Trip Superlatives

• Vyckie - most likely to fall behind taking photos
• Yu Lin - most likely to receive threats from Mr. Miller for venturing off
• Mr. Healey - most likely to learn the bagpipes at 10p
• Allie & Kyle - most likely to fall asleep anywhere
• Kirk & Corey - most likely to roll with the punches
• Kyle - most likely to finish his book
• Mrs. Semmel - most likely to blend into the Scottish crowd
• Zoe - most likely to blend into the Irish crowd
• Jalyn - most likely to wave to traffic / pick up girls 
• Kyra - most likely to find Eliza
• Eliza - most likely to find Kyra
• Scott - most likely to know what’s happening next
• Sadie - most likely to wear sunglasses in the dark
• Odin - most likely to be pickpocketed and not tell mom
• Carol - most likely to drop at the attention of a tour guide
• Emma - most likely to use 2 voices speaking with adults and kids
• Mason - most likely to freeze to death in Scotland 
• Fisher - most likely to dance down the street
• Meg - most likely to have more patience than the rest of us
• Mrs. Lewis - most likely to understand James
• Andy - most likely to rename Sean
• Lisa & Sophie - most likely to find birthday bliss
• Sarah & Andrew - most likely to receive envy for trip extension 
• Michael - most likely to dive headfirst into an American pizza upon returning
• Michael - most likely to visit us in the States

Day 6 & 7: Stirling Castle, Wallace Monument, Loch Katrine, Going Home

DAY 6: Sterling Castle, William Wallace Monument, Sheep farm, Lake 

I spent so much time thinking about yesterday that I completely neglected my favorite person: Lynda, our tour guide! She was a true font of knowledge, telling us as to how body snatchers stole corpses from the grave in favor of the burgeoning scientific discoveries of the day. It’s crazy to think that these folks would pillage the grave for the body but leave the jewels - disturbing such was a higher crime (and the fear of punishments was pretty high in Stuart Scotland). Lynda told us a fun story of the graves and even yelled, scaring us to pieces. She showed us gardens where slaughter took place (and a nearby one where the drinking water was inaptly placed :(. She was simply fantastic to have on this tour. 

Onward to today!

We started off the day pretty early with a small breakfast and then toured Stirling Castle. That was a wonderful find, but the half sister of the amazing Edinburgh Castle. I think that most of the things from here on out are going to be tough to compare. 

But Stirling had a lovely appearance. The walls jutted up from the town below, which was much more quaint but still just as old. As I overlooked the fields of towering pines, I had my first “Macbeth” moment. For those who don’t know what I mean by that, my favorite Shakespeare play is about a Scotsman who takes the throne through cunning and sorcery. His downfall is portended by plenty of bad omens, but one I remember is when the woods stand up and leave the forest. The big part of the pre-battle was brought to life when the soldiers felled the trees and turned them into lances and spears. He knew his doom was near.

Stirling and the Scottish throne, from what I recall, is somewhat based upon some of the actual events of Scottish History. My brain is a bit boggled from a lack of sleep and just an overwhelming of information these last few days, I can’t take any Malcolm or Robert the Bruce stories any more.

Stirling Castle, however, is on the rehab, since it was occupied by another family for centuries. After James V made this his official residence, his son eventually took it over until he became King of Great Britain in the 1700s, moving to London and leaving it for a clan. It was recommissioned in 1999, so I imagine the next time we return the exquisite exterior will be married to a more authentic core.

After the Castle, we hoofed it real quick to the William Wallace Memorial. That was nice, but it would’ve been great to have a bit more time there to just look around, do a bit of re-enacting of the death scene (drawn and quartered, the most disturbing - and historically inaccurate, of course!), and darn did I really wish I brought my blue face paint. But we were up and back within 30 minutes, so I was impressed with our group. We had just enough time for a group photo, to look up at the monument, and to catch our breath in the bookstore before descending back down the hurlish hike. I’m sure some of the would’ve liked to have stayed longer, but we were ticking off the last stops of the trip. 

We then visited a sheep and shepherd dog farm. I think I rolled into this with higher expectations than what we had. The guy there had his 2 dogs run 3 ducks through a pre-made showcase for 15 minutes, and then we ate lunch. I didn’t think any of us could see more chips (fries), but at least half of the people with us ordered that type of food. I can’t even imagine how I’ll feel if I have chips or peas for the third night in a row! But, on a group tour, that’s just part of the adventure. 

Our last stop before dinner was the Loch Katrine, which is a national park. It was a beautiful half hour walk, but it felt like we were a bit too bing-bang-boom today, on and off the bus. Just camping somewhere for the day is much more preferable. Heck, I wouldn’t have minded a second day back in Edinburgh. 

