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A van named Frank
  • Molly O'Mara
  • Tobias König

A van named Frank

Road tripping with our campervan Frank, from Zurich, Switzerland to Esposende, Portugal! Later up to Bilbao and over on the Ferry to Ireland! Returning on a ferry to France and slowly back to Switzerland.
Let’s see how it plays out. Read more
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  • A van named Frank
    1

    O’Maras galore

    August 7, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    Catch up family time with some of the extended O’Mara clan down in wicklow at Clo & Liam’s house (our fellow happy campers!)

    The rain actually held off despite forecasts, and Tobias was given full reign of the BBQ - provided he give special attention to the Hicks sausages!
    Was a gorgeous day, evening and morning! And lovely to be back on the road with Frank in Ireland!!    Read more

  • A van named Frank

    Barley Harbour

    August 8, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    We lucked out in a fantastic spot for the night recommended by Clo & Liam!

    Down we drove, onto some tiny roads, barely fit for donkeys, let alone our Frank. Twas worth it though as we ended up parked for the night by a tiny harbour on Lough Ree.
    Amble room for a campfire and some swan watching! First time really in the midlands of Ireland…in the Irish lake district....and it didnt disappoint!    Read more

  • A van named Frank
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    Sand dunes of Sligo

    August 9, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    A first taste of the Sligo land and sea scapes…as the grasses dance and flow and glow with the gusts coming in off the sea, while the sun light occasionally breaks through clouds!

    It’s rugged and wild and yet completely inviting…here the landscapes lure you to wander and explore…ascend and descend the hills and dunes from the calm almost lake like side of Cullenamore to the crazed Atlantic sea on the otherside at Strandhill…..foaming and unpredictable…Read more

  • A van named Frank

    Long walks on the beach

    August 10, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Another day of exploration of the Sligo coastline.

    Late morning at Mullaghmore for some sea swims - Tobias had his first dunk in the Irish Atlantic this trip. Molly was off swimming amongst the jellyfish…

    Then back to Palmerston house for afternoon tea al fresco with some of the Nunan extended clan (more of Mollys relatives), the lovely Yumiko whipped up some lovely treats!

    Later a second beach walk for some down on Cliffoney beach with views from Classiebawn Castle and Mullaghmore peninsula down the coast….
    Lots of history in these parts…as the castle was the visiting place of Lord Mountbatten before he was assassinated by the IRA IN 1979 while out at sea nearby….    Read more

  • A van named Frank

    Wild swans at Coole

    August 11, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    WB Yeats hails from county Sligo, and it’s not hard to see where he found such inspiration on this land for his many poems. His poem “the wild swans at Coole” tells us how the swans remain unchanged despite everything that has changed in the poets life. They symbolize beauty, grace and energy, unmoved by time and immune to pain and weariness. How beautiful.

    The Wild Swans at Coole
    BY WILLIAM BUTLER YEATS

    The trees are in their autumn beauty,
    The woodland paths are dry,
    Under the October twilight the water
    Mirrors a still sky;
    Upon the brimming water among the stones
    Are nine-and-fifty swans.

    The nineteenth autumn has come upon me
    Since I first made my count;
    I saw, before I had well finished,
    All suddenly mount
    And scatter wheeling in great broken rings
    Upon their clamorous wings.

    I have looked upon those brilliant creatures,
    And now my heart is sore.
    All's changed since I, hearing at twilight,
    The first time on this shore,
    The bell-beat of their wings above my head,
    Trod with a lighter tread.

    Unwearied still, lover by lover,
    They paddle in the cold
    Companionable streams or climb the air;
    Their hearts have not grown old;
    Passion or conquest, wander where they will,
    Attend upon them still.

