Celtic Calling: Part 1

In me flows the blood of celts. It is ancient blood that mixed with the fey and gods of old. It is the blood of people that held back the Romans and cast the vikings back into the sea. It is this blood that called me to fog shrouded isles.

The myths, legends, and history of Ireland and Scotland are a subject of fascination to me. When I made my decision to go on The Grand Adventure they were at the top of the list. I wanted to see for myself the places that had inspired fairytales and fantasy stories. I have always wanted to explore a castle. How can I properly write about one if I have never seen one? A thousand films have told me that there is unmatched natural beauty to be experienced. Granted some of that was probably in New Zealand, but that is another day.

This trip started before I headed for Europe. After several years of living abroad it was time to visit home in Ohio. My parents missed me. My friends missed me. My stomach missed American food. My father upon hearing about my plan got curious himself. A recent DNA test had confirmed our Celtic/Germanic/Scandinavian (West African?) heritage. While I had managed to survive Asia, my family was a bit concerned about me meandering around the continent all on my own. It did not help that someone had told my mother that people’s organs get harvested in Eastern European hostels. And so I gained a traveling companion in the form of my father.

Trying to pack for multiple climates is a special kind of headache. I expected Ohio to be warm in July, but it wasn’t (at least after the heat and humidity of Taipei). I had expected to pick up some old clothes at home...though they had disappeared in my four year absence. I arrived with one pair of shoes and left with two. Oh, and so the celtic lands are cold, where did that sweater go? I left with a bag bordering on bursting. I would have liked to leave three or four things at home...if I had been leaving from my home.

Who likes flying? No one. The joys of a TSA body cavity search, sardine seating, and wondering if you will make your connection each time they change your flight. All of that crammed into the one day that feels like two. Our first flight was canceled, but that turned into a surprising boon. Our rescheduled flight turned two connections into one and we arrived about eight hours earlier than planned. Make the most of what happens.

We landed in Dublin feeling exhausted, but ready to stretch our legs. I was groggy, and a touch grumpy, from a very cold, sleepless flight. That did not help with the issue of confusion while trying to get bus tickets. I had the directions for getting to our Hostel, but getting the tickets to get there was a different matter. In our confusion we ended up purchasing a two day ticket for the DoDublin hop-on hop-off bus. I was pretty miffed, but we managed to keep our cool.

We got on the 747 bus into the city. It took us to the city center which was packed with tourists. Our hostel, the Gardiner Hostel, was located a small walk out of the crowd. I did not want to be surrounded by pub goers in the evening. Lugging my pack up the road did make me wonder about that choice. The hostel was actually quite nice. Gardiner is inside an old church and well maintained. We stored our luggage until our afternoon check in and headed back into the city center mess.

The Spire

The first order of business was getting some lunch. The hostel staff had suggested we try a place called Murray’s for some Irish food. It was undeniably touristy. Right on the main drag and screaming that it was Irish. That said, the stew we had was pretty good. It was also our first use of our bus cards. They had a buy one get one free deal for people with the hop-on hop-off tours.

The center of Dublin is a mix of old buildings and tourist traps. The Spire, which is suppose to be the tallest sculpture in Europe, rises up over the buildings like a beacon to be guided by. Tour buses run up and down the road pass gift shops, casinos, and tour offices. One of the things I found most surprising was the amount of Asian food. Just off the main drag you will find an entire street of Chinese, Thai, Indian, and Middle Eastern food. I think I saw more advertisements for curry and kebabs in Dublin than I did for Irish food.

We managed to hop on a tour bus for a very slow tour. Up on the top of the double-decker bus we were able to take in a few sights until we finally reached the museums I wanted to see. We took a little stroll through Merrion Square. The little park is a good place to have a picnic or relax, though that is more for the locals. Travelers are more likely to seek pictures of the statue of Oliver Wilde. I don’t think I have read anything of his except his quotes, but the quotes are good enough to justify a quick photo for me.

Oliver Wilde

Across the street we visited the National Museum of Ireland - Natural History. It is a two story building that is crammed full of things to see. The first floor is dedicated to extinct and Extant species of Ireland. It is easy to believe that every animal and insect has been cataloged there. It is packed tight with old displays of flora and fauna. For me the most interesting was the skeletons of the extinct Irish elk. They were some of the largest members of the deer family to ever roam the world.

