Long Week-end Portugal

Gerry & Cath's Place, Quinta Do Lago, Uploaded by M+MD.

This September we were 25 years married. We managed to celebrate more than once - as you do. Our third and final celebration was a trip to Quinta Do Lago near Faro on the Algarve. We travelled out with Gerry and Cath and stayed in their beautiful house which overlooks the Ria Formosa, just past Lakeside in Quinta. They spend much of the summer there and you can see why. The weather was lovely and warm and the place was generally pretty quiet - although the plane travelling over was pretty full. We had a very relaxing four days - we played none holes of golf each evening, Pineros Alto; and the front and back nine in Quinta South.

The House from the Ria Formosa
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Lakeside
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Breakfast was in De Barras sometime in the mid morning. The rest of the time we lazed around and ate well. We had yet another wonderful meal in "A Quinta" above Almancil. We ate at the 2 Passos restaurant on the beach one evening - the food and the service was good - though the atmosphere was a little lacking. On the Monday it rained - so we shopped in Faro! Its good to get the sun on your back especially after the summer we had and the winter setting in.

Restaurant 2 Passos
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3 Cormorants
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Sat 4th October Thomond Park New Stand Debut, Munster 25 Glasglow 17

This year I acquired 5 pairs of tickets to the Munster Magners League home games in Thomond Park. Surprisingly they only clash once with the Leinster games. The first of these games was the return to the new Thomond Park against Glasgow Warriors in early October. Barney had traveled down from Galway and we had arranged to meet just outside the old Jury’s hotel. The traffic coming through Limerick was pretty awful – I made a few detours to avoid the worst of it and made it to the Ennis Road by about 30 minutes before kick-off. We parked on Veriker Gardens just round the corner and walked up to Thomond in the rain.

The new Thomond Park, Uploaded by M+MD.

The new stadium is fantastic. There are 2 identical stands each with 7,500 seats. There room for another 11,000 on the terraces below the stands and on the goal ends. There isn’t a bad seat in the stand – it steep and high so there is still an intimacy with the players. It will continue to be a great venue. The game was a sell-out – but in the conditions some of the faithful stayed at home and the official attendance was 19,000. There was a great atmosphere in the ground.

Wallace Breaks
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The game started on a great note, when a very messy quick line out by Glasgow on their line, gifted a tried to Peter Stringer who nicked the ball from a fumble by John Beattie the Glasgow number eight. An easy conversion, 7-0 . 15 minutes later O’Gara converted a penalty - 10-0 .

O'Gara kicks
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Every team has a psychological enemy – the bogey opponents. Glasgow is to Munster, what Edinburgh is to Leinster – a bogey team. Perhaps the new stadium was going to bury that bogey for ever. Colin Gregor the out half has been at the root of the problems for Munster in the past. However he did not have a good start missing an early penalty. But then he started to get it together and kicked two penalties and then had a third come off the cross bar. At half-time Munster were just ahead 10-6.

Howlett Checks
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Rua Tipoki covering
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RoG managed another penalty ten minutes into the second half. The new young full-back Keith Earls, who is playing like a superstar so far this season, made a great run through passing to Tipoki who released to see Barry Murphy over for a try, - 18-6 .

Wallace Waits...
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...Wallace Takes
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But RoG missed the conversion and then Glasgow got a couple of penalties and suddenly at 18-12 Glasgow were just a score away. The bogeyman was approaching again! But Munster won a line-out on the Glasgow 22 and Stringer let a quick ball out to Earls Tipoki and Howlett went over. This time RoG didn’t miss. Munster could make the 4th try and didn’t get the bonus point. They also let Glasgow in for a soft try at the end. Final score - 25-17. Job done in difficult conditions. Thomond christened with a win and the bogeyman banished. Not a bad night’s work!

O'Callaghan Jumps, Uploaded by M+MD.

The Wicklow Hills

It was the week-end before the Lake District adventure. We needed to do some training so that the hilling walking muscles would be slightly used before arrived. As it turned out, this served us well. It was a fine day - though very wet underfoot. We drove to the Sally Gap and did the relatively quick and easy Gravale. It’s the first step on the middle section of the Lug walk. The more complete day would include the much more difficult (Duff Hill a very rough and steep ascent), followed by the real achievement of Mullaghcleevaun . However we knew our limitations and did not have such lofty objectives.

Wicklow, originally uploaded by M+MD.

