A postcard from: Stephen Pearce
Stephen at the famous food market in Barcelona
My most memorable holiday was...
in Portugal, in the 1970s. It was the first time I could afford a holiday and we took a taxi into Lisbon from the airport. This was a new experience for me. We visited little bars and it was just like Kerry in the 1950s. The bars were all painted browns, greens and dark reds, and were small; they could only fit about five people. They served draught wine in little white pottery bowls -- it cost nothing.
We stayed in cheap rooms and travelled by bus up the coast to Porto. After a long day over dusty roads, we ended up in a café hamlet. At about 11pm, we were served bits of chicken fried in oil with lots of garlic and salt. It was one of my best meals ever, followed by a choc-ice and mug of brandy.
We then travelled on up the coast, visiting fishing villages along the way where they still built traditional boats by hand.
My favourite place in Ireland is...
Co Wicklow. I have dear friends there and it's close to Dublin.
My childhood holiday memories are...
Luckily as a child, we never once went on holidays. I'm eternally grateful to my parents -- imagine being away from my toys and hatchets. I was always building houses up trees or making things. Not going on holidays suited me fine. Although, I do remember when I was three eating my first chewing gum on an Aer Lingus plane, flying from back from London to Dublin.
Beach bum, culture vulture or adrenaline junkie?
I love travelling with a purpose, when there is something to do. But usually I don't do holidays; it's the idea of a holiday I don't like. I might have to play golf or see an art gallery or sit on a beach. And I don't like over-the-top or cheap hotel rooms that are often smelly or the wrong temperature.
A few times, I have let my wife take me on holidays when I'm too exhausted to resist. She'll get up in the morning to see the local culture. I creep out of bed and find a good bar, have a coffee and go back to bed. I then get up for a lunch of fish and half a bottle of wine, then back to bed until 7pm. Then we go out to eat and go back to bed by 10pm. That's as near as I get to taking part in a holiday.
Now, tell me there's a potter or silversmith down a valley across a swollen river, with no road, and I'm your man. I love traditional craftspeople. So voyaging for craft, untamed places and eating weird and wonderful food turns me on.
My ideal travel companion is...
my wife, Lauren. We both get very inspired by visiting new places and love trying out new foods together.
My worst travel experience was...
in Rajasthan. I got dysentery and I couldn't handle it. I couldn't eat anything and was in terrible shape. I said, "Take me to the nearest airport". They charged me a fortune for a plane ticket back to Delhi. The door of the plane fell off as it was being closed, so a guy picked it up with a forklift and jammed it in place. As we took off, several lockers opened and bags rained down. It really was a nightmare.
My favourite hotel is...
the Fitzwilliam in Dublin. They have the world's best doormen; whatever is going wrong, they manage to sort it. And I really like the design. It's not overdone.
At Stansted Airport, there is an amazing Radisson Hotel. It has a huge atrium with a 40-foot tower, which stores all the wine bottles. There's a girl doing ballet up and down the tower -- it's absolutely ridiculous but worth visiting to see that. There's also a little tapas bar which is good value and serves great Spanish wines.
And finally, La Mamounia in Marrakech -- seven-star tranquility, and about half a mile down the road from the souqs.
My dream holiday would include...
no air travel. Living mostly in Europe, this is possible. In Italy, we stay between Florence and Siena. And when we are in the Pyrenees in France, you can look out over the mountains from the back of house, where Spain is only about two miles away.
When I'm travelling I always miss...
my own mattress.
My best meal was...
our wedding feast in Bargino, outside Florence. We started eating at around noon, and by 6.30pm we had gone through 14 different dishes, including a dark chocolate whale ice cream with grappa poured over the top.
I get through a long flight...
by dying as I enter an airport and resurrecting in the taxi at the other end. Airlines see us as units to be insulted and poached for money.
The top three places I want to visit are...
Kyushu, in Japan. It has a small town where they serve the best sushi in the world. There are also some amazing hot springs there, which I love.
Also, the Andes and Istanbul. In 1965, I hitched back from Japan to Ireland with my brother. It took three months and we went through 32 different countries with 30 quid. We passed through Istanbul and I got a real sense that it was the meeting of East and West.
When it comes to travelling, my advice is...
travel should only be considered in May or early October, because of weather, lack of crowds and good prices. I have children, so this is impossible.
Also, in your head, be where you are. If I'm in Dublin airport when the plane is late, then I must enjoy my meal and treat it all as part of the voyage. Otherwise, stay at home or go mad.
Stephen Pearce is an artist, craftsman and designer.
jkavanagh@independent.ie
- Jacqueline Kavanagh
