They call it the Emerald Isle for a reason...

Random blogging with giant gaps in time is, for me, a sign of a blessedly full life. We had a fantastic vacation last month in Ireland, and I'm finally catching up - the Ireland scrapbook (and 3 other trips - FL, DC and AK) intervened.

Connemara has a lovely lilt to it - you almost sing it to say it - and it's visually lyrical as well
















Driving through the beautiful Irish country side posed a number of challenges...and not just driving wrong-sided. The roads are v. narrow, and we had to share them with a number of other critters along the way.

Religious ruins are fascinating stops to explore. We found a certain consistency to most of them here - with round towers and Celtic crosses no matter what. Except here, at Gallarus Oratory. But it was interesting in its own way.
















Every conceivable shade of green can be found on the Emerald Isle - from the rolling mountains through the fields and all the way down to the coast.















One of our earliest stops along the way was Glendalough, a medieval monastery and village. It was fascinating, and very beautiful.

Glendalough was our introduction to the omnipresent Celtic crosses...logical, I guess.

Another thing that I found interesting, and charming, was the multicolored housing that we saw virtually everywhere. From colorful townhomes to the brightly hued Dublin doors, a very cheerful architectural style. Reminded me a little of the Caribbean. Only MUCH colder!

There's more...much more...to come. When I have more time!

Happy 4th of July !

Maybe fireworks are a good representation of soem of the negative things that people label Americans with - they are showy and loud, even obnoxious to some.

But on the 4th of July, they remind Americans that freedom was born out of strife - "...the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air..."


We Americans place a very high value on that freedom...to the point that many Americans have gone to foreign lands and paid with their very lives to secure and protect the freedoms of others.



In recent years, I've several times spent the 4th of July in foreign lands on vacation. Last year in particular, we were in Budapest, Hungary. To see what the Hungarians endured over centuries of oppression, and how hard they fought to secure what we Americans generally take for granted brought the value of freedom home to me in a way that no baseball game, hot dog or firework ever could.



Yep, I'm proud to be an American...and I won't forget.

Backyard Tour Guide

The only thing that I enjoy as much as going to new places and seeing new things is taking people around my own island and showing them things they've never seen. Last week we had a chance to play tour guide to some dear friends from Australia who were here for a visit.

Our first afternoon was an old reliable stop that really is practically in our back yard: Pearl Harbor. Instead of queuing up with the hordes of tourists, we quietly drove past the visitors' center for a private tour. The beauty of this one is that we cruise all the way 'round Ford Island, not just to and from the USS Arizona Memorial.





The design of the Memorial itself is beautiful in its simplicity and each element has meaning. For instance, the sag in the structure is intentional. In the words of the architect, Alfred Preis, "Wherein the structure sags in the center but stands strong and vigorous at the ends, expresses initial defeat and ultimate victory ... The overall effect is one of serenity. Overtones of sadness have been omitted to permit the individual to contemplate his own personal responses ... his innermost feelings."



We didn't opt to tour the USS Missouri this time, but you can see it in the distance.




I've lived here over 21 years, and have probably been to the Memorial 21 times, and it still has the same sobering effect on me.

We even took an evening cruise last Christmas, to see the lights on the ships. It was even more haunting at night.





Of course, detractors refer to it as a "floating, squashed milk carton: but then everyone is entitled to their own (however ill-informed) opinion.

We also went to Kualoa Ranch and the North Shore, but I'll save them for other posts.

Happy New Year and Happy New Decade to ME!

I'm marking a milestone in 2011 - my 60th birthday. I know that I'm expected to lie about the year and be, I don't know - ashamed(?) - of my age. But given that I never really expected to live anywhere near this long, I celebrate the passage of each and every lovely year.

Celebrating a little early (since I'll be working in ANC on the actual date), we marked this event by taking a cruise around the "neighborhood".

We started in Honolulu, sailing out on New Year's Day evening, 1/1/11 - an auspicious date in itself!


Our first stop was Maui. Among other things, we took a bus up the many switchbacks to Haleakala -- a Mars-scape if ever there was one.



The view of the top was most striking, but the view from the top was no slacker either -- you could see the entire "waist" of the island. We were blessed with a spectacular day.



We then were off to Hilo, on the Big Island, where we took a helicopter over Pu'u O'o vent. Madame Pele was taking it easy, so there was no lava drama, but it was still an amazing site to see.


And the flight along the coast was amazing...black sand beach and rugged lava. The volcano is creating acres of new land even as it destroys everything in its path.



We took it easy while in Kona, just chillin' and doing a little window shopping with lunch at one of our old haunts.

Kauai offered more spectacular vistas, as we took a helicopter ride through the amazing Waimea Canyon and along the NaPali coast. The only ways to see the NaPali are to fly along it, boat along it or hike its narrow, high peaks. Guess which way(s) I chose?







We also got to see the Wailua falls - that famously opened each episode of Fantasy Island.



One short week, then then my wonderful celebration cruise was over and we sailed home.



The best news? Home IS Hawaii!! I'm so blessed to live in this lovely paradise.