May 6, 2005, Armagh, Northern IrelandThe main reason we're in this beautiful land, is that my wife Alice is searching for her ancestor's on her father's side.
The problem is, even though they may have originated in or around this city or county, no real records exist and the family name seems to have disappeared off of the face of the earth.
While we're here in this unique burg, we decide to take in a wee bit o' sightseeing, and one place Alice would like to explore is Armagh's Roman Catholic cathedral.
I can't help but notice that right accross the road from the cathedral is a very colorful house. It's not only its brightness which attracts me, but also the billboard.
So there I am deeply engrossed (a.k.a. zen mode) in composing the image, when I hear a woman's voice ask me, in an inquisitive but challeging way, as to what am I doing.
Ex New Yorker that I am, a few (not so) choice answers pop into my mind.
Taking my eyes away from the viewfinder, I see this young and attractive lady to the side of me.
Realizing that I am in Northern Ireland, I respond as politely as I can, telling her I'm taking a picture of the house.
She objects to my photographing it because it's her house, and wants to know if I'm a reporter.
She's quite upset, and I'm begin to think that this house might also belong to individuals of a certain political affiliation who might strenuously object to my picture taking. Possibly expressing their displeasure in a manner which would definitely end this vacation, and future vacations for good.
I assure her that I'm not a reporter, just some old fart tourist from the USA.
She apoligizes if she'd offended me, and I apologize for upsetting her ... and she leaves.
I take the picture, and I leave ... going to the cathedral across the road for sanctuary, as fast as I can but hopefully not too obvious that I am in a rush.
P.S. I wasn't on her property, tho I was between someone else's and the sidewalk.
