Week of November 25, 2019

Today was filled with lots of travel magic as my new friend Marc said.  I met Marc in the hostel the morning of my departure.  He was headed to the train station and I asked to join him since I had not traveled by train in Prague and wasn’t familiar with where it was located.  He was a big help in identifying the international counter where I needed to buy my tickets to travel between countries.  It turned out that we were on the same train as he was headed North to Berlin.  After the train departed, I noticed that the train’s final destination was not mine. I assumed I would have to make a connection, but it was not printed on my ticket and the counter agent had not indicated that I would need to change trains.  A very kind German man sitting a few rows behind me offered to help.  He looked up the train schedule on his app in German and sure enough, I had to get off and make a connection in which I would hav 9 minutes to board! How grateful I was to this stranger for his help.  I would have not known when to get off or which platform to head to.  I totally would have blown right by the part of Germany I was headed to.  After hearing more of my serendipitous adventures, Marc noticed that travel magic followed me everywhere.  And certainly it does and for this blessing I am grateful!

I traveled by train North East from Prague through Dresden Germany, to the tiny town of Freiberg.  The first thing I noticed when I got off the train was the number of bicycles in Germany.  There were hundreds at the train station.  I had not seen this yet in my travels.  As  it turned out, bicycles were the preferred form of transportation in the small towns.  I saw so many men and women in their 70’s and 80’s on bikes.  That was so surprising to me.  I had instructions to catch the C bus but when I tried to board, the bus didn’t have the very convenient option of tapping my credit card like every other country has so far.  Instead, I would need new currency which I had none of yet since I just arrived.  I headed to nearby stores and shops asking for directions to the nearest ATM or bank.  No luck.  No one spoke any English at all.  I silently prayed for help and had the idea to go to a hotel, thinking they might have an ATM in the lobby.  There was not an ATM, but there was a woman at the reception who understood enough English (or my gestures) to direct me to a machine a few blocks away.  It was were she said it was, but it was all in German! I could not read the prompts so I just assumed they were the same and entered my PIN number when I saw XXXX’s! Lol. It turned out that I received money – Whoo hoot! Now I had bus fare.  Whew…. So much effort for the things we take for granted in a country were we speak the language.

When I got off the bus, I thought I might be in the wrong neighborhood.  I was about a block away from the LDS temple but could not see it anywhere.  Normally, it would sit high on a hill and the statue of Moroni would be highly visible.  However, I would later learn that this particular temple is different from all other temples in the world.  It is tucked discreetly into a quiet neighborhood and was THE ONLY religious building built during the years of communism in Germany.  That is unbelievable – in a time when people were not allowed to even meet as small groups without being monitored.  Apparently government officials were intrigued why so many of their population kept requesting papers to leave the country to travel to Switzerland (to attend the temple there).  Since they could not guarantee re-entry, they allowed the construction of the building on German soil in order to keep their citizens at home.  Today, the town of Freiberg is so proud of this beautiful building that it is found on local postcards with the inscription of “our temple”.  I find that fascinating.  Even though they are not members and will never participate in the ordinances, they still have great pride and affinity for the temple.  How wonderful.

The accommodations at this temple were located directly next to the temple with an amazing underground tunnel leading from the rooms to the temple.  Every temple complex should have this wonderful feature! It allowed me to get dressed in my room and not have to change after checking in.  It also allowed me to go back and forth during the day for lunch or work and never have to change.  That was a real benefit.

The rooms were very clean and welcoming.  I loved being surrounded by the magnificent paintings of Christ and his ministry.  It was a wonderful environment to work and serve.  It was Czech week at the temple so there were lots of people from the Czech Republic and everything was catered to their language.  Right away I noticed that no one spoke any English and I was very much alone with my thoughts.  Communication was difficult and cumbersome at best. I stopped a woman on the street to ask where the grocery store was and she thought I was going to rob her! She was angry and defensive.  I was shocked and sad and frustrated. 

Once I found the grocery, I could not identify any of the food unless there was a picture of the item on the packaging.  I was beginning to realize how dependent I was on English to get by.  So many countries have it as their second language that up until this point, I had not had to work hard to communicate.  It made me appreciate those who come to the US without family, friends or a job and have to make a way.  

