Go readers tell their stories
Go reader Tara Gleeson, from Cabra in Dublin, got in touch about Michael Luongo’s piece on Buenos Aires last week
My boyfriend and I had a fantastic trip to Buenos Aires last February. I really must draw your attention to a wonderful restaurant in Palermo Viejo called Lo De Jesus (1406 Gurruchaga, lodejesus.com.ar).
We broke our holiday rule of never eating in the same place twice for this wonderful parilla where the steak was so tender the waiter cut it in two with a spoon. It was also incredibly cheap, a cut of meat big enough for two costing the equivalent of €8.
One of the strangest sights I’ve ever seen was walking through San Telmo around 1am on a Friday night. We stopped at an ice-cream parlour called Dylan (heladosdylan.com.ar), which was buzzing with adults, children and everyone in between. Not only that but it ran a scooter delivery service, and drivers were busy packing their ice boxes with large tubs and heading off into the night (or early morning).
Orla Bourke’s article about a family walking holiday on the Barrow reminded Kay Bennett, from Bishopstown in Cork, about her own trip along the river
About 25 years ago a friend and myself, both female, decided to go by Canadian canoe from Portarlington to New Ross on that beautiful river. It took a week. We took the train from Cork and unpacked the canoe, which came from Dublin.
Neither of us has paddled a canoe before. I got an extra seat put in for visitors. Apart from the first day, when we went around in circles, it was great fun. We had some gear to cook on – a small gas cylinder, a saucepan, cutlery and plastic mugs. My friend brought her whole wardrobe and make-up in two plastic bags, which got tattier and tattier as the week went on.
There was a small problem when we reached the first lock. We didn’t know about the key, so all locks had to be negotiated by getting the canoe and the gear on to the bank and dragging them down below the lock. Somebody kindly showed us how to get the canoe out and in by pulling it at right angles to the bank.
We had nothing booked, but we stayed in villages and towns in BBs. We managed to get someone to look after our things while we went to Kilkenny for a day. At night we just tied up at the riverbank. River folk are very supportive. We boiled or fried our food in the saucepan, which we washed in the river afterwards.
It was fabulous weather in July that year. Only one day was very windy – no centre board, so we just drifted into reeds. So very peaceful – fishermen, ducks and reeds were all we encountered, except for a cow that had fallen and was being rescued. We wore life jackets all the time on the water. At St Mullin’s the river is tidal, so we timed the tide hoping not to have to paddle, but it really didn’t help much. We got a pull for a mile or two one day from a motorised boat belonging to Maud Gonne’s grandson. The steps in New Ross were very muddy, but it was an unforgettable experience.
I sold the canoe after a few years and got the same as I paid for it. I used the money to go on a cycling holiday in the Netherlands with two 10-year-old boys, my nephew and friend. I still long for the canoe.