Wicklow looked great in the bright sunshine and we were soon enough on top of the first unnamed summit. I recall that the path off of Gravale is a liitle unclear - but we fell to the temptation of taking the direct route toward the summit we could see. The map wasn't much help, though it did keep us moving towards the left and the objective was indeed Gravale, but the route was not the best. In fact we should have stayed very left. In that way we would have found a path that took us along a turf bank and lead us quickly down to the saddle before the final pull up to Gravale. As it was we veered to the right of this path. It made for some interesting cross bogland walking - a bit damp with lots of heather banks and up and down. As we progressed we could see the saddle and the start of the last leg of the climb - but the going was slow. However it was serving its purpose - this was a training expedition and not the pursuit of any specific objective!

Wicklow Rescue 1
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Wicklow Rescue 2
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Wicklow Rescue 3
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Wicklow Rescue 4
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As we approached the saddle from the side we ran into some pretty wet terrain. We managed our way around that - testing the waterproofing of our boots in the process. Just as we approached the last stretch we came to a pretty innocent looking piece of peat. Senan was up ahead and decided to go for it. He almost made it through but he found that the very last section was more like quicksand than peat. Soon he was stuck in the peat up beyond his knees! Of course he was rescued and lives to tell the tale. Katy was holding the camera and despite Senan's pleadings "will you stop taking pictures" and "it’s not very funny you know" she managed to capture the whole rescue in half second steps!
The evil photographer!, Uploaded by M+MD.

Boot drying
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Happiness is - dry socks!
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18 October - Heineken Cup Round 2 Leinster 41 Wasps 11

Leinster got off to a solid, but slightly shaky, start in the Heineken Cup last week. They went to Edinburgh and collected a bonus point having scored four tries. It was an error filled game - neither team looked great. But for Leinster it was the end of a very bad run against Edinburgh in the Heineken. The performances last year were especially disappointing.

Wasps Impressive Scrum
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The match against Wasps was the first real test. Wasps, the reigning English champions, have had a pretty unlucky start in the Premiership. Still, they won the Heineken 2 years ago and take this competition serious. Managed by the next Lions coach Ian McGeechan, they are captained by the wily frenchman Raphael Ibanez. Who could forget his 2 cheeky, front of the line-out, tries last year. At outhalf the rising English star Danny Cipriani. Eoin Reddan at scrum-half would love to beat Leinster - not least because he is from Munster! The other English internationals Sackey, Voyce, Payne, Worsley, Haskell, Vickery are also in the starting line up. Their new signing, Serge Betsen is on the bench and expected to make an appearance. On paper it looks like a great contest.

Ibanez makes a break
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There was a full house at the RDS. Senan was stuck on a bus from town and as a result we missed the first 8 minutes. By the time we were in our seats Leinster were already 7-0 up with a try from Brian O'Driscoll. Good start. We arrived to see Leinster concede a penalty which Cipriani didn't miss - 7-3 . We didn't have to wait very long - just another five minutes - before Drico obliged again. He chip a ball over Reddan, beat him in the chase. Then he did something magic with his foot to flick it up in mid air out of full-back, Staunton's grasp in the process and then fended off the tackle from Voyce to go over in the corner for a second try. His best game for Leinster in 2 years - and only 12 minutes gone! Contepomi missed the conversion - 12-3 .

Horgan takes his man...
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... and bundles him into touch
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Contepomi kicks 3 more points
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Cipriani and Contepomi traded penalties before Wasps scored a contraversional try. Cipriani made a run and passed to Staunton who went over. However there was clear obstruction on the Leinster defender - ref Nigel Owens wasn't having any of it - he awarded the try. However the replay on the big screen was pretty clear - Owens appeared to apologise - but too late. Cipriaini was jeered loudly during the conversion and then cheered as it went just wide. Half time soon followed - 15-11 .

Cipriani bemused
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Although Wasps tried hard in the second half - they didn't score again in the match. Brian O'Driscoll was replaced by Joni Sexton at half-time. We were only 2 minutes into the second half when Sexton put Luke Fitzgerald over for Leinster's third try, Contepomi converted - 22-11 . The bonus pint (4 tries) was in sight and Wasps were moving out of sight. We had to wait a little while for the fourth try - but when it came it was a good one. It was a case of Ten on Ten - Danny Cipriani tried to take a clearing kick out of his own 22, but it was blocked down by Contepomi , who collected the ball and wen over for a try, which of course he converted - 29-11 , job done, bonus point! Seven minutes later Rocky Elstrom goes over for a fifth try. - 36-11 .