The neighborhoods in Freiberg were clean and well kept.  The center of town was close and within walking distance.  Many people were out on the streets.  Everyone walked or rode their bicycles despite the freezing temperatures.  There was very little vehicle traffic with the exception of public transportation which was frequent and safe.  

The homes were all very unique, not one was similar to another.  I liked that.  It made for very interesting neighborhoods.  The homes and apartments were colorful.  I decided that was a good thing for a part of the world that got dark at 4pm in the Winter and was grey and without sunshine much of the season.  The colors helped to brighten things up.

Once entering Germany, I was aware of the German influence that had been woven all through my childhood.  I had not realized that these things were of German origin growing up, but as I walked these old streets and saw the curtains from my childhood, and the advent calendars and the pastries that I grew up with, I was aware of the strong influence my grandparent’s heritage had in my early years.  It was wonderful and familiar and somehow comforting.  

Freiberg was my first Christmas Market experience!  Even without the snow that I had imagined would be present, it was a wonderful world of sights, smells and sounds unlike any other.  In every direction I saw booths with succulent meats and sausage roasting over wood stoves, hot wine and cider, beer of every kind, handmade crafts, and vendor after vendor of hand carved ornaments, nativity scenes and fresh baked gingerbread – all the while, German Christmas music filled the air.  It was absolutely wonderful and such a nice way to begin the Christmas season.

November 2019

As a young woman, I remember listening to my grandmother talk about her trip to Prague.  She filled my impressionable, adventurous mind with images of places and sites I had never even imagined.   As I stood on Charles Bridge, looking over this lovely city, it was as if my grandmother were standing beside me.  I felt her nearness as if she were my traveling companion.  I have thought of her a thousand times – each time I made a new discovery or when I wanted to turn to her in the delight of capturing that “perfect photo”.  Oh how I miss her today.

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Doors of Prague

Those of you who know me, know that I am fascinated by the doors in the different places that I travel. Here are a few that are indicative of Prague.

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The Sunday after I arrived was the 30th anniversary of the fall of Communism in Prague.  The city prepared a massive celebration.  And it all took place on the street in front of my hostel.  I was so privileged to attend this celebration.  (See my FaceBook post for amazing videos of this celebration.) Before this day, I can’t say that I have spent much time thinking what it must have been like for the citizens of the countries that were held in it’s tight grip.  However, after walking the streets, listening to the passionate plea of the people to never forget what they endured, my heart has been touched and my mind enlightened.  I have seen first hand on this journey what years of oppression, fear and hunger can do to a people – and even generations beyond.  How grateful I am for my freedom to live and worship.  I fear that as a country, if the US continues down its current course, we too will one day know the same kind of oppression, hunger and contention laced with hopelessness.  I pray we will wake up and fight for the democracy we have come to take for granted.

I stayed in the Downtown Hostel for almost two weeks.  It was a perfect location and I had come to love the staff and people.  Most days, I would wake up and explore the city.  Often taking the free tours at the hostel or a river cruise or sometimes just wandered around photographing.  I would then work during the afternoon, taking a break at dinner time to attend a cooking class or eat with my new friends.  

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Food in Prague

The food in Prague varies quite a bit. I prepare most of my meals in the kitchen of the hostel, but do enjoy a few meals out a week. There is a lot of variety because of the number of tourists. There is authentic Czech food which usually involves potatoes in some form, all breakfasts are geared to international travelers and include many options and then there is a lot of really good street food as well. Oh! and the bakeries… There is fresh bread at every meal and it is delicious. Here are some samples.

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I attended the Prague Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and was so happy to find a group of like minded people who were in the same routine as my ward back in the US. 

I attended Relief Society where we made beeswax candles and clay ornaments in preparation for Christmas.  I was invited to their Thanksgiving celebration  The bishop’s wife was from Provo, Utah and in honor of her traditions, he catered in an authentic turkey dinner! That was great fun and I was so happy to participate.  I attended Sunday Sacrament services and enjoyed the “English Sunday school”.  The people of the Czech LDS ward speak 3 languages.  Czech, Slavic and English.  All of the talks, classes and commentary are translated either by the missionaries or by the members.  It is quite a feat to include everyone and their languages.  