    But now they drift on the still water,
    Mysterious, beautiful;
    Among what rushes will they build,
    By what lake's edge or pool
    Delight men's eyes when I awake some day
    To find they have flown away?    Read more

  • A van named Frank

    A session in Ennistymon

    August 11, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    A long awaited session in Ennistymon with some of the crew - the American cousins and extended fams, the Clare Nunans and Molly! What a way to pass an evening….music soaring and lifting the spirits, reunions are made of this sorts of stuff!Read more

  • A van named Frank

    The Clare coast

    August 12, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    More wonderfully wild walks with cousins and uncles over the coast of Clare….warm-ish winds, crazy waves and gorgeous shades of green….
    Of course a big swim at Whitestrand beach was required after the stroll. This time Molly and uncle Bev took to being tossed amongst the waves before cousin Tommy the life guard raised the red flag!!Read more

  • A van named Frank

    Ennistymon vs Whitegate Hurling

    August 12, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Now we’ve become fans of Hurling, a national Irish sport - after watching Mollys younger cousin Kevvie and the rest of the U18s team play a fast paced fascinatingly entertaining sport and take the win! Their first competitive game since the pandemic…. “IF HES PULLING YA DOWN, TAKE HIM WITH YA” screamed one mother in the stands. Great craic altogether!Read more

  • A van named Frank

    Walks in the Burren

    August 13, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    The word “Burren” comes from an Irish word “Boíreann” meaning a rocky place.
    Land is covered in these glacial era limestones pavements and rocks all over. With fossils and rock formations caused by the rain eroding the limestone.
    Here, despite it’s low altitude it can be oddly like the Swiss alps, the unique rock formations and soil giving rise to wonderful floral bio diversity and fauna!!
    On our walk we came across and old church and cave used by the monks way back when.....hidden in the silence of the hazel forest who’s foliage gives shelter from the howling winds and rain…    Read more

  • A van named Frank

    Slieve Bloom

    August 13, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    A night up the Slieve Bloom mountains of Ireland…apparently the oldest mountains in Europe alongside the Massif Central in France….these beauties date back 350-440MILLION years…when they once were the tallest mountains, now they are but 527m at their highest peak…not quite alpine. But ancient all the same! According to folklore and legend Fionn Mac Cumhaill lived here in his first 7 years of life….

    We’re parked up with a view down south east of Ireland, green plains, some twinkling town lights at night, an lots of purple heather dappled into the green shades.

    A glass of homemade apple cider to toast the evening and waking the next morning to the pitter patter of rain on the window…Irish summer. Slowly the rain subsides and the clouds begin to lift revealing more shades of morning green.    Read more

  • A van named Frank

    A feast in the east

    August 14, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    We departed Slieve Bloom and returned to Mollys family home in Glencullen for a feast to celebrate all the good things about the last year! Birthdays, marriages, baby’s, awards, new life paths, journeys, achievements, and how lucky we all are to be gathered here and eating wonderful food and singing and laughing together.
    Organic salmon of knowledge and a pavlova with fresh raspberries, wine pairing with the many courses, sure who needs to dine out when dining at home is this good…    Read more

  • A van named Frank

    Mollys birthday / Kilkenny Arts Festival

    August 15, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    What better way to spend a birthday, then taking in some LIVE music at an actual event - we were all spoiled by attending an evening gig in Kilkenny as part of the Arts festival.
    Famous traditional fiddler Martin Hayes and friends (Steve Cooney on guitar, Cormac McCarty on piano, & and a lad from Clare in concertina)! In the watergate theatre. It was exceptional and had us all under a spell…magic Irish music and the first live music we’ve all seen in a long looooong time!!
    After we went to an outdoor site specific art/music/light installation created by Peter Power and collective called “the city is never finished”
    - this was a very moving and beautiful piece set on the ruins of an old Abbey with an old Willow tree majestically coming into its own out of the abbey window - but which will be chopped down soon due to more new constructions… lots of food for thought…and a very interesting experience to be part of.    Read more

  • A van named Frank

    One more meal!