The second floor is not limited to Ireland. You can view stuffed animals from around the world. It almost seems like the lodge of some well traveled hunter. The stuffed animals are old and I imagine some likely over a century old. While I have seen better preserved or recreated, the cramped atmosphere is surprisingly fun. While local children are likely to get more out of it than most travelers, it can be a fun stop if you like to read about Alan Quartermaine.

Giant Irish Elk

We finally found our way to the National Museum of Ireland - Archaeology. This one was a big deal for me. I wanted to see the artifacts, especially those dealing with medieval and prehistory. On the first floor they had an exhibition dedicated to Ireland's gold. They had a selection of golden jewelry that the ancient Celts would have worn. I excitedly made my way through it. Up on the next floor they had exhibits on medieval Ireland. From there I worked my way towards the section on Vikings in Ireland. There were displays about how the vikings invaded, integrated, and were eventually pushed back. They had a number of weathered swords on display. I had finally made it to the section on weapons (what I wanted most) when I was hurried out for closing time. Keep an eye on your watch. Also, set your watch for the local time.

Ireland's Gold

We were fairly tired at this point. A 16 hour flight followed by sight seeing will do that to you. We hopped on our bus and figured to ride most of the way back to our hostel. That was less productive than planned. The 5 o’clock rush hour was atrocious, though the driver suggested that there may have been an accident. Whatever the cause, we were sitting, not moving. The driver eventually told everyone that we were ahead to just get off at the next stop. Everything along the tour route would be closed by now and it was just going to be traffic for the rest of the evening.

We exited so we could walk. It was now that we discovered just how small Dublin is, or at least the city center where the sights and tourists are. Almost everything is a ten minute walk from the Spire, including our hostel. We had sat in traffic longer than it took for us to just walk to our temporary home.

Needless to say, we slept fairly well that night. Gardiner House is one of the most comfortable hostels I have stayed at. So exhaustion and a fairly soft mat worked together. The next day I woke feeling pretty good. Our room had been a bit warm in the evening, and a bit chilled in the morning. All I needed was a long sleeve shirt and pants and I was ready to go. Dad had woken earlier than me and already been exploring. A breakfast of Nutella toast, cereal, and hot coco was a pretty good start to the day.

Once we were ready to go we headed out into the brisk air. We found the hop-on hop-off bus stop so we could start the tour over from the beginning. Things were going a bit better this time. We could hear the driver tells us where we were going and take in a few sights.  

We hopped off at the Little Dublin Museum. We could see it for free with our bus pass. Well, except that we had an hour wait for the next tour. With time to kill we headed over to Trinity College and bought tickets to see the Book of Kells. We spent some time wandering around the exhibit, looking at blown up images from medieval manuscripts. There was an impressive level of details in these older books.

Before finishing the exhibit we had to head back to the Little Dublin Museum. Sometimes seeing everything requires a bit of back and forth. A lack of willingness to backtrack a little can limit what you see. If we had not been willing to do that, then we would have missed out on two great options.

The Little Dublin Museum has a 29 minute (very specific) tour they put on for visitors on the second floor. You start in a room decorated with donated memorabilia of the city’s history. The story starts around the beginning of the 19th century and the presenter goes on decade by decade around the room. Then in the second room things start to move towards more recent history. There is a collection of artifacts that will hold your attention even if local history is not your thing. For me, it was a painting from the Celtic games held at the beginning of the 20th century as a way to strengthen Irish identity as different from English. Up on the next floor are rooms that you can visit after the tour. There are a pair of rooms dedicated to influential political figures. However, it is the room dedicated to Bono and U2 that will probably interest most travelers.

Just around the corner we found a nice place to have lunch. It was a Turkish salad stand. It was one of the better meals I had on the trip. Its name is Tang.

We walked the short distance back to Trinity College and back to the Book of Kells. This time we made it to the room where the book is actually held. The ancient bible is protected inside of a glass case. Walking around the table you can look in to view the tight writing and artistry. It can take time though. The crowd came to a standstill because someone would not move along. Me and someone else finally had to start demanding the rude individual move on.