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The Czech Republic is home to some of the most faithful and loyal saints in the world.  There are a group of older members who stayed faithful to their knowledge and beliefs for over 40 years during the Communist rule.  Because they were not allowed to worship together, they would hold yoga classes where they taught Christ-like attributes and principles of love and kindness.  When the country opened back up 30 years ago, they rejoiced and membership exploded.  How difficult to remain faithful without any outside support or help.  It amazes me the fortitude and strength of the human spirit.  I had the privilege of speaking to two of those faithful members and hearing their story and journey of faith over their lifetime.  So inspiring!

As it turned out, the Freiberg Germany temple is located only 2 hours from Prague.  The following week was Czech week at the temple and I decided to take the journey with my new Czech friends.  The accommodation center was available and I packed my bags for a little “detour” to Germany – because I can! That is the absolute beauty of traveling this way.  At any point, when an appealing opportunity becomes available, or I hear about a new place I want to explore, I can pack my back and in 10 minutes, can be available to change my plans and explore something new.

November 13, 2019

I arrived in Prague at 9:30pm – later than I like to travel, but the airfare was only $50 to travel at night.  My backpack is 70 liters and has to be checked because of size and weight.  That can be a bit risky, but so far, it has always arrived safely.  I asked for directions to the bus and was met with an icy stare and a grunt from the attendant at the information center.  Aren’t they supposed to be welcoming and helpful? Apparently he didn’t speak English.  I moved on through the international gate and found that all bus information was in Czech and I was unable to determine which line to take.  Okay – back up plan.  A taxi.  Amazingly, the lady booking the taxi’s was apparently related to the information guy because she was just as rude and irritated.  She charged me $37 for a taxi across town – almost as much as my airfare.  And to think, I had heard that the cost of living in Prague was so low! 

My taxi driver was delightful and was born in Cuba, although he lived in Prague most of his life.   We were able to communicate in Spanish and it turned out to be a beautiful drive in at night from the airport which is about 25 minutes outside of town.  The city was all lit up.  Lights on every building.  Lights along the streets, lights on the bridges.  This was not for the holidays but the norm for Prague.  The castle complex, I would soon learn,  is the largest in the world.  It stretches for many blocks and the walls are all lit up as well as the cathedral that stands in the center of the complex.  There were people everywhere.  All walking – strolling along the river, tourists taking photos, sweethearts walking hand in hand – the streets were filled.  Everything was open – the shops and bars, the souvenir shops – it was a very busy city for after 10:30pm.

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My hostel was located on a main street, not far from the river.  It was warm and the reception was open 24 hours, so things were busy inside the hostel as well.  My room was located on the 6th floor, and when I walked in, the curtains were open and I was greeted with a magnificent panoramic view of the river, overlooking the city and the amazing castle complex.  The hostel served a large breakfast every morning for $5.  It included, eggs, sausage, salami, pancakes, toast, cheese, orange juice. coffee, tea.  

I took a free tour of the city, hosted by Katie.  She was from Ireland and spoke English.  She had been traveling and living in Prague for many years.  She had pink hair and was funny and enthusiastic.  As I began to get my bearings, I discovered that although Prague looked very large, it was actually quite compact and I could reach everywhere on foot.  There was so much to see! It is called the city of a thousand towers.

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Right away it was obvious that the Czech have a very bizarre sense of humor.  It is evident in all of their artwork, statues and sculptures.  Like many of the cities that were restrained by communism, the people had to find an outlet for their frustration, often making fun of politicians and laws.  They accomplished it through their art. Here are some examples, although there are many more.  Many others are risqué and I can’t imagine seeing much of this work in Louisville, Kentucky.

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I made a new friend, Alisha from Canada.  We hiked up the very steep hill to the tower.  It is like a mini-Eifeill Tower.  Actually, the whole city is like a mini-Paris.  No offense to my Parisian friends, but Prague is a very romantic setting with lots of history and beauty with a river that carries many gondolas, and boats all through the night.  

There was a small fee to climb the tower, but it was so worth it.  What a view! It was very cold and windy at the top, but it provided an overview of the river and city.  It turns out that Alisha was much younger than me and had just returned from summiting Mt. Kilimanjaro! Even though she outpaced me (and wasn’t even breathing hard), I was able to keep up as we climbed every hill and through every park Prague had to offer.  There is a large metronome that stands in the place of where a giant statue of Stalin once stood.  It was obliterated with dynamite when communism fell. 

