Around the world, cemeteries are recognizing the importance of inviting the public inside graveyard gates. From historic tours to running events and summer concerts, cemetery directors are expanding programming in an attempt to be relevant community institutions, not just creepy neighbors.
Cycling the lightly traveled backroads of West Ireland affords time to intimately experience the country, its people and their history. Until recently, only experienced cyclists even attempted such a ride. Motorists would fly past as brightly colored cyclists peddled laboriously up hills, their bikes burdened with panniers filled with clothes and heavy equipment. Cycling seemed more exhausting than enjoyable. But with the advent of ebikes and specialized cycling tours, beautiful and fascinating areas now are accessible to nearly anyone. And one of the most bike-friendly places to take such a tour is along the west coast of Ireland.
What makes this type of tour so satisfying is the pace (avg. speed 11 mph) and proximity of being so close to the land and the people you meet along the way. You can stop whenever you like to appreciate an historic marker, a beautiful garden or scenic overlook when traveling on a bicycle. There’s something about the physical exertion necessary to get from place to place that connects a rider with the land more deeply than if he arrives by bus, train or car.
The Irish have suffered Viking slavers, the Norman conquest, oppressive British landowners and famine. Despite these adversities, a cycling trip through West Ireland shows them to be an ebullient people with a welcoming attitude and a kind spirit.
By Mark Orwoll Fall just knocked on our door and didn’t wait for an invitation to enter. Like it or not, Autumn arrives this week. In the Northeastern United States, which includes the six New England states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island plus the Empire State of New York, the…
Havana was just what I expected. A city blended with images of vintage cars, cigar-smoking women, a flood of rum, vibrant art and jazz swaying crowds on every Spanish colonial corner. European and Asian tourists parading along the avenidas and calles were everywhere. Cuba may be the world’s best kept secret, but only from US citizens.
Many Western texts say Dutch East India Company explorer Abel Tasman discovered New Zealand in 1642. In fact, the islands’ first inhabitants were Polynesian Maori who arrived in successive waves 300 years before. Today the Maori comprise about 850,000 of New Zealand’s population of just over five million. About 86% live on the north island in places like Ohinemutu, a colorful neighborhood adjacent to the popular resort town of Rotorua.
Dining at quirky cafes near the city’s oldest farmer’s market, dancing in a music festival on an island stretching along the Danube river – it’s hard to imagine Vienna as just a monument to Imperial glory. It was the seat of the Holy Roman Empire before becoming the center of the Hapsburg Dynasty and the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which included 15 different nationalities. Then came two world wars and a dreary period of postwar recovery. Vienna seemed overshadowed; stuck in the past, getting by on opera and apple strudel. But today Vienna is a city humming with creative energy. The grand 19th-century buildings that define the city co-exist with cafés, galleries and boutiques in revitalized neighborhoods.
The taxi driver greets me with, “How’s she gettin’ on?” (How are you?), then introduces himself, “Call me Andy, m’luv.” Firm friendship established, Andy and I cheerfully chat on the way in from the airport at Deer Lake, Newfoundland. When a comment of mine evokes a great belly laugh, he sputters, “I dies at you,” (you’re funny).
This is Newfoundland English, affectionately called Newfinese. A wonderfully expressive patois, it has its own dictionary and a wide variety of expressions to challenge the most agile mind. Someone who is upset might have a ‘face like a boiled boot’ and a muggy, foggy day is ‘mauzy’. Hungry? In Newfinese, you’re ‘gut-foundered’. Lost? You might be told to “stay where you’re at ‘til I comes where you’re to.”
The people of Newfoundland, with their distinctive blend of West Country English/Irish/French accent, are charming. The Blarney Stone’s effects clearly are imbedded in the Irish genes. Their friendliness is legendary, welcoming each ‘come from away’ (someone not from Newfoundland) with warmth and good humor.
Summer travel is in full swing. The days of open middle seats are fading fast. As airlines move toward full capacity some industry suppliers are imagining new ways to redesign aircraft interiors. Their goal: maximize airline profits while keeping crowded passengers comfortable in both business and economy classes. One design features fold-down seats that allow an entire family to recline while watching a movie.
The gyms are finally opening up. At Calistoga Pilates they are taking appointments for Pilates classes, including reformer machines. It’s a mood-boositng exercise just to stroll down Lincoln Avenue and see the shops open at long last. Located at the northern end of California’s Napa Valley, Calistoga is a small town with abundant attractions. Blessed…