That said, I’m being a bit nitpicking as I’m ending our last full day. Today was great, all these days were great. These people were great. I was so glad to have led this first experience with them. It wasn’t perfect, but I think it was a solid trip, a true 8.5 or 9 out of 10. I’ll do what I can to share ways to improve the trip, but I’m also enough in the know as a teacher who takes kids plenty of places that 1.) it’s hard to coordinate with times 2.) it’s hard to find places willing to accept kids on a bus, and 3.) there’s always going to be human error. I think we were all a bit at the whim of those things. But I don’t have any regrets for the trip, and I hope these folks don’t, either. 

Plus, we’ll get to celebrate Sophie’s 14-year-old birthday! Two birthday cakes in a row. How awesome. And they look delicious!

The final thing of our night will be our last meal. This is always such a great way to close out the experienced before sacking ourselves off to quickly pack, sleep, roll out of bed, and try to make the most of the tough travel experience home. We’ll also be able to say goodbye to Michael, who’s been a truly world-class tour director. I’ll really missing working with and talking to him. I hope our paths cross again.

As for the rest of this crew, there really wasn’t anybody who attended who I feel like I knew intensely well. A few kids I had 2 years ago, a few last year, one from years back, and a couple who’ll be around Mountain View next year, but nobody that I would’ve hung out with their parents. That might now be different, as we’re all that much tighter of friends. I hope the parents reading see that, despite our age differences, from 65 year old Michael to 12 year old Sadie, we’ve now shared the bond of Scotland.

Our dinner was much improved, we watched the American women defeat the Netherlands 2-0 to capture the World Cup (while in Europe!), we ate our birthday cake, and we all turned in for a good night’s sleep. How rested we’ll be when we make our way back to the U-S-of-A is much to be determined by our flights, but our hope is to be back in the States by 2:00p local time.

Until our next adventure, we’re signing off on this, our first Dig Your Roots Tour.

DAY 5: Edinburgh

DAY 5: EDINBURGH

I didn’t type a word about today until 10 o’clock at night. There was just too much to process on this amazing day.

That’s not to say we didn’t have our problems. To get those out of the way, one of our student’s phone was pickpocketed. I feel so bad in that, though I mentioned safety protocol, I didn’t say each day we got off the bus. That would’ve been more helpful with the busy streets of this special city. Second, our hotel experience here in Dunbar has been less than stellar. I’ve been quite disappointed with the Marten, and don’t ever encourage anybody to stay or eat at one.

Bad demons put to rest. Now, this place of splendor. 

I am just so aghast as to the beauty of this place. It is, without a doubt, the supermodel of the city-world. Cut from glacial pull, the intimidating mountain overlooking the North Sea provides the DNA for the most beautiful cosmopolitan spot I’ve ever seen on the earth. The fact that man built a castle atop it and has designed the streets with walls and structures older than the idea of the United States is the makeup to get her ready for every picture-perfect photo shoot. 

The alleys littered with shops were a splendor. So were the cobblestone roads, which alternated between the footpaths of the 1400s and the 1700s. The monuments, dedicated to founding forethinkers like Adam Smith, David Hume, and Walter Scott, were steeped in a variety of sandstone and shale, providing every tone of gray in the sky as one might look upon several days of clouds (hey, clouds can be beautiful - my wife likes their light best for photos). The hotels feel like they should replace the pieces in a monopoly game. I certainly would love to build them atop any city. The bridges, undergoing full renovations, scream with a slight color and a bigger story. The Royal Mile. One of the most stupendous roads I’ve ever walked, liking two royal castles together with an entire medieval city center, and littered with more life (and apparently pickpockets) than we could stand. The offshoot paths: closes (going to private property), courts (opening to beautiful gardens and markets), and wynds (connecting one road to another) seemed to each have their own 500-year-old secret. The overlooking mountains, such as King Arthur’s Seat, which several in our group hiked, all stand like knights serving Castle Rock, which looks upon the Northern World like an Acropolis with muscle.

And, oh, Castle Rock. I toed my way through the cobblestone streets, thinking about the many foot soldiers who carried gunpowder from the barracks to the cannon overlooking the sea. I saw the American flags carved into the wood in the jails that housed American mariners captured during our fight for Independence. I saw the chapel to St. Margaret, the oldest structure in the city, and thought about the pious deeds of that woman to bring a semblance of Christianity and civilization to the Scots, just as my mother-in-law (of the same name) brings smiles to my home. And, oh yeah, the Queen of England was just here last week.

For the kids seeking the Harry Potter tour, there was that for them, too. Mrs. Semmel took them down the winding Prince Street, which set the stage for the opening novel of the book. 