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I walked over 30,000 steps my first day in Prague.  It is definitely a photographer’s paradise.  I would be blessed in the days ahead with lots of sunshine which is rare on these Winter days and many new friends to meet and places to explore.

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November 7-12, 2019

The Preston, England Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the home temple to the members in Scotland, Ireland and Northern England.  Because of the great distance these saints travel to attend, there is an accommodation center that is available for patrons to stay while attending the temple. 

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The temple is located just a short 20 minute train ride from Manchester, England and easy to get to with public transportation.  The cost is amazingly low at $11/day.  Each room has a small kitchen area, a desk/study area and a sleeping space and as you can see, it is pristine.  

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Although I was in a 4 bunk room, I had the space all to my self during the week I was there.  Additionally, on the main floor of the accommodation center, there is a large kitchen with 4 sinks, stoves, ovens and counter top preparation areas.  There are refrigerators and freezers and a large dining area for guests to eat together.  The temple itself has a cafeteria that is open each day for lunch. 

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The Temple complex includes 15 acres and is the home to the temple, a stake center, the Missionary Training Center, Senior Missionary residences, a Family History Center and a distribution center.  

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How wonderful it was to be with people of my own faith! My stay here provided the spiritual nourishment I needed and a chance to rest and unpack for a week.  Such a luxury! I was also grateful to have the room to myself after so many nights in hostel accommodations.  I took full advantage of the kitchen area and prepared healthy meals with vegetables that my body has been craving.  

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However, the real blessing was in the time I spent each day in the temple.  I awoke early each morning and attended a session.  I was able to be a witness in the sealing sessions – my first opportunity since the recent changes occurred while I was away from home.  

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Although I live just minutes from my home temple in Louisville, Kentucky and serve as an ordinance worker there, I have never had the opportunity to attend sessions back to back for a week at a time.  This one thing has been profound for me.  I noticed that the learning and understanding I acquired while participating just kept compounding day after day.  Because I was living in the bubble of the temple complex, I was able to really retreat from the world and enjoy the benefits of the temple to the fullest.  For those of you who have never considered participating in this way, let me suggest that you take this opportunity if it is ever presented to you.  You will be so glad you did.

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I met wonderful people during my stay here as well.  A delightful missionary couple from Canada, Barry and Carol befriended me and immediately invited me into their home and included me in their activities. 

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I was able to attend Family Home Evening with the full-time missionary couples, where we had a presentation on the night sky and the symbolism in the zodiac signs and how everything points to Christ.  I was invited to the weekly craft night where I was able to make a little more progress on my quilting square that I started during my stay in Scotland.  And I was finally able to attend Sunday services and partake of the sacrament. I even crashed the Young Single Adults (YSA) Institute class where a very skilled teacher from Ireland taught with the humor of John Bytheway and the skill of Ryan Quinn.  This was the closest to home I had felt in months.  

Barry and Carol and I took an afternoon to explore the lock systems that run throughout the Preston area.  I learned that Lancashire has the longest lock-free stretch of canals in the country.  Lancashire’s canal network spans across most of the county and residents can enjoy a leisurely cruise and gaze upon the scenery or if you lack a canal boat, you can take a more active approach and cycle or walk along the towpaths like we did. Since living and serving in Preston, Barry has educated himself and explored many of the canals and locks that are part of the history of this area. It was fascinating and I learned so much.

As my time at the Preston Temple drew to a close, I felt rested, strengthened, and ready to tackle my next adventure.  I was headed to Prague in the Czech Republic.  I would be encountering a new language, new form of currency and a whole new culture.  I was excited and a bit nervous to once again step out into the unknown to discover the adventure that awaits me.

November 1-6, 2019

Dun Laoghaire

The accommodation prices in Dublin increase on the weekend.  A hostel room that is normally $18 during the week can go as high as $87 for the same bed beginning Friday night.  So it makes a lot of sense to get out of town for the weekends!  

Dun Loaghaire is a small fishing village just a 20 minute train ride southeast of Dublin.  I booked an Airbnb with a young couple from Russia.  Like most of my adventures, it was not like I expected!  My GPS took me 40 minutes out of my way – which is a very long walk with two heavy packs in the pouring down rain.  You might think I have gotten used to walking in the rain (and I have!) but it was exceptionally cold and I arrived, in the dark – very cold and wet much later than I anticipated.  

