A beautiful evening at almost mid-winter time of year. Today saw me driving the 91 km to the nearest city from where we live. Cork city is beautiful and as I had to drive through some of the oldest part of it in the area of the Shandon tower and the butter market, I was absolutely delighted to have had a reason to travel up. It does not happen so often these days, partly due to all the lock-downs and partly because I do not like to leave Ian alone for too long. It takes about one and a half hours one way from our little town to the city, and along the way you travel through two other small towns. What I noticed today is that these little towns are growing rapidly, but they also have lovely older areas with interesting architecture.
But to talk some more about Cork city, it is a place that I love, I learnt my English there originally. There are so many interesting places to see and take in. Today I could not stop to linger where I wanted to take photos and just admire the old quarters as I had an appointment for a Covid test, routine before any procedure in hospital which is to follow on Thursday. The test centre was right up the hill through a residential area, many of these are small one story Irish houses, some of them have interesting features of Irish vernacular architecture. (taking a note to come back some time with my camera). The streets were fairly quiet which I was happy about as I do not drive often in the city. I felt relaxed and glad.
It made me realise that in these troubled times where for most of the year we have all been very restricted in our movements, it is so uplifting to be among people, to feel the buzz of the city, to admire the beauty of it all. It made me come alive and it energized me.
agoyvaerts 
Thanks for sharing these beautiful photos. I love to being able to see places I might not otherwise get to see. Wishing you all the best with your procedure.
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Thank you Terri, it will be good to have it over with anyway.
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You are amazing Mum, making the most mundane and possibly stressful journey into a poetic pleasure trip! Always a joy to read! š¹
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Thank you Tjorven, it was really a pleasure, once I told myself ‘needs must’ I just went with it and enjoyed it very much. I would love to go back again sometime and visit that area of Cork and take photos too.
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Going out has never seemed so exciting. A trip to the grocery store is an event! As always, I love to see your photos from across.
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So totally agree with you, we now know how lucky we are to be able to do at least a journey now and then, and even if it is only to the store to buy bread. š
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Outings are so rare these days that we feel almost celebratory when we do get out of the house. Hope all goes smoothly for you on Thursday, Agnes.
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Thank you Eliza. Yes we are all in the same boat aren’t we, with lockdowns we do appreciate our outings much more when we are able.
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I hope all goes well with your procedure, Agnes.
The photos are lovely.
I must say I smiled a little about learning English in Cork with the accent and then I thought of the Waterford one and indeed all of them. Take care x
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Yes Jean and accents are interesting. I never really too the Cork accent but I do like it, a good friend of mine has the real Cork accent, she lives in Carrigaline, it sings.
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Oh it certainly sings and is far nicer than many others but can be hard to understand if you come from a county that is totally different, like Monahan, where I spent 5 years in school and steeped in the accent there.
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Hahaha….even harder when you come from Antwerp but I take your point Jean š
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š
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My father’s mother’s family were from Cork city. Yes, I think its only that when we get out and about a bit we realise just how much we have missed “normal” life!
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Lovely photo of ireland
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Dank u āŗ
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