Westport, Ireland

coffee-shop(Click to Enlarge)

This is one of those lay-over locations or stops we scheduled.  We had traveled five hours from the last stop in Dingle, and had another five to go to get to Bushmills and the Giant’s Causeway at the northern tip of Ireland.  So we stopped for two nights in Westport, a city of about 5,500 people.  Finally in a bigger city, we opted for Indian food, and took my photographer friend along for his first ever dish of Indian cuisine.  With no real sights to see, we walked around the town, photographing the buildings and city life.
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Chinese Transportation

I see Bicycles EVERYWHERE

I see Bicycles EVERYWHERE

So how does one find their bike here?  Once found, how do they get it out?

In the cities, what initially looks like a two lane road is really a six lane road.  Along both curbs are fast moving scooters and bicycles going both ways.  Before stepping into the street, one must look both ways for scooters,  motorized carts and bikes.  Then upon crossing both lanes of automobile traffic, you have to look BOTH ways again.  Vehicles, we were told, have the right of way.  We saw very few wrecks and the traffic just flowed.  Our bus driver once had to back out into very heavy traffic.  He just went slowly, kept backing out into the traffic that simply flowed around the bus.  Those who could scoot by did until their path was blocked.  No horns honked, as drivers just flowed around him, like molasses in January.  That could never happen in the States.  If one did attempt it here, there would finger pointing of sorts and much horn honking….  Oddly enough, there were very few wrecked cars and no old beat up vehicles.  All the cars appeared to be quite new.

These are photos of a more rural area in far western China.

Notice the wedding dress

Notice the wedding dress

The Race is ON!

The Race is ON!

Hey Woman, Take me to Market

Hey Woman,
Take me to Market