Ireland - A Story From The Ferry

Everyone working on the boat is obviously Russian or from a former USSR state. The announcer over the intercom speaks good English but with a classic Moscow Russian accent. The attractive woman who just poured me a pint of Murphy’s stout would do better not to wear so much make up. Russian and Eastern European women have a true sense of fashion and style but sometimes it borders on tacky.

I was about to speak a couple of words of Russian to the bartender but asked where she was from before doing so. Her response? Latvia. Whew, good thing I didn’t say anything in Russian. Although Latvians know Russian they don’t like it. Speaking Russian to them can sometimes be downright offensive. Since the breakup of the USSR Latvians are more than proud to speak their own language as they uphold and revive their own cultural traditions while putting former Russian ties behind them. English is perfectly acceptable to a Latvian and if you go out of your way to learn a little of their own language it’s more than appreciated.

Well it’s been awhile since I passed through Latvia and Russia and I’ve covered a lot of ground since then. Right now I’m enjoying my pint of Murphy’s on a Ferry bound to Cork, Ireland. We left Swansea, Wales around 9:30 in the morning. The ship’s bar is nice and peaceful as there are only 155 people aboard a ship that normally carries 600 to 700 at a time. Sometimes you just get lucky and fall into what I refer to as a vacuum in between the crowds. There’s no rhyme or reason to it. It just happens. Even in the busiest of times and August is the busiest of times. The boat is cruising nicely to the West as it gently rocks back and forth for the full day ride.

I’ve been browsing the Lonely Planet Guide to Ireland and talked with tourist information aboard the ferry. The west coast is obviously where it’s at and Ireland offers a surprising amount of hiking possibilities. I ponder what I’ll do as I sip my Murphy’s stout and stare across the gently rolling ocean under clear sunny skies.

Photo: Lighthouse at the entrance to Cork Harbour, Ireland as seen from the ferry.