Collecting Moments

Hitchhiking from Clara to the Rock of Dunamase Hitched with my Chinese friend from Clara to the Rock of Dunamase and back – 100 km, four lifts. The first lift we got was with an Irish car mechanic and he told us “If it was one girl on her own I wouldn't take her but two are ok.” Hitchhiking is always full of surprises :) Dunamase castle (XII century) ******************************** When we got into that abandoned cottage through an open back window it felt as if the owner could return any minute. Everything was in its place – books, bed covers, plates, toys. People left all their stuff behind, locked the front door and walked away. It wasn't comfortable to wander around those dusty rooms so we very quickly headed back to the window and jumped out. Simon was lying on the grass outside. He smiled at us, winked and said “Now I need your help”. It seemed like we were lined up for something half-legal again. He pointed at the police station and whispered “The chairs”. They were pi

Inchmore House in Clara (1860) Robert Goodbody founded a milling dynasty at Clara in 1820. During the later 1800s, six mills operated in Clara, of which the Goodbodys owned five. In 1853 a weaving factory was erected for the production of flour bags. In 1855 the family purchased the massive Erry Mill in the center of the village. In 1865, a jute factory was established by Jonathan and Lewis Goodbody. It is one of the few of this type in Ireland. ( IHAI ) The family also owned three impressive mansions in Clara. One of them was Inchmore House, now completely deserted and partially ruined, but it still has character...

When the customs officer asked me where I was going to stay in Ireland I mentioned Clara among other places. He gave me a weird look and said “Clara? What are you going to do there? It’s in the middle of nowhere!” - “I’ve got a couchsurfing host there,” - I replied. And then he said “Oh, yes, I think I know that guy. I’m from near to Clara myself and there’re a lot of travelers coming to him”. Later people told me that I would see “real Ireland” down here. So… whether it’s real or not I don’t know but I’m really enjoying it.

I walked along the cliffs from Wicklow to Brides Head today to see the old lighthouses. The golf club occupies most of the land along the way so the path is just one foot wide and very close to the edge. When I got onto the main road I looked back and saw the “extreme danger” sign. It’s actually strictly forbidden to walk on that narrow path due to “erosion and unstable ground”. All you need to travel in Ireland is a rain coat and a little bit of craziness :) Wicklow lighthouses (XVIII c.)

I'm couchsurfing at Vinny's place and watching the seal from the window :)

Abandoned cottages in the Midlands of Ireland Every abandoned house has an untold story...

The most beautiful girl in the world - There's no way out of it but death. There's no way out of it but death. There's no way out of it but death. I'm in a cozy warm living room with a huge TV screen and a nice fire place in the rural Irish house. - There are no places in the refuge. There are so many women in similar situations that all refuges are full. They have houses for women but they are all taken. But they told me there was somebody moving out in four days. So I knew I had to survive for only a couple of days more. We are four friends and we just had a very nice dinner with lovely food and wine. - When I thought about what I would take with me I realized that nothing was worth anything. Everything was just useless. I looked at all my clothes as if it belonged to a dead woman. Is it real? - I'm thinking to myself. - I got my payments in cheque but he'd never let me sign it. Since he controlled the money he controlled sex. I always had to give i