Ooops! Forgot Ireland

Well, not really. It's just that the English portion of the post went on a bit. Yes, I cheerfully admit to that. I had a ball in the land of my birth.

O.K. Ireland. Well, I was at a conference there just outside of Dublin, so I mainly saw the hotel, the shopping centre next door and the airport. Tho' I must say the sky is a huge presence there. Perhaps it is because the countryside around Dublin is not as intensely developed as U.S. suburbs. Also, the reality of "skyscraper" seems to be non-existent there - thank goodness. The sky is huge and lovely with the sun and clouds. You really get a feel for the term "ever changing." I can also understand why painters of yore would want to capture the sky on their canvas. Magnificent! Though, on cloudy and rainy days - you don't really want that much sky hanging over you. It can get rather over whelming. The gift? When the sun comes out after days of rain - the colors of the countryside can knock you sideways. The people are rather fabulous, too!

While in Ireland I did, however, have the opportunity to visit Glendalough (Gaelic for "Valley of the Two Lakes"). My guide book calls it "the epitome of rugged and romantic Ireland." And on a sunny afternoon such as we had, it truly was. It's prime attraction are the remains of the monastic city (being notoriously uneducated in religious whatnots -- who knew?) which was built by disciples of St. Kevin, a single monk who had originally come to the area (according to the guidebook) for peace and quiet. Don't you love it?

In it's heyday, Glendalough was home to one of the largest monastic cities in Ireland. The monastery lasted for four centuries from the 9th to the 12 century. After surviving several Viking raids (being an economic gem), the English forces from Dublin apparently finished the monastic city off in the 1300s - tho' I can't remember if any reason was given. There's a fascinating graveyard (amazingly still in use!); a round tower built in the 10th century with its front door 20 feet off the ground; the remains of the original monastic gate: and several churches, built during various centuries, are still there in this deep valley surrounded by forest. The Visitor's Center has a fabulous video presentation which give you a far better appreciation for what you are seeing, before you see it. The whole area is best described by my guidebook as a "deeply tranquil and spiritual place." It truly is. It is also a visual feast for the eyes. I very much enjoyed being introduced to this intriguing place.

So, if you're ever traveling on Ireland's eastern side, I highly recommend this magical valley to you. Bring your camera. You'll want to bring a bit of the mystery home.

It's Lovely To Go Away...

It really is. Especially when you have a great time! The immediate benefits are obvious: change of pace and scenery, someone else (if you're lucky) does the cooking, the chance to meet any number of interesting people, the challenges of dealing with another culture, and hopefully, a new way of seeing the world - at least for the length of your stay. And, if you're really fortunate, you may get a new perspective on the life you've left behind. An old saying in our family is "A change is as good as a rest." Then again, I suppose it depends on the changes.

For me, traveling to the United Kingdom last month did not challenge me as much as going to a county where I have no history and no knowledge of the language. However, it was wonderful simply to get away from my life for a while. First, in England, I stayed with some cousins for about 5 days whom I hadn't seen in 14 years. My second week was spent in Ireland. The weather in England was perfectly lovely with one day of rain (which gave me a chance to recover from jet lag). In Ireland, it rained. A LOT! That's why it's so green. The weather was also deliciously cool, which viewed now from the perspective of the hottest summer on record, made it even more lovely in retrospect. I am a child of more temperate climes, specifically the U.K. and the Pacific Northwest of the U.S. I am not in any way, shape or form structured for very hot and humid climates .... or icy, windblown frozen tundras, either, for that matter!

It may not have changed the world, but my trip last month was immensely satisfying. My cousins are extraordinarily generous hosts, especially when one takes into account that their kitchen was completely torn up - so meals were created in the downstairs hallway on a two-burner propane stove. microwave and a refrigerator that dominated the proceedings - along with a breakfront which provided the dishes. Funnily enough, even the drawers on the breakfront were being refurbished every other day, so we'd have to hunt for where we'd put the utensils or the tea.

My hosts are quite extraordinary. They did everything in their power to ensure that my 5 and one-half days with them were fun, fascinating and interesting. They deserve an award for meeting the challenge of entertaining a guest whilst their downstairs was compromised. In fact, most of my vivid memories from the few times I've visited England, usually revolve around these cousins, and the excursions they planned for me. John is a retired lawyer with a passion for family genealogy. Sue restored works of art, especially paintings; her knowledge is encyclopedic and her enthusiasm for new experiences unbound. You would be hard-pressed to find a better guide to the National Gallery (or any gallery, I would bet). Both Sue and John love to travel, explore and try new things. I suspect that without their strong sense of duty and their love for their family (who've all left the nest) - not to mention their grandchildren! - they'd love nothing more than to hit the road, and not look back.

