It was freezing. The brisk Irish wind sliced through my light California jacket and gray turtle neck tee shirt. We were on our way to the aiport for our plane to Amsterdam, and then on to Luxemburg to see René and Elsy. We had to wait outside the Hotel Clayton in Dublin for the shuttle bus . . in the cold!
There was a young man, perhaps 30 years old, tall and very heavy, wearing only shorts and a tee shirt. His friend had a knee brace and jeans. They talked in hushed tones, laughed occasionally, but looked serious! I’d be serious too if I were wearing shorts in a cold, stiff arctic wind.
The one thing in Ireland that has surprised me is the travel conditions. When we got on the bus to the airport we thought is would be deserted . . we planned on it being deserted! But, at 3:30 AM this morning, it was completely jammed. And, it wasn’t a small bus!
Nancy gave up her seat to a woman carrying her young son. The young woman was grateful. She and her husband chatted with Nancy. Unfortunately, my hearing aids were focused on another conversation in the row behind me!
We found the trains in Ireland and England to be very busy. Usually sold out or completely full, which was not necessarily bad for us because it gave us the opportunity to meet interesting people. Their lives were always interesting. One man and his wife from Brazil had a son at Cornell University in New York and a daughter in Dublin. He loved New York and wanted to visit Chicago . . and he had a reasonable command of English, which I am coming to understand is no small feat.
The one differences between the other cultures of the world and America is that other cultures actually learn new languages and use them. In the US we study language as a more or less academic exercise. I can remember checking off this box with Spanish in high school and college. Arriva!
We expected that travel would be different on this trip, and it certainly has been. But, it was also a wonderful experience. Arriva Sombrero!