I mean, I think we ate lunch (a good lunch), had ice cream, celebrated Lisa’s birthday (happy 40th!), and did some other great things, but I feel like I did the first time I heard the whole Hamilton soundtrack. There is so much in my head to unpack, I’m tired from the required mental acuity needed for it all. Heck, I didn’t even buy any souvenirs - I simply just took back and enjoyed it all, because, like J.K. Rowling’s Potter, there is such a rich story to be told by many characters. And they all belong to this supermodel of a city.

I think the best part of the whole day for me, though, as this group’s leader, is that I have really come to value the importance of people. On the streets, I watched some of the street theater (something I wish more travelers paid attention to). I’ve probably seen a few dozen performances in my travels, but today’s performance by Jamie, a funny 20-something who juggled knives over people and flaming batons while on an 8-foot unicycle, made me smile for a good half of an hour. There was so much to be overjoyed about by today, but he gave me a chance to just appreciate the whole human experience.

But, moreover, I’ve come to appreciate this group. It often takes a bit to gel strangers together, but, by the end, they often become quite tight. When we split up what people were interested in doing, everybody found a home and adults to take them to those places of interest. Hiking. Potter. Sightseeing. Shopping. Gazing. Loving. The group dynamic truly was solidly on display today. That, more than anything else, makes me happy.

It also helps me to reminisce to the so many friends I’ve made in my travels. Though we don’t keep in constant contact, I know I have friends in Montana, New Mexico, Washington, Turkey, China, France, and now Ireland and Scotland - plus right around the corner! - that I love sharing the joyful experience of travel with. 

I hate to think that our time is almost up with this crew - just a day and a half until we’re back in the states! - but I’m encouraged to know that many of them asked where we’re going to next! (It’s Galapagos in 2021, by the way!)

Now, it’s time to call my family and FaceTime a 10:30p sundown together. Until next time.

Day 4: SCOTLAND, Part I

Scotland Tour 2019

Day 4: IRISH SEA FERRY, ROBERT BURNS, GLASGOW

So we’ve now crossed the Irish Sea on our freight liner. A full 10 floors of mammothness, most of this was to accommodate auto traffic to and from Britain and Ireland. The top 4 floors were for foot traffic, though, so we stayed on Floor 8 in the cafe while the adults and kids vacillated and fascinated themselves with sleep, the view from the decks, and the arcade / movie - probably in that order. We departed at 5a and arrived there at 6a, so parents thinking your children are wastes of space in the summer - IT’S ALL A CHARADE.

We were on the boat by 7:30a, on the shores of Scotland by 10a, and on our bus soon thereafter. We met James,  whose Scottish accent is pretty darn thick to understand. We really have to work to listen compared to the Irish - no doubt about that. He’s a nice man, though, and his driving through the much more winding hills, streets, and highways is great. The bus has no laptop board, though, so writing this is a bit more perplexing.  I’m shuffling the iPad on my backpack while I cross my knees to type. It’s not perfect, but it’ll do.

The hardest part is how to explain what the terrain looks like here without a photo. The best explanation is that every bat of the eye is a photo. From the rugged terrain that looks like the delicate skin of an elder, covered by leaves of grass. The sheep and cattle (of many varieties) pick and pluck at it, whether it’s on the straightest of plains or the narrowest valley of ancient hills. A middle aged woman walking her dog in what seems to be the coast of a foreign planet to a mail carrier toting his red bag up and down the narrow sidewalks of a quaint, seaside town were within a minute of eye snaps. Out into the Sea was a tall mountain that was shrouded in the angelic ring, like it had a mystery to tell the world. The mist sputtered and spattered, but it didn’t get us wet. In fact, the windshield wipers don’t even need to be used. The stitching of perfectly placed wheat acts like a pocket that helps keep a sheepdog’s watch at bay. The pine trees jet up from the earth in a quick, condense cluster like a flowing, long green beard - and then it’s back to the fields.This has been purveyed by most as the most beautiful country in the world, and, in just a few hours of seeing it I can already see why. 

Here’s the thing - even the rain is beautiful. So are the gravestones. The wind turbines (which we’ve seen plenty more than I thought we would). I mean, there could be a porta-potty erected on the side of the road, it’d grow moss on it, turn a rusty red, and then be just as beautiful as the rest of it. 

We stopped at the Robert Burns (Bobby Burns) Museum. It wasn’t really a great site to the average American (the guy who wrote “Auld Lang Syne” and his childhood stable will pale in comparison to the upcoming wonder of Edinburgh Castle tomorrow), but it was great to get out, walk the fields, and talk with two of the quieter girls on the tour (one who goes to my church, the other who’s atheist) about religion while inside the nearby Presbyterian church. The bridge (Brig O’ Deen) was really neat to walk across. Other than that, this was a bathroom pit stop and a place for a quick bite.