'Course their geographical location helped a great deal. They live in the country town of Marlborough, Wiltshire - smack dab in the middle of Salisbury Plain in the middle of England's countryside. The significance? Oh, just a few old places like Stonehenge, Silbury Hill, Kennet Long Barrow and Avebury are found on the Salisbury Plain. Not to mention lovely country walks, a canal system, the White Horses, Salisbury Cathedral and stunning vistas that stretch the eye for miles. (Thanks for the expression, John.)

Not too far away in one direction, is Jane Austen's City of Bath which was built over a number of hills in a golden stone. This is a beautiful sight from the right viewpoint. Sue even managed to squeeze in a day trip to London for me. This included a trip down the Thames to Greenwich passing the London "Eye" and the Tower of London - where we were saluted with a 57-gun salute in honor of each year the Queen has been on the throne! Afterwards, we did a quick turn around the National Gallery. Our highlight was to see a man walk by in a black suit while wearing a bowler hat! Bowler hats are NOT seen these days. They are considered part of London's past. Not to mention seeing a black suit in high summer. Very cool. And, yes, Sue. Definitely surreal.

Now - Throw in a Russian Orthodox Men's Choir performance; a picnic dinner out on the Gallops by the side of the old coach road to Swindon while the sun went down; intelligent and perceptive conversation; climbing Martin's Sel (sp?) with Ramage, and seeing an old prop plane flying over the checkerboard of fields looking like something from the last century; climbing the steps of St. Peter's church tower to the top, and viewing Marlborough from above; shooting through Paddington Station after navigating the Underground; breathing that sweet country air; bombing through the tiny country lanes by car; trying to identify my pence from cents; the lovely enclosed gardens; leaning up against the stones at Avebury; having the executive tour of The Merchant's House; and finally, looking down and across a field to see Stonehenge looking majestic and inimitably itself!

Yes. It is truly amazing what you can do in five and one half days. My cousins have definitely set the bar incredibly high for any future hosts. And I am extremely grateful for all the wonderful experiences and memories they have gifted me.

So, I highly recommend your getting away from your life for a wee while. It can really refresh one's soul.

Mercury, Your Friendly Deadly Toxin and You!

I've been trying to think how to start this post with enough impact to startle anyone who reads this. So far, I haven't really come up with anything that's remotely satisfying. Truthfully, to do the matter academic justice, I could probably research Mercury and its household uses and dangers for months. I would probably end up with a result better suited to submitting a doctorate thesis than writing a blog post.

It just bugs the hell out of me that the generic and relatively inexpensive energy saver promoted (touted) to a busy, distracted public as the answer to their high electricity bills is ... the fluorescent light bulb. Fluorescent light bulbs are being recommended to every household (and business) as the one, the only, long-lasting, energy saving, cost effective replacement to the old incandescent light bulbs. (If anyone else has found an alternative, it's been kept very quiet.) The manufacturers and marketers carefully avoid mentioning some of the drawbacks associated with the light that is emitted by fluorescent lights: a) visusally, the light is very cold in appearance; b) the light flickers just enough to cause distress to anyone with Asperger's Syndrome or Autism; and c) can contribute to epileptic seizures in some sensitive people.

However, in my mind, what tops all those cautions, is the simple fact that each fluorescent light bulb or fluorescent tube contains Mercury. Mercury is a known deadly toxin. Mercury poisoning, when not fatal, contributes to a slew of physical problems including neurological damage. Ironically, it has also been considered as a contributing factor to Autism.

Once Mercury gets into an enviroment, it doesn't go away easily. So. Just think about it. All the electric companies are promoting the fact that you need to bring this deadly toxin into every room in your home. Go ahead. Light your world with a deadly poison. Do the cost benefits outweigh the health concerns? Maybe so. I'm not convinced. As long as the bulbs are not broken, there's absolutely no risk to your health. The problem arises in breaking a bulb or in disposing of it.

Wikipedia notes, "When broken indoors, bulbs may emit sufficient Mercury vapor to present health concerns, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recommends evacuating and airing out a room for at least 15 minutes after breaking a fluorescent light bulb." That's lovely. Honestly, how many people at home are going to take the time to leave, and air out a room where a bulb's been broken? I'd wager, not too many.

And as far as properly disposing of fluorescent bulbs so the Mercury doesn't doesn't enter the environment - most communities have no easy way to handle this. Like batteries, wouldn't you want to just toss the dead fluorescent bulb into the household trash? This is far more likely to happen. So the Mercury in your dead fluorescent bulbs - as the Mercury in any batteries you may have tossed on occasion into your trash - are all ending up where ever all our office and household garbage goes - and leaches out into the air and soil.

There are so many ramifications here that could be developed on so many products marketed to consumers. But for now, and this blog post, my concern is the Mercury - the toxin - contained in fluorescent light bulbs. My question to you is simple....

Do you really want to bring a deadly poison into your home to save a few dollars?