However, I received the warmest of welcomes from Olga and her husband Igor and their 4 year old son, Marc.  Olga was baking gingerbread cookies when I arrived.  Not just a batch or two, but hundreds of cookies! She is an artist and ices these cookies and then paints them in great detail for the Christmas markets.  The cookies took up every flat surface in the house.  They were all in different stages of cooling, drying and packaging.  It was quite the operation.  However, it was wonderful to be greeted with a warm cookie, a towel and my own pair of house slippers!  

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My room was huge by Airbnb standards.  Their home was brand new and I had the best of everything.  I was one of the first guests since they had moved.  The bed was new, the duvet was clean and warm, the bathroom was bigger than any I had come across yet and there were so many extras like a blow dryer, shampoo and a WASH CLOTH! You can’t imagine how you come to miss those little things we take for granted in the States.  

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There were parks everywhere and only a ten minute walk to the ocean.  I spent Saturday morning at the town square where there is a weekly market.  Every kind of food you can imagine was being prepared and sold.  Cuisines of every kind and from more than 20 different countries.  It was an adventure just in smells alone! 

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Olga was 37 weeks pregnant and Igor’s parents had come to stay with them to help with Marc and the delivery of the baby.  I really enjoyed speaking with his mother.  She lives in Russia and she was learning English and was so excited to practice on me.  We went for long walks together and although her husband couldn’t speak or understand us, we all became fast friends.  I really love to learn about other cultures and customs and enjoy the chance to have meaningful conversations with people from other countries.  

Glendalough

My new friend Siobhan (from Belfast post) is a psychiatrist.  She had a break in her schedule and asked if I wanted to join her on an overnight trip to a small town called Glendalough for a day of hiking.  Hmmm…. Let me think for a second – YES! She picked me up at my Airbnb in Dun Laoghaire and we headed South.  

We stopped at Powerscourt Gardens in County Wicklow – one of the most beautiful gardens in Ireland! Unfortunately, it was raining and the tours we had planned along the way were interrupted. The gardens were still magnificent – even in the rain.  Here is a link if you are interested in seeing the beauty of these gardens.  My pictures would only disappoint.  We enjoyed a wonderful meal in the Avoca Terrace Cafe and  headed to our accommodations because of the storm.  However, the next morning proved to be a great day for hiking.  

We woke early and headed out to explore the trails and outlying hills of the Wicklow mountains.  We visited the ruins of an ancient monastery.  

The most famous of all the landmarks in Glendalough is the Round Tower which stands 33 meters above the ground. It was built almost 1000 years ago by the monks of St. Kevin’s monastery. The conical roof had to be replaced in 1876 when it was struck by lightning. The towers were called “Cloigtheach”, meaning bell tower, suggesting their main use. The towers were sometimes used as a place of refuge for monks when the monastery was under attack. They also served as both as lookout posts and as beacons foe approaching monks and pilgrims.

We took the Glendalough Woodland Road. This was a pleasant walk through one of the more secretive areas of Glendalough. It weaves through mixed woodlands into neighboring Glendasan Valley. The trail follows the Glendasan River back towards Glendalough, where it then joins up with the boardwalk which runs through the Lower Lake wetlands. 

This was a beautiful hike.  We passed waterfalls, a multitude of  moss covered trees, sheep, and an upper and lower lake.  The vistas from these trails were beautiful and quiet – free from tourists. 

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This was one of my favorite days in Ireland.  I love to get outside of the city to experience the true essence of the people and the country. I enjoyed having Siobhan’s company.  It was so nice to have a travel partner – if even for a day or two.  She drove me back to Dublin where we said goodbye until our next adventure!

October 25-31, 2019

If you check Wikipedia, it’ll tell you that English is the main spoken language in Ireland. However, in Dublin I found that in some cases, they have invented a language all their own.  Here are a few phrases:

1. Gerrup ow’da = If you would kindly stop that and move along it would be most appreciated

2. Gis a packet a crisps = I’ll take some of those potato chips

3. C’mere til I tell ya = when you have a free moment, come over and I will share a story with you

4. An aul one = an older lady

And then there is all the craic….

Irish craic is the word that most confuses outsiders.  It is the atmosphere – fun – surrounding a particular night out. ”How was the craic?” is the first question uppermost in most young Irish minds after a weekend and the topic of conversation with most taxi drivers – in my opinion.  