We stopped in Glasgow on our way, which is Scotland’s largest city. It’s not really much a tourist destination, especially in the soaking rain, but it was neat to get out and stretch while trying to figure out a place to exchange currency. Couldn’t do it all that well, though - don’t know if that was because of my missteps in understanding our driver’s English or if we were just pointed in the wrong direction. Minor setback.

The remainder of the drive found us in a bit of traffic until we arrived at the hotel, which was not much in comparison to our previous 2 stays. I felt bad in that after a day of travel (almost full travel), we arrived at the Pine Marten, which had a pretty poor meal of ham steak, steak fries, and canned peas. The rooms were clean and tidy but much smaller. I’ll make sure that the travel company knows of both of these things.

But we ended our evening on a dreamy walk of the nearby town of Dunbar. Exploring these little nooks and crannies of the towns has been a true delight of the tour. We probably arrived in town at 8p and left as the sun was setting at 10p. First we walked the harbour, which was teeming with life and majestic views. Out in the distance were two islands, Bass Rock and something else. The signage around explaining things was absolutely perfect - not too much, not too little. We “educated Americans” - as one of the locals called us as we walked and viewed just about everything - learned that this was the location of 2 American raids during the Revolutionary War, probably by the Scots-American John Paul Jones. It’s also the location of John Muir’s birth place, which we didn’t have the time to stop and see since mostly everything closes here at 6:00p or earlier.

But the sun doesn’t close then, as you can see, and she was on full display in her beauty, poking her head through the windy and shining a speckle on the hundreds of seagulls who joined in the crab fishing with the small fleet of boats. Eventually Brian, Tina, Meg & Jalyn Makuch and I all planted a foot in the North Sea for good measure. It wasn’t as cold on July 5th as I imagine it is in January. It’s probably plenty brutal then. But for us, this was a great sight to take in, wearing our full fall gear and just smiling as the sun retreated, if only temporarily, to her quarters.

After getting ice cream (best salted caramel I’ve ever had) from one of the most difficult to understand shop keeps, we roundly turned and walked through a Presbyterian church and accompanying cemetery. It’s difficult to place time here, not just on this day when the brightness never abates during the night, but in trying to read tombstones that have been, I’m sure, battered by rain, snow, and wind for decades - if not longer. 

Next to our hotel is a Wal-Mart affiliate, so I took pleasure in one of the things I enjoy most about another country: shopping in a grocery store / market / whatever you want to call it. It wasn’t too drastically different from ours, but the produce looked fresher and plumper - no doubt about that. I’ve been told that most of the food is just “organic” - they don’t know anything else and don’t label it as such, but that may be tossed out the window when it’s Wal-Mart. Still, I picked up some snacks (for reasonable prices) and saw several other kids over there as well. We had a good conversation with the ladies running the register before packing up our things and heading back to the room. 

I picked up a book in our “lobby” (this hotel is confusing) and called Jonah so I could read it to him. That was good, because as a 3.5 year old, he doesn’t really understand the idea that I’m abroad. Hasn’t stopped him from asking and trying to place it in context, but he’s figuring out what a “country” is. I think many Americans are asking themselves that same thing. But it was great to bond with him for a good 10 minutes and not have him say silly things and pan in and out of the picture. Also great to Devin, my wife, who I am now starting to miss a bit. Her smile makes my stomach turn a bit (in a good way, of course!). I still remember how much I yearned to see her by the end of my China trip in 2017 and even more when I went to Turkey in 2010 (a much longer trip and we’d just started dating). But, as they say, absence makes that heart grow stronger.

It’s now 8 in the morning here in Scotland. We’re about to jump into breakfast and then become part of the Scottish Royalty. Can’t wait!

Day 3: Belfast & Armagh

Day 3 - BELFAST & ARMAGH

To recap to last night, I invited the adults down to share a final pint in Dublin. I am pleased to announce that most of them took us up on the offer, and the 3 teachers and I joined Sean, our coach driver for a few drinks, talking, and watching the Netherlands-Sweden women’s game. It was a good hoot. I really just like talking to people where we visit as much as - if not sometimes more than - the sightseeing. Sean had plenty to talk about being a laborer (he used to be a stone mason before the financial collapse in 2008), being a dad of 4 and being away from home plenty, about raising his kids in a Gaelic-language-first school (he was brought up in an English school), about Gaelic football and Gaelic hockey (I forget the term for it), and about the state of affairs with the UK, notably the difference between Northern Irish and Irish.

