My jet-setting hubbie was sent to Prague for work this week!

It's Cork! We spent a lovely (short) three night break here two weekends ago, staying at the loveliest B&B just ten minute's walk from town. We wandered the streets taking it all in, did a bit of shopping (roll on summer so I can wear my new wedge sandals!) and a day trip to the nearby port town of Cobh for some fresh sea air. It was unfortunately rainy and cold for pretty much the entire time, but once you're soaked through you can't get any wetter! And it's a good excuse to duck into a pub for a pint of Beamish ;)

The English Market's fresh seafood counters were something else - I walked along deeply inhaling the salty smell, so fresh was the catch it still smelled of the ocean. I could have wept looking at the produce and not having anywhere to cook it. Bags of razor clams, fresh river caught trout the size of your forearm, wild salmon the most beautiful dusky pink shade, it was all so appetising!

Part of the door of St Finbarr's Cathedral in Cork.

One of the angels on St Finbarrs Cathedral.

We spent an afternoon in Cobh, which was the Titanic's last port of call before the iceberg hit. It was also the port from where 3 million Irish emigrated to the US and Australia. There was quite a historical resonance about the town, a faded beauty and longing for things past.

Inside the cathedral at Cobh...

Wandering through the street of Cobh we passed a pet shop where I did a double take at the very life-like cat curled up fast asleep in the window. On the 'K9 Keeper Sleeper'! Probably not quite the market the K9 people were aiming for but hey, a bit of rebranding and the cats will love it!

Hmmmm, wonder what's so top security about the kiddie slide??

Graffiti has certainly become a lot more interesting compared to the rude scrawls crookedly and hastily sprayed on walls when I was a kid. This graffiti from Cork is just brilliant! I rate this more as art than some of the stuff that passes as 'modern art' in the galleries around London.

More marvellous graffiti from Cork!

We went for a very quick walk to Hampstead Cemetery a few weekends ago where we found this headstone. It's a very atmospheric place with rambling ivy, crumbling stone, old next to new and some incredible stone masonry. We plan to go back when the weather is better to explore it further.

When it's not too cold, rainy or windy, we like to go for walks around near where we live. This little beastie was found residing outside a house about 5 minutes from us. Love it!

It has not gone over 7 degrees at any time during the past three weeks. There have been snow flurries the past two days which whip little icicles into your exposed face. The forecast is for these Arctic conditions to continue to at least the end of next week. Are we having fun yet??