Cork, Ireland A bit of an update from TourAbsurd-land… The Cork Cycling Festival has been taking place this week. Since one of Dario's consuming passions is his upcoming website about community-powered bike sharing, we have both been a bit overwhelmed. Dario with programming and hiring graphic designers, module coders, and server security gurus; me …
Featured photo: Kiek in de Kök
Tallinn, Estonia Today's photo comes to us from Brooke of Brooke vs. the World. Here's what she has to say about it: "One of my favorite things to encounter when traveling are funny signs, so I always make sure to keep an eye out while on the road. I was casually strolling through Tallinn, Estonia, …
Sounds of Morocco: the Adnan
Middle Atlas, Morocco One of the first things that many non-Muslims who visit Muslim countries notice are the frequent calls to prayer, known as the Adnan in Morocco (often called the adhan, as well). On our first trip to Africa (Tanzania), Dario and I were met at the hotel by a friend who'd arrived the …
Blarney Castle gardens
Slideshow of a summer visit to Blarney Castle gardens in Ireland.
Featured photo: Waterford Tall Ships Race
Photo of the gorgeous Europa in the Tall Ships race at Waterford, Ireland.
Quote: Laughter is the sun…
Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face. ~ Anonymous Photo courtesy of vatobob via Wikimedia Commons.
The Cork Butter Museum (yes, seriously)
A visit to the holy of holies, the Cork Butter Museum. A tongue twister, too!
A little crabby in Pemba
Pemba, Tanzania After our fabulous experience snorkeling over a coral reef on Kwale Island off Unguja, we thought continuing on Pemba was a logical extension of the adventure. Dario is lookin' mighty Italian here. You can hardly tell he's seasick! On the boat with me was Dario, our traveling companion Sean, two fellows …
HMS Bounty
Cork, Ireland I recently attended a Bloomsday celebration. It was organized by Moray of Mutantspace.ie and it was lovely! We listened to readings of passages from Ulysses, were entertained by traditional Irish songs that had been featured in the book, and enjoyed a Joycean meal of red wine, gorgonzola, and bread. (In previous years they'd …
Copy & Paste
Cork, Ireland – 3:45 a.m. I love CouchSurfing. It has changed my life in so many incredible ways I can't begin to count. One of the best parts of it is that, despite — and I say this vehemently — not being a dating site, I met my luscious hubby through CS. No, it was …
Marathon Serenade
Cork, Ireland I was walking along the River Lee with Dario, enjoying the fresh air and taking in the sight of beautiful swans on the river, while making sure to stay clear of the runners on the path. As we approached the Mardyke Bridge, we heard singing. The wonderful voice you hear belongs to Rory …
Motivational, celebrational!
I've already posted this in a few spots, but I just cannot get enough of this kid. He's so happy about learning to ride a bike that he is encouraging everyone else to pursue their dreams. How awesome is that? Watch it on Break.com: http://bit.ly/kbxrv2 Cheers and happy dream achieving!
Featured photo: Luxor Temple
Luxor, Egypt Known in ancient times as Thebes, Luxor has two major temples that have survived into modern times: Karnak and Luxor. Quite the light show. Quite the people show, too! We visited Karnak Temple during the day and Luxor Temple at night. We were a bit rushed in both places, as we were …
Quote: …All life is an experiment.
"Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson Photo by Evelyn Simak via Wikimedia Commons.
We just want to go to Hassi Labied!
Rissani, Morocco One of the truisms of travel is that experiences that frustrate, irritate, or scare the buhjayzus out of you when they happen turn into the best stories later. This was one of those times. Grab a cup of sweetened mint tea, sit back, and have a read. Rachid and I took …
Featured photo: Celtic cross
A beautiful grave marker in Tuam, Co. Galway, Ireland.
The Trees of Mystery!
Redwood forest, California, USA We woke up in our tent among the redwoods, continued south toward San Francisco, and stopped to see a few quintessentally American attractions. Dario's first visit to the US simply had to include a visit to something silly and uniquely American! Since we would not be passing through the midwest on …
Piadina in Pesaro.
Pesaro, Italy When we visited Dario's family in Pesaro they took us out for a dinner of piadina, a typical food from the region. It's half-way between a burrito and a panino: a tortilla-like flatbread filled with meat and cheese and other toppings. Piadina. Mmmm!