an Amish community in Waterford and they do the best Carrot Cake this side of the world, absolutely delicious, I have heard many reports of how good it is and it's true. The cake I brought home to my Dad got fairly battered on the bus journey back but it was devoured within a day so I didn't have a chance to snap a picture, I was too busy getting a slice for myself before it disappeared!

12 comments:

  1. Lovely photos! This looks like it was such a fun trip.

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  2. This looks like such a fun day! I would love to go there! x

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  3. Oh, it all sounds so nice. I've been in Ireland this spring myself, and I thought it was an amazing country! :D

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  4. Is that the Amish community in Dungarvan , by the sea? My family and i spent a weekend down with them when I was about 9, and remember playing with a girl named Lucy; she must be about 22 or so now..love to know if it was the same place!

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  5. awh looks like SO much fun x

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  6. Looks like you had lots of fun! Lovely pics...

    Just to let you know i'm hosting a giveaway, hope you enter: http://trishiekoh.blogspot.com/2010/07/norfolk-knitted-bow-giveaway.html

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  7. Hey you!

    Looks like Waterford was a ball, you heading down for Spraoi?

    I just had to give ten facts about myself and I tagged you on my blog (http://foodfloraandfelines.blogspot.com/) to do the same here so you're it!

    Khrystyna xx

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  8. Looks like a lot of fun! What a beautiful view of the ocean! I happen to LOVE your blog background, its so pretty!

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  9. Those first few pics are so fun!!! And I had no idea there were Amish in Waterford....or Ireland!

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  10. The pictures are great and it looks like you had a killer time. The magical carrot cake is getting saved in my memory bank for when I'm back over. :D

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  11. great pictures..the first one is so much fun!;D

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  12. Looks like such a fun weekend! I've heard such great things about amish baking, I wish we had an amish community near here so I could try some of their cakes!

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