Travels – Page 4 – Slow Lane Musings

A taste of New Mexico

Over the years, we had visited a total of 33 of the 50 U.S. states, some of them several times, but we had never been to New Mexico (NM). We had heard that it is beautiful and unique, with a long and rich history and that it has, for many years, attracted creative types of people.

We knew we wanted to visit it and had purchased a guidebook a good fifteen years before our first short trip there in 2018 to attend a conference in Albuquerque. We returned in 2019 to explore it a bit more. If you ask us today, which is our favourite U.S. state, the unequivocal answer would be NM. If you visit once, you will want to go back. It will come as no surprise that NM has been nicknamed the “Land of Enchantment.”

Sacred Clonmacnoise

There are many holy places in Ireland and countless ancient sites and ruins. When we lived there together in the eighties, we always kept in the car a handy reference book titled Guide to the National Monuments of Ireland, by Peter Harbison. This amazing book led us to explore many wonderful locations, off the beaten track.

Due to its size and significance, all Irish people have heard about Clonmacnoise, an ancient monastic site in County Offaly, but not all have had an opportunity to visit it. We passed close to it many times on the main Dublin-Galway Road until we finally made the detour. Situated near the Shannon River to the south of Athlone, the historical site is a treasure trove of ruins: ancient churches, a castle, three stone crosses, round towers, and numerous engraved grave-slabs.

Vancouver’s other park

Most residents and visitors to Vancouver have spent some time strolling, running or biking the paths of the iconic Stanley Park, minutes from downtown in the city’s West End. The English Bay Beach, strewn with logs for sitting and watching the sunset, is a famous staging post for those heading to Stanley Park.

Fewer people have heard of, or visited, a less well-known but impressive park perched on the highest point in the city of Vancouver and offering stunning views of its manicured gardens, the distant urban landscape, and the mountains beyond. That park is called the Queen Elizabeth Park and it has much to offer. Join us for a tour.

Spring blossoms in D.C.

It’s a tricky business to plan a trip to Washington, D.C. around the timing of a nearly unpredictable event that is very short lived. Indeed, there is an element of luck in catching the cherry blossoms at their peak.

Every spring, the National Park Service attempts to predict the “peak bloom date” based on the different stages of bud development. This magic moment is when seventy percent of the Yoshimo Cherry Trees are in bloom. In the past, this has been seen to happen any time between March 15 and April 18, depending on weather conditions. You would nearly need to move to D.C. to be there at the right time.

Timeless Assisi

In our house, we had designated 2019 as the “year of St. Francis” with a focus on his teachings of humility and simplicity. Inspired by a living Franciscan brother, Father Richard Rohr, whom we had read and met, and respected a lot, we embarked on a spiritual journey where we sought to focus on the natural environment around us, simplify our lives and focus on what’s important. Our visit to Assisi was like a pilgrimage and a highlight of that memorable and meaningful year.

Cinque Terre magic

Perched on promontories along the ‘Italian Riviera,’ between Pisa and Genoa, Cinque Terre is a string of coastal villages that will capture your heart forever. Up to relatively recently these villages, situated within a national park, were off the beaten track for tourists. We hadn’t heard of this area up to a few years ago, despite having visited Italy several times. However, having watched an episode of Rick Steves’ Europe video series, we just had to visit.