Friday 2nd February 2024

It will not come as a surprise to find that it is cold this time of the year here.

Cold when the wind blows, and colder when the sun shines. At least in winter.

We lay in bed until half seven, then too our time to have showers, get dressed and go down for breakfast, where there was chaos as folks lined up for a free table.

Once we go one, we filled with the usual from a cold buffet, and washed down with plenty of coffee.

I put on my new walking shoes, fitted the cleats/crampons, picked up the camera and we went out, walking down the main street towards what I thought was the centre.

All the while walking into the teeth of a fresh cold wind that was going to get only stronger through the day.

My knee is still not happy, but that joins my back and right shoulder making complaints, so I make the best of it, and we walk on.

To the harbour where we find lots of work repairing the quayside, so lots of fencing, so we turn back towards the opera house and some shelter from the wind.

There was little shelter.

I took shots of the modern building, then we turned back, knowing that we had a tail wind at least some of the way, even if the buildings and the way they funnelled the wind made this not always true.

Back on the main shopping street, I saw to the right Rainbow Street, and the cathedral at the top, so I set off while Jools went to check on the car.

Bright sunshine gave way to heavy snow showers and squally winds, so strong that it ripped the glasses from my face, so after chasing after them, I took shelter inside the building.

After taking shots, we braved it back outside, and on the way back to the hotel, kind of mocking us, the sun came out briefly.

But the wind was increasing, so instead of going to a café to have lunch, we went back to our room and had fresh brews and the pack of biscuits we brought from England.

And then the 100mph rush of the trip meant we were all snoozy, so we went to bed for an hour. Or three.

Snow had come down quite hard, but not settled much, so for dinner, we took a slither down to a bar themed on the film, The Big Lebowski for beers n burgers.

We got a table with fine views of projection screens, one showing Dazed and Confused, and then The Big Lebowski while the other had the France v Ireland six nations game.

The burgers were gooey and greasy, but good, and the beer cold. I also had one of over 20 different white Russians, another homage to the film.

Before finally heading back to the room to watch the second half of the game while sipping Irish whiskey and eating peanut butter M&Ms.