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Showing posts with label Wales. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wales. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 26, 2025
Top Ten Tuesday: The Most Memorable Places I've Visited
Today's Top Ten Tuesday prompt is: Non-bookish Freebie. You can make a list about literally anything as long as it doesn't have to do with books (unless you really want it to be about books—that's okay, too). My mind always goes blank when confronted with freebie topics, especially if they're not about reading, so I did a slight twist on Jana's idea from the last time we did this prompt: Top Ten Most Memorable Places I've Visited. In the many years I've been doing TTT, this is a topic I've never done. Woo hoo!
As always, this fun weekly blogging event is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.
Top Ten Most Memorable Places I've Visited
I'm not the most well-traveled person in the world, but I added it up and, not counting the United States where I live, I've visited nine countries (eleven if you add in airport layovers in Peru and Japan). I'll cross two more—Jordan and Israel—off in December, provided our tour doesn't get cancelled. In addition, I've been to 33 of the 50 U.S. states, plus Washington, D.C. In October, I'll be visiting three new-to-me Southern states, which will put me at 36. I've been around a little bit, so I thought it would be fun to share the ten most memorable places I've visited in my country and around the world. In no particular order, they are:
1. The Columbia River Gorge (southwestern Washington and northwestern Oregon, U.S.A.)—I'm a bit biased having been born and reared in this GORGEous National Scenic Area, but it really is a stunning place featuring majestic Mt. Hood, the glittering Columbia River, lush forests, gushing waterfalls, and more.
2. Basilique du Sacré-Cœur de Montmarte (Paris, France)—This beautiful basilica sits atop a hill, giving it a sweeping view of Paris, especially if you climb up the steep, claustrophobic stairs to the dome. The view at the top is almost as breath-stealing as the hike to get there!
Runner-up in Paris: the Palace of Versailles
3. Boracay Island (the Philippines)—White sand beaches, crystal clear water, swaying palm trees...what could be more relaxing? Ahhh...take me back!
Runner-up in the Philippines: Camiguin Island
4. Capilano Suspension Bridge (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)—My maternal grandmother's second husband (who also happened to by my grandfather's first cousin) was Canadian. They lived in the Vancouver area before he died in the early 1990s, so I visited them there many times as a kid. This suspension bridge and the park that surrounds it was one of my family's favorite attractions there.
Runner-up in Canada: beautiful Victoria, British Columbia
5. Vietnam Veterans Memorial (Washington, D.C., U.S.A.)—Washington, D.C., is full of interesting, important sites, but the one that stands out to me is this one. My uncle was killed in the war when he was just 22 and seeing his name on that vast wall along with all the other fallen soldiers is just...sobering. I've been there twice and was equally moved by the experience both times.
Runner-up in Washington, D.C.: the gorgeous Library of Congress
6. Whitby (England, Yorkshire, U.K.)—My mother's maiden name is Whitby and, while none of us has ever been able to make a connection between the city and our family, she has always wanted to check it out. I have, too, so last year on a trip to the U.K., my husband and I made a point to stop there. We spent a fun day exploring the old town, strolling its cobblestone streets, shopping in cute boutiques, climbing the 199 steps to see the Abbey ruins and cemetery, and enjoying the stunning views from up high.
Runners-up in England: Chester, the Lake District, and the Dales
7. Dunn's River Falls (Ocho Rios, Jamaica)—This mighty waterfall is a big tourist attraction and, no wonder, it's awesome!
Runner-up in Jamaica: the beaches (I haven't seen much of Jamaica, honestly. Both times I've been there, I mostly stuck around the resort.)
8. Castell Conwy (Conwy, Wales, U.K.)—After a whirlwind two-week family trip to England, Scotland, Wales, and Paris in 2021, I asked my kids what their favorite part of our vacation was and they both said Castell Conwy. Conwy is a vibrant market town with a scenic riverside setting. My kids had a blast running all over the grounds of Castell Conwy, exploring the ruins. The views from the castle's towers are simply spectacular.