Here’s the encyclopedia definition:

“Craic” (/kræk/ KRACK), or “crack”, is a term for news, gossip, fun, entertainment, and enjoyable conversation, particularly prominent in Ireland.

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Dublin is a busy, energetic city with lots of things to do and lots of history.  Here are some of the highlights from my time in Dublin.

I often visit museums as I travel. They provide rich and interesting histories of the cities and people. However, the National Museum of Archeology has been my favorite discovery so far. It had wonderful exhibits including the history of the Vikings with ancient artifacts including replicas of the ships. There were exhibits explaining the discovery of gold in ancient Ireland and how the local people hid valuables in the bogs which preserved them for hundreds of years. There were entire sections dedicated to early saints and Christians and ruins from early churches. As with all museums in Ireland, there was no entrance fee and they are free for the public to enjoy.

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My favorite meal in Dublin was at a traditional Irish pub. The pub had many different levels and tiny alcoves of tables. We were advised to secure a table and order drinks before getting in line for our food as the tables were in high demand and would be occupied for some time. The food was ordered “cafeteria style” and was so interesting. I wish I had thought to take a photo of the options. The food was very heavy though with large portions of leg of lamb, pork shoulders, all kinds of meat pies and stews. The best surprise of all was the local music and dancing right beside our table! It was so fun – just the authentic experience you might hope to have while visiting Ireland.

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I took a day trip to the famous Cliffs of Moher on the West coast of Ireland.

“Better to see something once than to hear about it a thousand times” Ancient Chinese Proverb

The cliffs are certainly impressive, however the day I went, there was unexpected hail, rain and wind in excess of 60 miles per hour. I watched an older woman get completely swept off of her feet while fighting the wind with an umbrella! Although the sun didn’t come out, our tour guide said that throughout the year, only 50% of the days even have any visibility of the cliffs because of the heavy fog. They sure don’t put that in the brochure! So, I think we were supposed to feel “lucky” that we could see the cliffs at all. Humm…. well, it didn’t meet my high expectations for photographing the Cliffs, but it was a wild day. We did enjoy traditional Irish Stew with fresh, hot black bread in a tiny pub on the way back to Dublin which we all really enjoyed.

They funny thing about expectations… they never actually end up like you imagined. I saw a quote this week that I thought was applicable to my time in Dublin.

“Adventure is allowing the unexpected to happen to you. Exploration is experiencing what you have not experienced before.” Richard Aldington

October 25, 2019

The Giant’s Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic fissure eruption.  

the Giant’s Causeway was named as the fourth greatest natural wonder in the United Kingdom. The tops of the columns form stepping stones that lead from the cliff foot and disappear under the sea. Most of the columns are hexagonal, although there are also some with four, five, seven or eight sides.  It is quite a site to behold!

It was also declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986, and a national nature reserve in 1987 by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland.  You might want to add this to your bucket list as well if you are visiting Ireland.

The Irish have legends for everything and according to legend, the columns are the remains of a causeway built by a giant.

The story goes that the Irish giant Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn MacCool), from the Fenian Cycle of Gaelic mythology, was challenged to a fight by the Scottish giant Benandonner. Fionn accepted the challenge and built the causeway across the North Channel so that the two giants could meet.

In one version of the story, Fionn defeats Benandonner. In another, Fionn hides from Benandonner when he realises that his foe is much bigger than he is. Fionn’s wife, Oonagh, disguises Fionn as a baby and tucks him in a cradle. When Benandonner sees the size of the ‘baby’, he reckons that its father, Fionn, must be a giant among giants.

He flees back to Scotland in fright, destroying the causeway behind him so that Fionn would be unable to chase him down. Across the sea, there are identical basalt columns (a part of the same ancient lava flow) at Fingal’s Cave on the Scottish isle of Staffa, and it is possible that the story was influenced by this.

Are there any Game of Thrones fans? You would have enjoyed our final stop of the day.  

This beautiful avenue of beech trees was planted by the Stuart family in the eighteenth century.

It was intended as a compelling landscape feature to impress visitors as they approached the entrance to their Georgian mansion, Gracehill House.

