Chips....not sticks.

It's good to be home. I had a fantastic time in Ireland. I flew into Shannon and stayed 4 nights in Killarney, County Kerry. Played golf and continued on to Lahinch, County Clare for 2 more days of golf. Three sunny days and three rainy days. And yes....it was a wee bit breezy. I visited the pubs and chatted with the locals. The pubs are all NO smoking. The salmon is delicious and the Guinness is a bit warm. In the last few years 1500 pubs have closed. Some say due to the no smoking laws....others say it is the 30% tax on beer and 33% tax on alcohol. I only saw one runner in Killarney but did see a local running club on a training run on the way to the airport. There must have been 12 or so running on a sidewalk all wearing their club colors. The roads over there are so narrow that if two cars pass each other there is no where for the runners to go. The countryside is beautiful. Cows, sheep, bulls, and horses all grazing in the fields. I saw my fair share of castles and was able to explore some of the shops in these small towns. I saw more rainbows in a day than i see in a year here in the states. If you like french fries your in luck....they are called chips and are served piping hot with all entrees. Put a little vinegar on them not salt and ketchup. Pretzel sticks are no where to be found...too American i guess. So it is back to the real world here in Wilmington.....i better get back to work now....