We turned in about 11p-Midnight and had an early wake up at 6:15a, loading the buses and out the hotel by 7:45a. We traveled the green highways on our way to cross the border. Michael joked that many Americans often ask how one knows when that transition occurs into the UK. His favorite story is one American boy had a great response: “the cell phone provider changes.” That’s about it. For now, it’s a soft border. But everybody is waiting on the the fallout from Brexit to determine how a defined border will both economically and culturally impact these 2 nations. When I asked Sean what the common Irish response was to Brexit, he said “we all said two words: ‘we’re f——d.’”

We didn’t feel that way when we arrived in Belfast, though. The city of 335,000 certainly had a different feel than did the capital of the Republic of Ireland. Belfast was at once point the industrial mega-center of late 19th and early 20th century United Kingdom, not just Ireland, so the population boomed from 85,000 to nearly 400,000. Just like much of our industrial midwest, its experiencing a renaissance. The large shipbuilding dry docks, rope makers, and linen factories have given way to an upstart and growing tourist industry.

The first taste of that industry was when we picked up our guide, John “Jackie” Johnson. We took a bus tour of the Shankhill District, where there are murals to point where history meets politics. Spoiler alert: this is one of my favorite things to take in, so apologies in advance for a post that may be a bit long-winded.

Belfast is split into 4 quadrants, as is Ireland. The western quadrant of the city is the part that remained both working class and primarily Catholic. Jackie gave a brief history of the “Troubles,” which he grew up with. This is a term used to subterfuge the strife that encapsulated the island from 1968-1998. Jackie was born in 1972, and as a growing boy he said his house was burned to the ground. Some of his friends and his older brother were thrown in jail. The Europa (sp?) Hotel he said is one of the most bombed sites of the 20th century, mostly because both republicans (those who wanted a full Ireland) and unionists (those who favored the 6 Northern Counties to keep ties to the English crown) targeted the journalists who lived here, so their cause - and their particular bias in it - would stay in the news.

If you’re a bit older, you probably would recognize the power of media attention for a political cause when I mention the name “Bobby Sands.” This 27-year-old was elected as a Member of Parliament the same time PM Margaret Thatcher won re-election. Sands’s election was intended to be a shot at the bow to London, and it helped garner American attention. Not many Irish names are common in our modern nomenclature, but Sands is there because his political party (Sein Feinn, the IRA’s official party which means “us ourselves”) were able to enhance his image while he was on a 66-day hunger strike. He ended up dying in prison as an elected official, a powerful showcase of the political disparity that was prevalent for its time. 

Of course, the movement was much bigger than Bobby Sands. Or Catholicism versus Anglicanism (the Church of England is better known as “Episcopalian” in the United States, by the way). Or the Queen. Or land. Or rights. Or poverty. Or presumption. It was all of it, plain and simple.

We looked back at the mural walls, which were a balance of both the history of the island was it was a generic struggle for minority rights (those Irish Catholic republican volunteers were a much smaller contingent than they are today). On the wall were a few murals advocating for Palestinians, to end the war in Yemen, and the most recent addition was from 2 weeks ago: calling out the UK, US, and other countries for selling arms to the Saudis. If someone wants to post on the mural, they need to have it approved by a committee and then pay for it themselves. I asked Jackie what he thought was next - maybe Hong Kong? Russian media? He guessed “Black Lives Matter.”

On the other side of the wall where there was room to stretch and walk, we saw what it was used for: a division between the neighbors, one union / Protestant / Scotch-Irish / moved here for a new promise, the other republican / Catholic / Irish / lived here for as long as the sun has risen and set. 

Instead of there being pro-Palestinian murals on the union side of the wall, one finds a “we stand with you” for the Israeli soldier. Jackie joked, “if one side likes green peppers, the other side will like the red ones.” I asked him who likes President Trump, and he laughed “that’s one thing we can can actually agree upon - nobody here, at least.”

The oddness of the wall is in what words people use for it, which indicates the power of language. On one side of the wall, one’s terrorist is a savior and vice versa. The IRA can either be heroes or hated. The same could be said about the wall. What’s it for? Is it really a wall for peace or hate? Has it served its purpose, or is it still an essential? There are no easy answers for these questions. 

Most importantly, the wall has changed with the inability to answer its intent. Jackie told us how it used to be taller, but then was chopped down only to have a fence reestablished. Why? People were lobbing rubbish, including paint cans, rocks, and even bombs back-and-forth across it. Everything but the latter in the last decade. Every bit of reconciliation is met with a recapturing of doubt, I suppose.