    August 16, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    A farewell dinner with Mollys cousins heading back to USA and arrival of Mulcaire (brother!) back!! More reasons to celebrate and enjoy a meal together….Tobis been cooking for hours. Lasagne and caponata….mmmmmm

    And a final Mescal toast to the travellers! Until we all meet again….    Read more

  • A van named Frank

    Hot-tub time machine

    August 17, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    A day off, all visitors gone (we don’t consider ourselves visitors anymore) - so time for relaxing, and a few chores…Molly takes to repairing the old hot tub in the garden…Tobi organises Frank, and ninja sunbathes….

    It’s all about balance ;)    Read more

  • A van named Frank

    Steinpilz in the Glencullen hills

    August 18, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Off we go to wander and forage, above the Glencullen hills, below the trees at the edge of the forest we find ourselves steinpilz!

    Rather unexpected, although it is the season, this was a great find in Ireland! We’ll keep our eyes peeled these next days and week(s) for more ☺️Read more

  • A van named Frank
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    St. Kevins Way / Slí Chaoimhín

    August 19, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Off for some trips around the Wicklow mountains, we drive up and over the Sally Gap, through sun and rain and clouds and more sun. Sheep sleep on the warm road, and slowly amble of as we drive by, heather colours the hillsides here, all shades of pink and purple, and green sand greens for days. The landscape here is again rocky and rugged and wild. Ruins pop up from time to time, old stones and rubble. We park up and take a walk on St Kevin’s way, over Kevin’s bridge and to another pine forest (seeking shelter from a brief shower)! Our spot for the night is perfect, down beside the bridge, next to a babbling brook across from some sort of ruin (it must have been used by St Kevin we guess….)!
    A few walkers pass by from time to time. All friendly. All curious about our adventures….
    The sun sets around 830pm already…but the sky stays lit much longer.    Read more

  • A van named Frank

    Seefin Passage Tomb

    August 21, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ 🌧 14 °C

    A morning trek up the boggy hills, over all heather bushes, pinks, purples, greens, to the peak of Seefin & more importantly to the Seefin Passage Tomb.

    A cairn which was built around 3,300BC. A megalithic tomb in the heart of Wicklow. We encountered three Irish lads at the top casually smoking pipes and chatting. All taking in the surrounding wicklow hills and the Blessington lake.

    We headed back to Glencullen as Mollys wasp sting (which happened Wednesday after mushroom foraging) was seeming to get worse rather than better… so we returned to base camp to tend to the wounded!    Read more

  • A van named Frank
    The Molly Malone statue in a new location

    Dublins fair city

    August 22, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    So after our first ever amature hurling match in Ennistymon a few weeks again, we became fast hurling fans….and we scored tickets to the GAA All-Ireland hurling final in Croke Park. The first live sporting event in a crowd of 40,000….wowza. Limerick (the favourites) vs Cork (the “real capital”) …who would be victorious….

    We took the Luas (dublin tram) into the heart of the city, and got a good feed before - Ramen time! Then a few pints of the black stuff in Grogans before we headed over to the north side and joined the crowd walking to the station clad in their reds or greens….

    The atmosphere in the city was palpable…brilliant and alive. Great to be part of once again.

    We arrived in the stadium, took our seats. Socially distanced and masked and enjoyed 70mins of high scoring hurling. Although Limerick quickly asserted themselves as leader and then victors, the game was even better from above in the stands. Watching these lads, with legs of muscle, run up and down the field and hit what seems like impossible shots through the posts time and again!

    We dined with some Korean food back in the centre and a few bar hops before a brief stroll in Stephens green!

    Dublin city, even on a Sunday, alive alive oh.    Read more

  • A van named Frank

    Seaside Sunny South East

    August 23, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    We’ve been in search of sea and sun, and then we found it. Off a small road half way between Wicklow and Wexford we arrived perched above the coast and cliffs.
    The sea mist quickly rolls in, as we have a natter with two locals sitting on the bench getting their fix of the sea. Sun disappears for a short while☀️ but returns after our early (6pm) dinner for an evening stroll along the sandy beach. The fishers are out, and some others too.
    A seal is spotted briefly among the shimmering sea…
    Molly returns a second time to the beach, as the sun sets further, in swim gear to make the most of the calm evening, warmer waters and getting a dose of vitamin-sea!
    Upon her return (a mere minutes walk from where the camper is parked up), there are at least 8 heads bobbing in the water…seems many people had the idea of a sunset dip! And why wouldn’t you on such an evening….

