October 2025 • Folksy Travel by Bill Smale

October 25, 2025October 25, 2025

Off to Kells

if you are going off to Kells you will pass through a number of small towns which are very interesting and very beautiful with local shops which are very old and a lot of old signage. Many of the churches are not open unless they have services which is understandable nowadays. You can find the Irish sense of humor outside in many places so keep your eyes peeled. The town of Kells itself is where the book of Kells (the old Bible from the ninth century) was transferred when they Vikings pillaged the islands off Scotland. And then this very old Bible was moved to the library in Trinity College to protect it from the invading saxons and Normans which are now considered the English.

Church accounts — The churches accounts for 2024

Heavens gate — I went around the corner but I did not see heaven

Book makers off to Kells — It’s all legitimate

My childhood nickname — The store named after my childhood nickname

Italian and Chinese food — This makes sense. Italian cuisine next to an “oriental restaurant”

Cattle auction — I heard the auctioneering on the sidewalk and decided to come in to watch the cat auction, reminding me of my young days helping my dad at his auctions

Auction board — The auction board representing the cow currently in the ring

Old Cross — The cross in Kells. I was told it is probably 1200 years old

Story of Jesus — These carvings are the story of Jesus and Christianity

Low clouds — The low clouds rolling in reminded me of the fog rolling into the city (San Francisco)

I walked up here for the view but also to go to see an ancient relic but the grass was wet and slippery and when I got up on the hill it was clear I would have to walk a long distance more and decided it was a great place to slip and fall so I went back to the car

Beautiful view — The rain keeps Ireland green

October 22, 2025October 22, 2025

In an Inn in Inniskeen

Around and in Inniskeen you see some typical and historical building and things, giving you a cross-section view of rural Ireland. Be prepared to eat before you arrive since there isn’t really anything open to provide food that I could find. But you can always sit by the river, listen to the sound of the rushing water and just enjoy a beautiful walk around town.

Telephone booth in Inniskeen — Atypical telephone booth still standing

A Caesar salad in Inniskeen — I stopped in Naul Village to get something to eat. The Caesar salad was not bad and had bacon pieces in it which gave it some flavor and the bread was very good and filling, a thick and nutritious brown bread

The pipe man in Inniskeen — He must’ve been very good on the pipes since he is now permanently sitting here in Naul

My guest house — This is the very nice guest house B and B, Gleneven guest house in Inniskeen

Rushing river — The rushing river from the bridge

River path — Taking a walk on the Patel along the river

Old church ruins — From the golf course, a pitch and putt, the older church and ruins of the very old church

Pitch and-putt — I didn’t check to see if this was the long hole

I tried to pump — I tried pumping water but it did not work

Poem machine — You turned the handle until the light turns red next to the poets name and a poem comes out the top speaker

Old church — The old church tower from the ninth century and a newer church

Cemetery — Hey neglected cemetery but it did not feel bleak. I got the feeling the residence were used to be left to their own entertainment.

Old design — A very iconic Irish design on an old headstone

Preserved graveyard — A preserved graveyard area with a harp in a traditional Irish crest

Member only pup — A typical small town pub except that the entrance was posted “members only bar“ so I didn’t go in since I’m not a member.

Direction signs — Informative direction signs

Poets museum — The Patrick kavanaugh museum for a famous local poet

October 19, 2025October 19, 2025

Relaxing in Japan

Himeji

I rented a car in this area and drove around for four days to some places I have not been in 48 years. I highly recommend going to the Japan Seaside from the Pacific side if you get the chance. The area around here is extremely beautiful and not over developed.

Relaxing in Japan breakfast — The buffet breakfast you can get in some hotels can be very filling but you need to understand how to put the different ingredients together.

Japanese style spaghetti — This was one of the least appetizing breakfastS with a very dry spaghetti and meatballs but the salad was OK.

Smoking accommodations Relaxing in Japan — Most of the restaurants now do not allow smoking inside but make provisions for the smoking addicts

Station piano — This countryside station copied the French idea of placing a piano for customers to enjoy. It’s a nice addition

Rice Fields — The race fields are really beautiful in September

Himeji Castle — Himeji castle from the station

Good beer Relaxing in Japan — My second favorite beer

Korean food — Nice food at the Korean restaurant

Nice lunch — For me this was a plentiful lunch

Tottori

Sand dunes — These are the famous sand dunes

Popular for tourists — Now a very popular tourist destination

Dunes map of Japan — This map spots the different sand dunes in Japan, large and small

Mountain side — The beautiful mountain side

Map of Mitokusan where I almost lost my life 48 years ago

National treasure — This is a “national treasure”. Look at the photos below and you will see why it is so interesting

Secluded — Almost the ultimate in seclusion

Mountain top temple — Ron and I climbed all the way up to this temple on the mountain when the access gate was closed, climbing up was banned because the snow was 3 feet deep.

Full service gas stations are still the thing

Daisen tori — I came to this restaurant for the famous open range chicken, Daisen Tori

Delicious food — Very delicious countryside food

Okayama

Tonkatsu — One of my favorites, TONKATSU

Hotel — The hotel on the way back was not expensive, very new and clean 20 foot containers

Wakayama

Having dinner with an old friend at a very nice restaurant

Tokyo

Fishing — Back in Tokyo with good friends from the software industry. This is a restaurant where you fish for your food and look what my friend caught. I was the net boy

Italian beer — A new Italian addition to the beer industry

All the crazy construction going on in Shibuya. It’s very hard to find your way around. Get prepared to get lost. And the number of people in this area is just unbelievable now

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Himeji

Tottori

Okayama

Wakayama

Tokyo

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