Serge Betsen for Wasps against Leinster, Uploaded by M+MD.

Leinster are now rampant and try as they will Wasps have no real answer.

Leinster V Wasps
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Mal nearly makes it
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About five minutes later Jackman pops a pass to Malcolm O'Kelly on the half way line and he runs clear in the centre of the field, he makes it well inside the 22 before he is caught by Cipriani, O'Kelly slides forward in the tackle to the 5 metre line. In the ruck that follows, Horgan clears it to Whitaker, who passes it quickly to Kearney. Kearney just strolls over for the sixth and final try, - 41-11. This is Wasps worst defeat since 2002, now that is some achievement.
Haskell tackles Heaslip, Uploaded by M+MD.

Summer Holidays - Germany August 2008 Part 5 - Heiligenhafen

Heiligenhafen
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While the weather wasn't great in Germany for the first 2 weeks of August, we got some comfort looking at the daily weather in Ireland each morning on the internet. It was just rain, rain, rain! So we didn't get to the beach as often as we thought we might. But as well as the city trips to Lubeck, Copenhagen and Hamburg, we also had the lovely harbour town of Heiligenhafen (Holy Harbour) just down the road. We went there a few times. The architecture is typical of the north sea with the stepped roofs and brick work. It is a lovely old harbour with fishing boats and lots of fish restaurants. The bridge to the island of Fehman is just down the road. There are lots of fishing boats in the harbour.

Heiligenhafen
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Heiligenhafen
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East Prussian, Uploaded by M+MD.

The most striking was a Prussian Blue trawler aptly name Ost Prussien. Eckhardt's family were originally from East Prussia - now part of Poland.

Heiligenhafen, Uploaded by M+MD.

There were boats trips every hour. They seemed to take a mixture of anglers and sightseers. They didn't travel out very far, but here would be fresh fish brought back from these trips. There was a kiosk or Imbiss on the harbour selling very good fish and chips. There was scampi and herring and cod served in batter or as Fische Brotchen - a fish sandwich! The town had an old market square and there seemed to be some tradition of guilds or their modern equivalent. The local colours seemed to be red white and blue, like the Dutch, (but I better not let Eckhardt hear be say that!)

HeiligenhafenMaypole?
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Heiligenhafen
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Gutting Fish Heiligenhafen
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Heiligenhafen
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Summer Holidays - Germany August 2008 Part 4 Hamburg

On the Wednesday on the second week we went to Hamburg by bus; It was a well organized tour. We were picked up in Dahme at 7.30 and were in Hamburg by 10.30. Hamburg is such a beautiful and busy city - they say it has more bridges than Venice and I can believe it. There is water everywhere and the harbour is enormous, second only to Rotterdam in Europe.

Cosco Pacific
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Largest Container Ship
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Hamburg Harbour
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Eckhardt, Harbour Tour
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First we went on a harbour tour. It was really amazing to go around part of the enourmous port of Hamburg. The boats and the views and the fresh air was great. The largest container ship in the world was in town and we got right under the bow on the tour. After the harbour tour myself and Eckhardt went down to see the Elbe Tunnel.

Elbe Tunnel Hamburg
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Elbe Tunnel Hamburg
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Elbe Tunnel Hamburg
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Elbe Tunnel Hamburg
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This was first opened in the 19th century. What is unusual is that the cars (or horse drawn carraiges) travel vertically down in a huge elevator and then drive out and through the tunnel. The elevators had beautiful wodden doors and an elevator operator in uniform!

Kleine St. Michel, Hamburg
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Then we had a city tour - which was a little more difficult as it was in German. We saw some fantastic house around the Outer Alster lake - a real millionaires row! We also got to pay a quick visit to the famous St Michel church which is so symbolic of Hamburg. We finished up at the town hall or Ratskeller, where we were set loose in the city for three and a half hours. There was a wine and food festival on in the main square. First we ate lunch and had a glass of wine from Baden Wurtenberg. Then we split up to meet back at the bus in 3 hours. Mags and Katy headed for the shops. Senan and I mooched around the Inner Alster and Ingrid and Eckhardt mainly sat and drank coffee!

Just as we were getting ready to take the bus home Ingrid had the sad news of about her mother.

Town Hall Hamburg, Uploaded by M+MD.