Runner-up in Wales: Snowdonia
9. Culzean Castle (Ayrshire, Scotland, U.K.)—My father's ancestors come from the proud Clan Kennedy of Ayrshire. Of all the clan's castles, Culzean is the grandest and most beautiful. Its clifftop setting is as picturesque as can be.
Runners-up in Ayrshire: Dunure Castle and Turnberry Lighthouse (even though its owned by He Who Shall Not Be Named, the grounds are open to the public and the views are stunning)
10. Salto del Laja/Laja Falls (south central Chile)—Although the most memorable site I visited in Chile was the El Chiflon del Diablo under-the-ocean mine in Lota, it was an uncomfortable and rather terrifying experience, so I'm going to highlight this lovely waterfall instead. It was much more pleasant.
Runner-up in Chile: the scenic Bio Bio River, which reminds me of the Columbia River (see #1)
There you go, ten of the most memorable places I've been. Have you traveled to any of them? Where are the most memorable spots you have visited? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Wednesday, April 03, 2024
Top Ten Tuesday: Rain or Shine, We Have a Good Time
Happy Tuesday! I just got back from a two-week family history research trip to the U.K. and today's TTT topic—April Showers (however you chose to interpret it)—goes perfectly with this promised recap of my vacation. Although the U.K. was damp and cold, we actually got pretty lucky with the weather, which stayed mostly dry. There was only one day that poured almost without ceasing and even that one gave us a bright, beautiful double rainbow (before it started raining again). Despite the cold, rain, mud, and even a surprise snow flurry in Wales, we had a fantastic trip. Jet lag is still kicking my trash as is the immersion back into reality, but I'm really glad we went. It truly was a spectacular experience.
The first time my husband and I visited the U.K. was in 2021. We took our two youngest kids with us that time. This go around, they were a little miffed about not being invited. When I explained that this trip would mostly include visits to churches, cemeteries, and museums, my 19-year-old son said, "Oh. Never mind, then." Ha ha. I wasn't lying either. Here's some numbers to prove it:
Miles traveled by airplane (from Phoenix, Arizona; to London, England; to Edinburgh, Scotland; and back again): about 5000
Miles traveled by car: 1616 (We rented a Tesla, so at least we didn't have to pay for expensive petrol!)
Miles traveled by ferry (from Heysham, England, to the Isle of Man, then from the Isle of Man to Liverpool): about 150
Miles traveled on foot: 78.73 (My FitBit wasn't sure what in the world was going on!)
Countries visited: Scotland, Wales, and England
Old churches visited: about 20 (probably more)
Cemeteries visited: about 22 (probably more)
Museums/Archives visited: 5 (We had to cross a picket line of protesting workers [very polite English ones] to enter the Museum of Liverpool, but our personal tour of the very well laid out museum was worth it. Also, I love that so many of the U.K.'s museums are free to visit! That's not at all true in the U.S.)
Castles visited: 7
Old friends visited: 2
Old friends visited: 2
New friends made: dozens (Other than a crochety cashier in a corner store in Liverpool, everyone we met was super nice and helpful.)
Car accidents: 1 (Thank goodness there was only one and it was just a fender bender. We were hit by a cheery English woman on an impossibly narrow road in England's Lake District. The scenery there is unbelievable and so are the roads. They're terrifying.)
Highlights (although, really, everything we did was a highlight):
- Touring more Kennedy castles in Scotland—Kennedy is my maiden name and my ancestors hail from Ayrshire. Culzean Castle will always be my favorite Kennedy castle, but we saw a bunch more on this trip, all of which were very photogenic ruins. We even got a personal tour from a Scottish historian/Kennedy expert whom we met at Culzean in 2021.
- Stopping in at the parish church in Whitchurch, England, where my ancestors worshipped for generations. The people at St. Dubricius were so warm and welcoming. They made us feel right at home. I left the church crying happy tears.
- Exploring Whitby, England—Whitby is a family name, so we had to visit this gorgeous seaside city. We loved climbing the 199 steps (They're not as tough as they look!) and walking all around the abbey at the top of the hill. There's a lovely church up there as well, which is surrounded by an atmospheric old cemetery.