Jackie did a great job talking about the complexities that surround this wall, Northern Ireland, and her future and past. The best analogy I can compare to is the idea that this is a possible tinderbox, waiting for the right match to catch it aflame. Or maybe it’s the lightness of paper protecting a jewel in time. Jackie said he spends most of his time not on tour bridging those gaps to lessen the divide. There’s plenty to criticize of the English government about when he was a kid, but 2 things he gave them credit for was the notion that many Irish who had been landless were able to rise up a bit on a lease and purchase plan. Additionally, many young kids were paired with the person of the opposing religion and went to the States for a few months, just to see they weren’t really that different from one another. Jackie didn’t do this, but his older brother did. He said his job is to take kids from the working class west side, where he’s from and still lives, and to show them the same Irish sun to the next generation. 

Our lunch was in downtown Belfast, right next to the city hall. We were able to meander through the walkable streets, in and out of shops where we could find a quick bite. Though there wasn’t as many choices as Dublin, it was extremely pedestrian- and kid-friendly. About half of our group went to one spot Bob and Brick’s while the others joined Healey and me at a chain called Avoca. It was just like Killkenny - an amazing choose-your-own adventure meal. I had a lentil loaf that sounds as gross as it was actually tasty. Coupled with a bunch of salads (broccoli, feta, and tomato; green bean, snap pea, and broccolini; and a carrot slaw), I felt a good reboot from the very heavy, meet-and-gravy type of meals we’d been consuming, especially from breakfast on out!

The kids had been so consumed with food that most of them didn’t even eat lunch. They missed out, because it was a tasty spot.

After lunch, we walked through city hall. On the outside, some fitness instructor was coaching a class and recording it. Inside, a group of about 20 were getting wedding photos. It was a fun contrast, but still lots of smiling faces there. There was a bit of a museum as well, and I was surprised to see the Mayor of the Northern Irish capital was an elected member of Sinn Fein, the republican (different that US Republican) political party, which favored “one Ireland.”

Back on the bus, we traveled to the Titanic Museum. Since the 4 of us are a group of history teachers, we’re pretty keen and critical of museums, but we (and pretty much everybody on the trip) absolutely loved this piece of architecture; it’s meant to be as tall as the Titanic was in the dry docks that were nearby and to be shaped like an iceberg. But what was inside - a true Titanic Experience in all methods imaginable - was the truly special part.

The museum did a great job of blending Belfast-bred specificity from her origins to her future with the generic tale of England, attached, of course, to the story of arguably the world’s most famous ship.  Some of the highlights involve a deep-sea theater view of the wreckage, an actual ride as if one was a riveter installing the sheet metal on the Titanic’s exterior, and plenty of interactive displays and manipulative. Built in 2012, this museum is truly one of the best historical experiences I have ever toured. Even though I did a research paper on the Titanic, there was still plenty I learned about it and the town, people, and company (H&W, who still have their mammoth cranes here) that built it.

Since we had a bit of time extra after finishing the museum, several of the adults sped a quick walk over to the Game of Thrones traveling exhibit. Belfast was home to much of the filming of the show, so I was able to snap some photos of King’s Landing set (the $80 million that was torched still from Khalesi and the final episode’s penultimate ending), but I wasn’t about to pay the 17.5 Pounds to get in for 30 minutes worth of pictures with props and costumes. I let my economic conscience and tour-leading responsibilities outweigh my need to consume such a want. Still, it was fun to look others’ photos who did go in.

Before we loaded on the bus, Michael, our tour director, saw that a couple of dudes were playing their violins in a nifty little pub. He had a musical scratch he had to itch, so he reached into his luggage quick, went inside, and played his flute with them for a few songs. I got everybody off the bus to catch some photos, videos, and smiles as he touted his skills. He’s quite good. And boy did we have fun because of that experience.

We then spent our one night at Hotel City Armagh. What an exquisite lobby, even better room, and even better than that dinner. I had a tasty Caesar salad, salmon, and plenty of veggies and cheesy potatoes. Everybody seemed to enjoy themselves with the food. It was here that we also said goodbye to Sean, our first friend on the tour - at least officially. Jalyn, our oldest student on the tour, said some kind words about him and his driving and professionalism. He certainly leaves big shoes to fill for our next coach driver.

The biggest fun surprise of the day was walking into the City of Armagh, which was about 45 minutes away from Belfast. This was the small town feel we were ancy for after a couple of cities. We visited the two different cathedrals, both named St. Patrick, one the original now Anglican sitting at the top of the hill and guarded by a wall; the other a Catholic cathedral facing the backside of the church and reaching her spires higher than it. We then walked passed the green and had a lovely, leisurely stroll on such a goregeously brilliant evening. It’s hard not to engorge ourselves on the weather when it’s still sunny at 10p, which it was. One has to trick themselves into going to sleep, actually. That’s where we were, no doubt. But, with a 4:15a wake up, sleep was something that had to be done.