    The sky burns and is reflected on the sand, still glistening from the waves that pull back out. People gather in bunches on the beach or in the water. A social hour. The fishers are still there. Setting in for the night it seems. It’s a full moon, so surely some good catch to be had.
    The stones shine golden almost in that setting sun light. The sea changes shades of blue with green, and silver before a midnight navy blue.

    Back to Frank for a hot chocolate as the full moon rises and spreads its glow across the bay….the next morning the sun rises as though taking the moons places exactly. A warmer glow to enjoy with a cup of tea!

    This feels like summer. Salty air. Warm wind. Blue seas.    Read more

  • A van named Frank

    The sea is quay!

    August 25, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    A gorgeous couple of days spent in Kilmore Quay visiting friends!

    Strolls over the dunes into the quaint town…

    Snacking on fish and chips next to the boats that brought in the fresh catch….(the seal also came and hung around for a while)
    Lovely swim down by the beach in the evening sun….
    Watching a red moon rise over the sea in the night..
    Climbing on board a big fishing trawler and getting a peak at life and work on the boat…
    And soaking in the sun, that seemed to shine without fail in the aptly named sunny south east.
    Some truly spectacular coast line!    Read more

  • A van named Frank

    Lunch at Ballyvooney Cove

    August 26, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Van travels offer some darn beautiful spots to stop and whip up a seaside picnic lunch!

    A gorgeous find along the copper coast from Wexford to Waterford.

    Old rock formations and hidden cove passages! Ideal for an after lunch stroll before heading on the road again…Read more

  • A van named Frank
    1

    A few nights by the bay

    August 28, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    We couldn’t resist parking up by the town of Dungarvan for a few nights, as the sun continues to shine and the town has a happy hum about it!

    We got lucky with a spot right on the tidal bay, moon rises and sun rises, and the constant lap of the water!

    We dined out and enjoyed some outdoor drinks and wandered around the town feeling like happy tourists.

    The second day we cooked at home and enjoyed the tide coming in and drifting out…

    A great spot on the sunny south, before we head over to west cork later!

    (Feat. Oysters with Yuzu!)    Read more

  • A van named Frank
    secret coveredstrand

    West Cork, like!

    August 28, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Ah now, having never really made it to west cork before in our lives, we sure are happy to have had reasons to spend time here. We drove off from Waterford for Cork out past Clonakilty (fav pudding!), via a swim at the breathtaking Redstrand, back a small country road, to a tiny spot, down a narrow lane, into the mouth of the ocean! A secret cove like no other.
    Apparently it’s some crazy micro climate here and makes one feel like their in the Mediterranean!

    We parked up here, and hung out with Irene and co for a lovely few days. Each day involved many swims in the cove, snorkelling over the seaweed and creatures, napping with a view, searching for sea glass and Tobi whipping us up some brunches by the beach!
    By evening, we attended live music gigs and food in a village nearby (in west cork standards…20min drive on back roads)!    Read more

  • A van named Frank
    Saint Sister

    Leap!

    August 29, 2021 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Connollys of Leap! A gem in the west. A pub with a long history of hosting live music events inside, now has a corona friendly canopy outdoors space for gigs! How good it was to feel the atmosphere created under a tent with live music, food, drinks and friends?

    Highlight concert was Lisa Hannigan on Sunday night. Her voice mesmerises and her stage presence just makes ya feel warm inside! We also got to enjoy Loha and Saint Sisters with their harp on Saturday night, and Talos supporting Lisa! A gorgeous spot! Great craic!    Read more

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