Upstairs is a bibliophiles dream. Under a vaulted ceiling is the college’s library. The old tomes are preserved for researchers in stacks that stretch to the second floor ceiling. Busts of natural philosophers line the way. Walking around it can make you feel quite tiny as you look up at the records of the ages.

Back on the bus we rode around the city. We passed by the Guinness distillery. I had thought dad might be interested, but he was not. He knows enough about how it is made. He just wanted a good drink. The chemistry of it is a curiosity to me, but as a teetotaler I have no motivation to see how it is done when there are better things to be about.

We got off at Phoenix park. It is supposed to be the largest park in Europe. There certainly is a vastness to it. We rented bikes and headed around the little trails. Biking in parks is nice. You are moving, seeing new things, and do not have much to worry about. The park is fairly level with mostly gentle grades to go up and down.

I knew there were suppose to be deer in the park, but did not really expect to get lucky enough to see them. I was wonderfully wrong. We came to a heard of them resting on the side of a hill. After dismounting I moved in for some pictures. The deer are clearly quite tame and use to people. However, I make a point of taking care with animals. I did not try to pet them as some people did and tried not to startle them. It was nice being among them and it offered a peaceful feeling of being at ease with nature even as the city bustled around us.

Up close with the deer

We had to wait a good while for our last bus home. Dad went on to a pub. I went in with him for a bit, but was not overly thrilled with it. I collected some dinner and went back to the hostel to work out our next day.

A Little Adventure and Travel Philosophy

You will see lots of blogs and guides about travel that say anyone can do it. Anyone can be a world traveler! The problem is that it is a lie. Not everyone can just up and leave their life behind to go off to exotic locations. Traveling around the world requires time and money among other things. If it was easy, everyone would do it.

I get to travel and see new places. I geared my life towards that and made the sacrifices that go along with it. I also recognize that I am very lucky to have that opportunity. I have never had to starve or feel insecure about my living situation. I was in a position to put away money to use for my travels instead of living paycheck to paycheck. I lack any responsibilities such as a family to take care of. That is why I can do what I do. Of course, that comes with an uncertain future. I’m spending a lot and not saving up or setting down roots for later in life. That is a trade off that I have made, for better and for worse.

The good news, though, is that everyone can have an adventure. An adventure does not have to be a whirlwind trip to far away lands. It is something that you can have in your own backyard (or equivalent for city dwellers). All it requires is a little time and a willingness to be fascinated with the world around you.

Even with my travels I can still find pleasure in a very small adventure. On a recent visit to Ohio I spent some time walking some old trails and roads. I had walked them before years ago. There were only small changes. Still, it was exciting to see. It was a chance to let my mind and spirit free as I followed these familiar paths.

To make sure I was ready for a big trip I wanted to keep my legs in shape while I was at home. Daily walks down the road were my prefered method. One evening after it rained I took a particularly long walk that went well past my usual turning point. Mist hung in the air, floating over the pastures I passed and between the trees that shaded me. As I turned down a seldom traveled road I felt as alone as I might have in a deep forest. For me, times like that spur my imagination. I like to think up ideas for fantastic stories that I will try to write down.

I visited the Lake Katherine State Nature Preserve. Again, I had to wait till after the rain had fallen. I had planned to just walk down to the lake for a few short pictures, but the little voice in the back of my head urged me to go a little farther. I listened, again and again, until it was clear I would be doing the full loop. The rain came back just as I neared the end. While I did not end up soaked it was enough to make me pick up the pace.

When I am in Taipei I will take little walks. There are lots of streets just in my neighborhood that I still have not gone down. So now and then I will choose a new street to walk when my interest is piqued. I get lost, but I see something new as well.

And that is something anyone can do. Take a new street. Turn over a rock. Just wander around someplace new. By all means, if you can, go to a new town, state, or country. The farther you go the more you will see. But if your life prevents that then look for ways to make your own adventure. Take an interest in plants, insects, and rocks. Suddenly the world will become a bigger, stranger place. Develop an interest that requires you to go off the familiar path. Explore graveyards or old buildings, make a game of finding certain houses, or just use an app that tracks how far you go. Most importantly, make the adventure yours. You do not have to worry about impressing the world so long as you are excited and making your own story.