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| Click on this image for our track in Google Maps |
Yeah, I know it's been some time, but that's what happens when you have to entertain guests, and you can't rely on airlines to properly spirit them away, once they are supposed to...
Not that I really mind hosting guests. But I also don't mind when they don't overstay their welcome, even if it's through no fault of their own. Else, it does take that bit longer to find my bearings back, which means no new posts (and no backlog processing) for a while.
But now that I'm alone again, and with the weather being as congenial as can be (it set to remain so for the week), I can quietly fall back into the usual routine and, at last, foray back into Fanad!
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| The view from our parking spot |
We're a relatively short hop from home, but the drive there into the overwelcoming setting sun (which won't actually set for another two to three hours) is a blast, as we drive along Mulroy Bay and zoom through the deserted villages that sit on its eastern bank. During these allegedly late hours, the extended sunshine is certainly painting a gorgeous picture, which we can't wait to contemplate from higher up.
Tonight's destination is Binnykeelta and we'll go through our usual route by borrowing the farm path that climbs into the northwestern part of the hills. And no sooner have we set foot on this path that we are being greeted by the many bluebells that are out in full force, around the sheltered banks. That's a very nice touch indeed!
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| A large herd of bluebells |
This is a place I tend to come later in season to eat blackberries. Not that there is usually an over-abundance of them here, or even that this spot is better suited for them. Still, given the choice, I like to pick my Fanad blackberries off this place.
Of course, we're way too early for blackberries so we don't overstay our welcome on this path, where the only life we disturb are a few magpies. After that, we just forge our path along the somewhat barren slopes. So long, rolling lush green hills...
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| The typical upward "path" we'll take |
With or without blackberries, it isn't long before we start harvesting the fruits of our short climb. As we progress ahead, the bay we just left is starting to reveal itself under our appreciative eyes. Come on baby, show us a good side for our photoshoot!
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| The ocre-dotted green of Fanad's northwestern top |
Yet we are not done with our climb. There are so many pictures I could post here that it's almost starting to become an annoyance, so I'll just restrain myself. But at the very least, let me give you one of Tory Island as it starts emerging between Rosguill's Crock na Sleá and Gortnalughoge:
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| Tory Island pointing its head behind Rossguill peninsula (with special appearance by Horn Head) |
What else to say? It's hard to make it more Irish than this (which is why our suggested soundtrack is also going to be Irish for once). Or at least, that's what you'd think until... Tada!
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| John Hynde, feel free to contact me if you want to turn this into a postcard... |
Had I framed this a bit better (and had I a better camera), these islands may actually account for one of the most postcard-like view I might ever have taken. Sure, it's missing some sheep grazing in the foreground, but that's what Photoshop is for, especially when the local flock have decided they'd rather graze further down so as not to be disturbed with all these hikers without manners. Besides, if you really want rolling hills with grazing livestock, I can provide that too:
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| "Could this be any more Irish?" |
Unfortunately, I can't stay for too long here, given that, first, I do have a persisting cold which means overstaying my welcome in somewhat chilly temperatures is not going to make it any better, and second, because I do have a date with Lara planned for later on tonight...
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| As much as I like it here, it's hardly a suitable place for a date |
That is Lara Croft we are talking about, since it happens that the Rise of the Tomb Raider video game was recently on sale, and I've been a long enough fan of the Tomb Raider franchise not to take the plunge once the price is right.
How's that relevant to this entry? I'm coming to that.
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| This landscape reminds me of some underwater shipwreck I once visited with Lara, near Venice |
You see, in the early days of video gaming, multimedia was still in its infancy. Therefore, if you had purchased a copy of Tomb Raider II, you would have found that the soundtrack for the game was provided as separate audio CD tracks, on the game disc. In other words, the game was designed to use your CD-ROM as an audio player, for the background music.
However, this also means that once you had the game installed, and if you sorted out a few things, you could could use any audio CD you had at hand to provide you with an alternate game soundtrack.
And so, at the time I played Tomb Raider II, I also had gotten my hands on the début album from The Corrs, which I rightfully saw as a great alternative to the O.S.T. Therefore, I spend much of my gaming sessions guiding Lara Croft to new and exciting places, with the background signature of Forgiven Not Forgotten.
Now, even if I appreciate their music, I can't say I am that huge of a fan of The Corrs, but I have to say that I have never found a soundtrack that seemed to match a game as perfectly as this one. It really makes me wish modern level-based games had more of a BYOS (Bring Your Own Soundtrack) attitude.
Fact of the matter is, these finely crafted tracks enhanced the experience so much that I have very fond memories of all the hours I spent playing Tomb Raider II, and this is probably why I have remained an avid Tomb Raider fan to this day. Hopefully the new game holds up to that great experience I once had.
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| "Dear Lara, if you're ever in need of Irish tombs to raid, for a new instalment of your franchise, please also contact me!" |
Suggested Sound Track
Considering the above, we're obviously going to be pick a track from Forgiven Not Forgotten. Yet, there are so many excellent songs on that album that it's difficult to pick just one. I guess, if I have to choose one, I will go with:
All in all, I don't think I will ever get images of Lara Croft sommersaulting around out of my mind, whenever I hear this song. And that is just fine by me.
Additional Pictures
