It started out to be a lousy, rotten, stinkin’ day. Pat woke up this morning unable to walk. I immediately contacted the ship’s medical staff, who came to our stateroom with a wheelchair and transported her to the medical facilities on board. Her left leg had developed what the doctor said was a Baker’s Cyst, which is water behind the knee. They gave her some pills, two shots, a knee brace, a cane, and a wheelchair, and sent her on her way. She was devastated that she wasn’t mobile enough to tour the Cobh, Ireland area. We went back to the stateroom, but a hour or so later she started getting dressed. I asked her where she was going, and she told me, “Ireland!” Pat is a trooper! She grabbed her cane, and off we went to explore Cobh and Cork City.

We took a few pictures of the famous statue of Annie Moore and her brothers, who were the first Irish immigrants to the United States in 1891 through Ellis Island. A statue of Annie Moore was also erected at Ellis Island. I wonder where their parents were? Anyway, I was concerned about Pat’s leg, so I found a taxi, and made a deal with the driver to show us around Cobh and Cork. What a stroke of luck too! We found a wonderful gentleman named Patrick Hussey, but everyone called him Paddy. He was as interested in us as we were in him. He was born in Cork 65 years earlier, and had never been married. He seemed to love his life, and was a very positive and caring person. He instantly became our friend.

Paddy drove us up the steep incline to the Cathedral Church of St. Colman, usually known as Cobh Cathedral. Earlier in the morning, Randy climbed the steep path to the cathedral. This was the place his grandfather prayed prior to leaving Ireland for a new life in the United States.

Paddy and I talked life and politics while Pat was out taking her beautiful pictures. The next stop was Cork City, a place that Paddy knew very well since he was born there.

The drive to Cork can only be described as breathtakingly green. Everywhere was fertile and you could actually smell the ancient dirt of Ireland as we made our way to Cork, the second largest city in Ireland; Dublin being the largest. On the way, we came across thousand year old castles and bridges. It was simply amazing.

We arrived in Cork about 30 minutes later, and the first stop was St. Fin Barre’s Cathedral in the city center.

St. Fin Barre’s was completed in 1879 and was built on the site of an ancient 7th Century monastery. Afterwards, Paddy took us to the English Market in Cork. He explained that even though the British left Ireland in 1922, Queen Elizabeth had visited the market many years ago, and people started calling it the English Market in her honor. Beautiful meats, fish, and vegetables at very reasonable prices.

On the ride back to Cobh, we talked about the upcoming Irish elections, listened to some Irish music, and all of us revealing how grateful we were for such a wonderful day. We traded phone numbers and addresses with Paddy, and expressed our sadness that it had to end. He honked as he drove away. I think that’s why Pat and I travel; to touch and be touched by the amazing people we meet along the way.

Life was very good today. Tomorrow, a trip through the English Channel on the same waters military forces used on June 6, 1944 on their way to the beaches of Normandy. I’m sure it will be humbling as we continue our trip to Belgium.