Sunday 28 April 2024--Bobby asked Ron and me if we wanted to accompany him to Dingle again this year. Ron accepted the invitation, but I had to decline, as the dates overlapped my Canadian trip. I also had a ticket for a concert last night. Somewhere along the line, it occurred to me that I could meet the boys for their last few days in Ireland, and then go on to something else. It also occurred to me that it would be fun not to tell them I'm coming. Maybe not my best idea; there's a lot that could go wrong. But the worst that could happen, I think, is that I'd end up with four days in Dingle on my own. I can live with that. I have stops in Tralee and Edinburgh on my way to a week in the Netherlands, with four nights on the island of Texel serving as the centerpiece of my trip. The westernmost of the Frisian Islands, which guard the coasts of the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark, Texel has been calling to me for some time, since I spotted it on the map while planning stays in coastal Noord-Holland.

Last night's concert was a Québecois trio called Genticorum, whom I've wanted to see for years. The accordionist, who grew up near Ottawa, prefaced one tune by telling a story about traveling from his family's cottage in the village of Mayo, in Gatineau, through a spooky forest on a sketchy road, to get to a place where good stinky Québecois cheeses could be purchased. I realized (and confirmed with him after the show) that it was route 315, which I'd traveled on my way from St-Jovite to Ottawa, two weeks ago. Small world sometimes.

This afternoon, I park my car at the Logan Express lot in Woburn, which is just a few miles from Ron's house. It will ease my return trip if I can stay a night there before driving home. Of course, I will have to ask him if that's okay, when I see him in Ireland. I catch the bus to the airport, and board Aer Lingus flight 134.