Those magnificent men

Nothing beats a free show... except a free show from the deck one of the best of London's best riverside pubs. Booking a table for lunch at The Gun in the hope that we might, while being served up a Portuguese feast, get a glimpse of the Red Bull Air Race turned out to be even better than we'd expected. The warm up area for the pilots was just to the south of the pub, while the start of the course was just to the north; which meant these incredible machines tore through the air above us, turning their smoke trails on before hitting the first gate. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon!

Locals enjoying the sun

Here's one I forgot to post from Ireland. Had to revisit it, if only for the long-suffering expression on the little one's face.

Les Celanques

Yes, they may sound like a comically clumsy French sitcom family, but in fact these are the tapering foothills of the French Alps as they terminate dramatically by plunging into the sparkling waters of the Côte d'Azur. Which is what we spent most of the day doing in an idyllic cove 45 minutes walk through the national park. The amazing rock formations and deep water grant limitless opportunities for climbing and diving (see fellow scrambler, Mo, in action above)... and one or two for the keen photographer.

A face in the Wimbledon crowd

Where the Wombles woam

No points for this one. Despite miserable weather throughout the week, I just couldn't say no to sitting in centre at Wimbledon - something I've wanted to do from way back, when I first donned a chequered headband for "come as your hero day" as a six-year-old. The chance to fulfil this dream (minus the headband this time) came thanks to an ally of inestimable quality in Lara, who, having possessed the foresight to have put herself in the raffle a year beforehand, was good enough to offer me a ticket (thanks La!!).

So feeling very much like my luck had come in, and hoping for more with a reasonably favourable forecast, we packed our supplies and set out for the day. Much to our delight, we received only the occasional drop, and apart from a slightly heavier spell causing a break in play of around an hour, were fortunate enough to have a very full day of great tennis at the world's most famous tournament.

Flotsam and jetsam

It's all about the lifestyle

More points...

For guessing where the next weekend was spent. Amsterdam is a brilliant city; a rich history, a noticably vibrant arts scene, wonderful architecture, both contemporary and historical; all of it situated in and around the mouth of the Amstel river. The presence of the canals and the use of bicycles by all and sundry to transport themselves lends the place a wonderful sense of tranquility. Whether it is this that puts a smile on the face of just about every person you meet, or whether it's the liberality of certain local laws, it's difficult to say - but one way or another, I'm sold on the place.

Panoramabalooza!!

As if the cliffs here were not dramatic enough, this little harbour carved into them provided an interesting element for (another) photo stop.

Fiddle-e-dee

After two days of cloudy, rainy conditions, we were smiled on at the best possible time - for a few hours of sunshine as we rounded the peninsula, you could have been forgiven for thinking it was summer!

Panorama...rama!

This time of the Dingle peninsula. I'd forgotten how dramatic this part of Ireland is...

There was a young man with a camera...

Who snapped an Irish panorama;
He jotted a line,
Which he posted in time,
That rhymed in a very poor manner!

Random Ramblers!

Rooks of Cashel

The Rock of Cashel, or St Patrick's Rock, is a fortified cathedral in the middle of Tipperary. We came across this gem at the end of our first day's driving through the Irish countryside. The cathedral itself was fascinating, but I have to admit that whilst there I spent a fair proportion of my time watching the flock of playful rooks that make it their home (actually, looking up the collective noun, it's technically a building, clamour, congregation, pack, parliament or shoal of rooks... I like clamour, given the constant, if not unpleasant, noise they make).

A game they seemed to have endless enthusiasm for was one in which a rook would sit in one of the holes in the cathedral wall with it's head poked out, holding enticingly in it's beak a tasty morsel - in this case a hunk of bread. Other rooks would then launch themselves from hiding places against the wall, as below, in an attempt to surprise their compatriat (clamour-mate?) and steal away the tasty prize. The whole thing was accompanied by their peculiar squawking, and their antics lent quite a sense of character to the otherwise fairly grim location.

Guess where I went next...

If you guessed it involved potatoes and little people, you're right. Extra points if you managed to ascertain that, specifically, this was taken at our B&B in Cashel, in County Tipperary.

PS. Somebody's got to put this guy on one of those soppy "I love dogs" calendars!