Choo choo...photos are back!

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Today we took a ride on the Railway Society's steam train - i think it's name is Ivor. For the uninitiated, all steam train engines had names and this one was called Ivro, although Ghin thinks it's Peter Sam. Cos Peter Sam looks like that. Dark green, but he has a taller funnel...mothers with sons will understand what i'm talking about. Anyways...

We took a ride to the ruins of a 12th century Cistercian monastery where a man dressed in Cisterian monk garb interpreted the site to us. It seems that John de Courcey had to establish this site because of some penance he had to do regarding the sacking of another site. It was mostly French and English people, which made them very popular with the locals - not.

The site itself is pretty spectacular based on the edge of Strangford - or the Quiole Pondage, or something like that - and its the epitome of peace and heaven. The kids loved playing on the walls and Ghin spent the time being thrilled about being on a train.

My mom and dad were amazed that the whole thing was run by volunteers. The 'monk' although was paid, was some serious medieval reenactment guy who was part of the longbow squad for Ireland and was a wealth of information. It's weird isn't it the people you meet when you just venture slightly beyond the boundaries of what you're used to?

Ma is now cooking curry - mutton curry - with potatoes i've dug from the garden. We'll be having that for dinner. I'll some pictures for Jacq - thanks Jacq by the way for the camera. you will now be greatly updated with the goings on of our next five weeks. XX

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