It’s now 6a, and we’re waiting at the Belfast ferry to head over to Scotland. More to come tomorrow. But the land of mystical stories awaits the last leg of our tour.

Day 2: Book of Kells, Trinity College, and Howth

DAY 2 - KELLS, TRINITY, and HOWTH (pronounced HOEth)

We woke in the morning to a continental Irish breakfast. I had poached eggs, the traditional meats (black and white pudding, sausage, bacon), some fruit, and an espresso. I learned that Dublin, despite being very tea-oriented, has the most amount of coffee houses per capita in Europe. It’s just behind Seattle for the U.S.

We then loaded up the buses and then drove our 45 minutes back into the city to pick up Kay, our tour guide for the day. She took us to St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and we traveled through this marvel quite quickly. Kay toured the building with us and then gave us a quick splash of 15 minutes for us to take in the beautiful church. Inside some of the highlights for me was the beautiful tile, the WWI shrine (most of the Irish are ashamed of their ancestors who fought in the war because it was an English war that occurred the same time as their Easter Uprising in 1916), and the gothic pillars. The flags adorning the cathedral were both unique and splendorous. Quite a beautiful but small cathedral, it lasted through the British occupation because it was converted from Catholic to Anglican, which it remains to this day.

After that, we traveled to the Phoenix Park to catch some ice cream and a beautiful view of the mountains. This came from a man-made hill with a mammoth cross at the top of it. I took a second to just enjoy the view and say a bit of a prayer. We didn’t need a cross there to remind us that this was God’s country, but I did take up the reminder’s message.

We then gathered our group, which is often easier said than done! The idea is to move quick and the tugs and pulls for each of us to snap a great selfie, scratch one’s spending itch, or to just enjoy a view or the gorgeous, amazing sunshine.

We spent much of the rest of the day on a splendid bus tour. Kay was very apt at infusing some humor and jokes into her story weaving of the buildings, the history, and the people that Dublin has such a rich (but not often told) history. Very nice to just bask in like the sunshine of words as well.

Kay then dropped us off at Trinity College. Again, another quick tour of the site, especially of note is the Book of KELLS. It’s hard for me to get into something so small and so stuck on one page with swarms of dozens vying for the best spot to look at the ancient artifact - probably even more difficult for the kids to get into it. That said, it’s important to note the cultural significance of the place and this text. If one can’t tell, the culture is very tethered to a Catholic consistency of character. That’s abated a bit now in 2019; though 78% consider themselves “Catholic” (as Kay said that’s how people identify) with not much practice behind the identification, some of the older folks see that as a missed opportunity. The younger folks, however, don’t eschew it - maybe they just embrace it a bit differently.

Probably the highlight of the College was the upstairs library, which is as cavernous as it is voluminous. The story is that George Lucas took a Go-Pro up there and (illegally) recorded video that he used in one of the Star Wars movies. I’ll have to look into the authenticity of that claim. Still, I didn’t really care for the pop culture reference. I enjoyed walking past the busts of many major authors (many of whom I didn’t recognize - but I did find a Cicero to snap a pic with). I also really enjoyed thinking what Thomas Jefferson would’ve thought of a room like this, seeing as we’re just a day away from American Independence Day and I always seem to be thinking about its great author on this day.

On our drive to HOWTH, a small fishing village just 30 minutes from Dublin, I really took in the brilliant green of the landscape. Contrasted with the bright sunshine, I couldn’t help but to wear a smile upon my face as we danced in and out of the shade of smartly placed trees in even more quintessentially placed parks. Nobody ever says they enjoy a “Coach” ride on a tour (our driver, Sean, says “commoners ride on the bus, we ride coach because we’re guests”) , the lack of skyscrapers sets Dublin up with a very homey feel. 

But Howth. Oh man. What a cool place. We dropped off for fish and chips, which was a great filling meal. Afterward, we walked along the bay and then the Sea of Ireland. I stayed with Eliza, Emma, Kyra, Kyle, and Yu Lin, and we walked up and down the seaboard and just took in the beautiful green, amazing hills, and fantastically expensive houses with the most verdant views. I snapped a few photos of Healey, Semmel, and Lewis as they were having fun dipping their fingers in the water. Gorgeous lighthouse. Gorgeous islandscapes. Gorgeous sunshine. It was a soul-boosting experience.

We then returned for a bit of a walk around Dublin, on a different side than we’ve already toured. We checked out the city hall, which was an exquisite marble building. I particularly enjoyed the notion that their founders - and founding - was greatly attached to the Greek decor and design because of their democracy. While the United States’s roots can be tethered to 1776 or sooner and Ireland’s is 1916 or sooner, all of our Founders are dressed in similar Greek robes and tunics. O’Connell is the George Washington of the Irish Republic. It was an amazing building in the Ionic structure and a true gift to just pop in and see. I particularly liked a modern painting that I took a “bouncer” pose in front of.

