Surprising Limerick

Limerick is a nice little place. Very quite, clean, not much to do, not very exciting. Walkable, crossed by the Shannon River, some how similar to Dublin , but of course everything was on a smaller scale. Very similar architecture – colourful building with square roofs, a beautiful Cathedral dedicated to St. Mary, Guinness signs and pubs everywhere. An imposing castle was looking out over the river.
Limerick was some kind of “obliged” stop before going back home from Shannon. One thing surprised me about the city of Limerick: it has an ANTI war memorial.
Every single city I have been visiting so far always had monuments commemorating war, somehow praising the bravery and daring of its soldiers.
For the first time I stood in front of a monument which condemned violence and fightings.
It was made of two busts facing each other. One was of a commander, his chest decorated with medals. Each medal had a skull carved in it. The second bust represented a soldier with a wounded head, half of it was covered in a bandage.
I believe it is worth going to Limerick just for that.
Limerick actually surprised me twice.
I had a stroll around the castle and was walking along the river, following its right bank.
Then I bumped into these colourful houses surrounded but a pointed iron fence. I stopped and thought they were very curious and funny. Their walls were painted with such stark colours. The houses had wooden doors and windows with followers on the windowsill. The curtains were drawn to let the light it. But then I had a better look at them and realized that what I was seeing wasn’t actually what it was.
Whatever my eyes were seeing wasn’t real: everything had been painted on walled up doors and windows.
The first reaction was a smile and somehow a laugh too. It reminded me of Magritte “Ceci n’est pas une pipe”. Afterwards though I thought I was a bit scary.