Two centuries later, the trees remain a magnificent sight and have become one of the most photographed natural phenomena in Northern Ireland. In fact, the iconic trees have been used as a filming location in HBO’s epic series Game of Thrones®, representing the Kingsroad.

“The freedom to make my own mistakes was all I ever wanted.”

– Mance Rayder – Game of Thrones

October 25, 2019

The very best of Northern Ireland is wild and wonderful! I discovered so many tiny towns along the coast like Cushendall, Ballycastle, Ballintoy and Portrush and the people were authentic, kind and fun.  This post is mostly a photo documentary of the beautiful coastline.  This was a photographer’s dream. I hope you enjoy seeing this rugged side of Ireland that still remains somewhat untouched and preserved.

I spent much of the day hiking along Carrick-a-Rede, which was at one time home to a tiny fishing village. The fishermen caught salmon, but it was quite dangerous work. The salmon were found off a tiny island only accessible by a rope bridge. The fisherman who worked on the Island of Carrick-a-Rede faced very steep cliffs and challenging weather. They would let their boat down into the foaming water and stretch their nets across the “salmon road”, only to carefully winch both the boat and the catch back up the cliffs at the end of the day. I cannot imaging carrying heavy baskets of fish as I retraced my steps across the bridge that sways and ripples in the best of weather!

“For the boiling breakers are forever dashing themselves madly between the rocks hundreds of feet beneath, and the rope bridge if thrown about by the wind like the fabric of thread. Few trust themselves upon this airy fabrication, but Mr. Wilson and I for the honor of Old Kentucky braved all the terrors – and passed to and from the rock.”

Charles Leonard Thomasson, Kentucky, USA writing in 1851 following his visit

October 21-25, 2019

Crossing the Irish Sea from Scotland to Ireland was a thrilling experience!   The ferry was the size of a small cruise ship and the waves were rough and furious.  There was a theater on board, several restaurants, game rooms, a casino – everything to make the 2-1/2 hour journey enjoyable. 

I had taken a bus from Edinburgh, back through Glasgow to the coast were I boarded the ferry and then landed in Northern Ireland where a bus took me into Belfast. It was a full day’s journey.  

I met lots of wonderful people along the way.  My favorite was a 78 year old man who said I “stole his seat” – because he always sits in the front seat of the bus on his weekly trip across the sea to see his 74 year old “girlfriend”.  I shared the seat and hours of conversation that I barely could understand or keep up with because of his heavy accent.  But nothing deterred him from thinking we were great friends.  Because he made the trip weekly, he took me under his wing and ushered me to the front of every line, making sure I knew where to leave my luggage, find the restroom and the best seat on the ferry for viewing and free coffee and tea! Paddy (seriously his name), was a great help and even had the bus driver in Larne hold the bus for me because I had been slow to retrieve my luggage! The driver later told me that Paddy wouldn’t let him leave until his “little American friend” was onboard.  

Unfortunately, my impression of Belfast is not entirely favorable.  I realize that as people travel, the experiences they have can really shape the feelings they develop for a location.  Not to offend any of my new friends, but in the interest of describing my own experience, these are the things I noticed.  

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Belfast is full of trash.  Having just come from Scotland where the streets are pristine, it was a shocking difference.  There is graffiti on every street.  The buildings are painted with artwork proclaiming the loyalties of Belfast’s two prominent communities – the Protestants and the Catholics and their cry’s to remember and the terrible losses they have endured during  “The Troubles” (1968-98). 

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Years of internal fighting has taken it’s toll on the people and the energy is palatable.  I could feel the sadness and the contention even today.  There were young protesters on street corners with bull horns and angry shouting in the streets until late at night. 

On a bright note, I met a wonderful woman.  She was a friend of Flo’s from Edinburgh.  Her name is Siobhan and she is happy and smart and funny.  She showed me around the city and took me to my first pub in Ireland.  I wish I had photographed the inside of the pub – it was tiny, dark with very low ceilings and it seemed like it had been there forever.  Although I had a coke, I am sure she and everyone around me thought I was missing out on the very best of Ireland – the Guinness! 

We took a cab ride – yes, the black taxi’s are a real thing! The taxi had 5 seats – one bench seat for 3 and two backwards facing seats.  The taxi waited until it was full of passengers (whether you knew each other or not or were headed to the same destination or not!) before departing.  Our ride through the outskirts of town depicted a checkered past that Belfast was desperately trying to overcome in order to welcome tourism.  Unfortunately, their public transportation has some improvements to make before they are masters at moving people like Disney!