Dinner was a bit better than last night - it was rice, pork, and mushroom sauce. Some people like to have a dinner choice and wish they had one, others like the decision having been made for them. For me, I just order whatever the folks say is good, anyway.

After dinner, we did our last walk of Grafton Street. I stopped in a souvenir shop with many of the kids and we loaded up goods for our family. For myself, I found this scarf that spoke to me, a great t-shirt, an Irish Viking hat for Jonah, a gift for Devin (she’ll see it when she gets home, because she’ll probably read this), and a card explaining the last name of my Irish ancestry, Daly.

 I got a funny spoon for Sean, our bus driver. We’ll present it to him when we depart from him tomorrow evening, as he’ll leave us when we take the fairy to Scotland. Jalyn, one of my former students and the oldest student on the tour (he’ll be a PSU freshman next year), will present it to him. Can’t wait!

Day 1: Travels to Dublin, Ireland

Ireland Tour 2019

I’m now beginning my blog on Day 2 of our tour. As the tour leader of a group of 30, I’ve been a bit more concerned about the overall well-being of the people traveling rather than self-serving my journalistic ideals and intentions.

We began our travel beginning at 8:30a departure from my house, whereby Brian Healey, Tina Lewis, Courtney Semmel (fellow teachers) and I traveled to Philadelphia International. From there we met several families and solo student travelers - 22 in all - and all of us flew to Toronto for a long layover through Air Canada. I won’t say much about our travels in this regard minus Toronto’s Airport is amazing and 5+ hours passed pretty quickly.

When we landed on July 2nd, we met Michael, our tour leader. He’s a tall, thin, health-conscious man who is a true joy to be around. He lives in Dublin and has a wife of the same name as one the people on our trip! He also has 3 kids, one of whom lives in Vancouver and is probably moving back home. The Irish are much more reserved than we Americans are (and 99% of the world is more reserved than I am), but he’s been great so far. 

Michael took us to the bus were we met Sean, our bus driver. He’s from Killarney, Carey County, a full 3 hours south of Dublin. He’s fun and animated, and he’ll be with us until we cross the Irish Sea to Scotland.

DAY 1 - Intro to Dublin

After catching our breath in the beautiful Irish air (a tepid 65-70 degrees with overcast skies), we passed through the city, overlooking the River Liffe and then touring the distinct architecture. Michael pointed out that Dublin is one of the few European capitals that has never been involved in a a war, so there’s a brilliant mix of architecture - ancient Elizabethan are coupled with more recent Georgian and Victorian buildings, only to be offset by 21st century buildings such as the Commerce Center, which looks like a glass bottle tilted at a 30 degree angle.

For lunch, Michael and 4 students (Kyra, Kyle, Eliza, Yu Lin) and I went to a place called Killkenny, of course at the recommendation of Sean. I had this amazing goat cheese tarte, while the kids and Michael had a warm lunch. It was fantastic. Absolutely fantastic. And super-filling!

Afterward, we met and did a walking tour of Dublin. Michael took us to the Dublin Castle, which is still only partially intact with one tower. We walked passed the Irish Hall of Fame, toured the Temple Bar district, and just simply enjoyed the Cobblestone Streets of Moore, Thomas, Beckett, and others. I ended my day sharing some afternoon tea with Courtney and a few kids (Kyle, Kyra, Eliza, and Allie), as we sat in comfortable chairs and chatted with our barista, who was from Brazil of all places.

Our evening ended with some Shepherd’s pie and cheese cake. After our huge lunch, the portion size for me was just right. However, for some of our guests who ate a smaller plate or soup for lunch, they were a bit hungry afterward. The cheese cake was definitely different - one thing Americans need to get used to is the idea that food doesn’t need to be completely immersed in sugar. I tend to like that more about other countries than our own, but it takes some getting used to, even for folks like me.

We finally made our way back to the hotel, which is in the middle of nowhere north of Dublin. Fine by me, by the way! But I got a much needed shower, and then Brian (we’re roomies, like most times we travel) and I headed downstairs for a pint or whiskey and watched the American women soccer team beat the English, much to the chagrin of the 2 tables to our right (who were rooting for their home team). It was fun to see the Irish bartenders rooting against what they called “our one time common overlords.” 

Afterward, a much needed amazing sleep despite the idea that the height of our latitude meaning that the sun stayed erect until 10:15p and didn’t reappear until 4:30a, blaring me in the face. Great sleep, though!