Author Archives: JJS

The Week That Was – 38/2025

Posted on September 20, 2025 by JJS

🇬🇧 It started in complete www harmony: wet, windy & with whiskey. You guessed it – I was squeezing the last drops (literally) out of my Irish holidays. Back home, a shock awaited us: summer had staged a comeback. Out … Continue reading →

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England: The 51st State in Spirit

Posted on September 19, 2025 by JJS

🇬🇧 There was a time when England exported culture: Shakespeare, The Beatles, Monty Python. Now? They seem to be importing everything from across the Atlantic, from pumpkin-spiced lattes to baseball caps worn backwards. England isn’t yet the 51st state, but … Continue reading →

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A toast to frustration

Posted on September 18, 2025 by JJS

🇬🇧 When wine, squatters and silence sour the spirit 🫟 Introduction: The Art of Being Ignored There’s a particular kind of frustration that comes from being ignored—whether by bureaucrats, neighbors, or the universe itself. It’s the kind that simmers quietly, … Continue reading →

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Epilogue 🇮🇪

Posted on September 15, 2025 by JJS

🇬🇧 Final thoughts Ireland, you have been grand (Mostly) After twelve days wandering the Emerald Isle, it’s time to sort through the good, the bad, the ugly… and yes, even the weird. ✅ The Good The Irish themselves top the … Continue reading →

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Homeward bound

Posted on September 15, 2025 by JJS

🇬🇧 With Ryanair and warm saké along the way Our departure from Dublin was at the positively luxurious hour of 10 a.m. — a time that allowed for the smug satisfaction of not having to stumble bleary-eyed into an Uber … Continue reading →

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Last call in Dublin

Posted on September 15, 2025 by JJS

🇬🇧 Bacon, rain & self-congratulation Another early night, another bad night’s sleep. Between nightmares and a stomach that behaved like a bodhrán at a ceilidh, I woke up more times than a nervous leprechaun guarding his pot of gold. So … Continue reading →

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A medieval marathon without the running

Posted on September 13, 2025 by JJS

🇬🇧 We woke up indecently early again (apparently Ireland is turning us into morning people), well-rested thanks to the Celtic House B&B. Our room came equipped with two double beds — which meant I could starfish myself across one of … Continue reading →

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From Galway to Kilkenny

Posted on September 12, 2025 by JJS

🇬🇧 Castles, pubs and a standoff with the Yanks Today’s adventure began with the noble task of leaving Galway behind and heading east to Kilkenny. The plan was simple: a stop in Athlone, where history promised us a castle and … Continue reading →

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Short History of Ireland

Posted on September 11, 2025 by JJS

⸻ 🏰 Early Contacts (12th–16th centuries) • 1169: The first Norman knights (invited by an Irish king looking for help in a local feud) landed in Ireland. • This led to the Anglo-Norman conquest, with England’s King Henry II asserting … Continue reading →

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Galway drizzle, museums and questionable wine

Posted on September 11, 2025 by JJS

🇬🇧 After an excellent night’s sleep, I woke with that particular craving only the British Isles can truly understand: a nice, strong cup of tea to shock the eyelids into action. Mission accomplished, our plan was clear — make it … Continue reading →

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