I had a fantastic dinner at a hole in the wall Turkish restaurant that was recommended to me and it did not disappoint. The seasoning for the chicken was “a secret family recipe” – like Kentucky Fried Chicken I was told. Funny.

It rains a lot in Ireland this time of year, but one one particularly beautiful day, I had the pleasure to meet an older woman named Mary from 5W who accompanied me to the Botanical Gardens and Queen’s University area.  It was one of the more quiet and serene parts of town and I enjoyed this section of town very much.  

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Mary had gone out of her way to include me in a group of friends and even had a theater ticket for me upon my arrival to Belfast.  As I pondered the people I met during my time in Belfast, I was reminded that good people triumph over difficult circumstances – even when they last a very long time.

“They remind me every day of the resilience and hope that resides in the human spirit.”  Lee Woodruff

October 10-18, 2019

If you have been following along my journey to this point, you know the ups and the downs of this adventure.  Each day I am challenged to live my opportunity to the fullest – no matter what shows up.  Isn’t that what living all in is about?  Whether we are at home in our normal routines or traveling to new places and meeting new people.  It’s about integrity and making good choices.  It’s about serving and looking for ways to contribute.

I have found so many of these along the way – especially when I begin my day in prayer asking for them.  

I spent 8 days resting and relaxing with my newest friend Gill in Edinburgh.  She offered to let me stay at her home and unpack for a while.  I had begun to get sick, but I quickly recovered with some vitamin C, Zinc and a lot of rest.  I enjoyed early mornings pulling weeds in her garden and long walks in the neighborhood.  

Gill has a friend, Betty whom she has been looking after for many years.  Betty lives in the care home across the street from Gill’s flat and is in her 90’s.  She doesn’t have any family still living to visit her.  I began going to visit Betty most days and enjoyed finding ways to connect with her through music and photos to help ease just a day or two of her loneliness.

I jumped right back into Gill’s routine of serving in her community and helped teach the new quilting technique I had just learned a few weeks earlier to a group of women.

We met a new young lady named Margarita who was studying English in Edinburgh.  She was 20 and from Italy.  She was delightful and had tickets to a candle light concert that evening in St. Giles’ Cathedral.  Gill and I were able to get tickets as well and enjoyed one of my most memorable concerts ever.  We listened to the London Concertante Chamber Ensemble and is regarded as one of the finest chamber ensembles in Europe.  It was an absolutely superb performance. (See video clip posted on facebook.)

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The next day, Gill introduced me to her friend Flo who is also a long standing member of 5W (Women Welcome Women World Wide).  We had breakfast together and then walked to the Parliament Building.  We were able to get tickets to an event which was discussing the representation of women in British politics.  Andrew Marr from the BBC was the chair and several members of Parliament were present for the discussion including the Rt Hon Ruth Davidson MSP.  They shared their personal experiences and discussed how inequalities can be overcome.  It was fascinating – especially during this very fragile time in history here in Scotland with Brexit.

Gill and I climbed Arthur’s Seat later that day.  It is an extinct volcano and the highest point of a group of hills surrounding Holyrood Park.

The hill rises above the city to a height of 822 feet and provides excellent panoramic views of the city and beyond.  It is a relatively easy climb until the last hundred feet when the terrain becomes slippery with gravel.  

Gill went to visit her son on the West coast and I remained in her flat while she was gone.  “Our” walking group picked me up for the now “regular” Monday hike and we made our way to the foothills of the Lammermuirs to a tiny town called Doon Hill.  For more than 5 miles, we explored the countryside in it’s autumn glory.  The trail followed open paths with views of hedgerows, cornfields, pastures and moors, hilltops and coastline.  Pheasants frequently were startled from their resting spots and were beautiful in flight. It was a fabulous day and I was so grateful for the lift from my hiking buddies.

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I spent my last day in Edinburgh a bit sad and not really wanting to leave.  I wandered around parts of town that I had not yet explored. 

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Gill drove me (in the rain) to a shop so I could replace the vacuum bags I use for my clothing that had split after so much wear.  She also helped me check out a book from the library on Ireland and I began to plan the next leg of my adventure.