- Visiting the Isle of Man, England—What a beautiful island! Its scenery is breathtaking and the people we met there were the absolute best. I'm so glad my husband has Manx ancestors, so we had an excuse to visit.
- Seeing the altar in the Chester Cathedral where my fourth great-grandparents were married in 1799. It was a bit of a wild goose chase to find their "church" since it had been absorbed into the cathedral, but we happened to run into two very helpful men who led us to the right place.
- Feeling all the feels at the Forth Bridge—My husband's second great-grandfather died while helping to build the bridge, leaving behind a wife and several small children. His presence was palpable as we walked across the Forth Road Bridge, rode a train across the Forth Bridge, searched the cemetery where he's likely buried, explored the city where he lived, and lit a beacon in the lighthouse in his memory for Easter.
- Getting snowed on in the Welsh countryside—It was memorable, anyway! And we did find the headstone we were looking for, even though it was in a very out-of-the-way churchyard.
- Seeing so many gorgeous scenes, from the Dales (England), to the Lake District (England), to the Scottish coast, to the Welsh countryside, to lovely Whitby (England), to the Isle of Man, and so much more...Wow, just wow!
- Breakfasting and catching up with my old college roommate and her husband—always a good time!
- Seeing Cavendish House, the department store where my second great-grandparents worked together in the 1840s—After being in business for 150 years, the store is closing permanently this month. We were fortunate in our timing as we were able to walk through the building and even see the historical photographs on the wall since they hadn't yet been removed from the walls. It might seem silly to visit a shop, but it was meaningful to me.
- Everything, really. Throughout our two weeks in the British Isles, we felt a strong connection to our ancestral lands and to our people who emigrated from them to Canada and the U.S.
You're already bored, I'm sure, so here's my actual TTT list:
Top Ten Seven Bookish Things I Did On My Trip to the U.K.
- Whitby, England—It's been a few decades since I read Bram Stoker's Dracula, but the novel is set in Whitby. We had a good laugh at this sign, which hangs in St. Mary the Virgin, a parish church next to Whitby Abbey that is surrounded by an expansive graveyard.
2. Robert Burns Birthplace Museum (Alloway, Ayr, Scotland)—I knew very little about Scotland's favorite poet before this trip. This excellent museum has lots of information about him. You can tour the cottage he was born in, which gives a fascinating glimpse into what homes of the moderately poor were like in Scotland in the late 1700s.
3. Wigtown, Scotland—Scotland's National Book Town felt rather dreary when we visited, so we didn't stay long. We did pop into The Bookshop, the second-hand store featured in several books authored by its owner, Shaun Bythell. Our tour guide at Castle Kennedy Gardens told us Shaun was a character whom we should definitely try to meet. Unfortunately, he wasn't in that morning.
4. Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum (Dunfermline, Scotland)—The famous American business tycoon was actually born in Dunfermline. He became the richest man in the world, then gave away 90% of his wealth through his various philanthropic efforts, including libraries. He gave generously to causes in his hometown. In fact, the first one he funded is in Dunfermline, just down the street from where Carnegie was born.
5. Stratford-Upon-Avon, England—This little town where Shakespeare was born was absolutely mobbed with tourists when we drove through, so we didn't stop. At least I can say I've been there!
6. Museum of Liverpool (Liverpool, England)—Dr. Elizabeth Stewart, an archaeologist and curator at the museum, wrote a book on the history of housing in Liverpool that has been really helpful in my family history research. I was excited to meet her and have her sign my copy of the book.
7. Diddly Squat Farm Shop (Chipping Norton, England)—My husband is a big Top Gear fan, so we had to stop at Jeremy Clarkson's farm shop in the Cotswolds. The television star has written several books about his agricultural adventures, which were selling in the shop at 3 for 50 pounds. We didn't want to pay that much, so we had ourselves a good laugh when we found an almost-new copy of one of them at St. Mary's Church in Whitby for 1 pound. What a deal!
It was a lovely, lovely trip all-around. My husband and I had so much fun gawking at beautiful scenery, researching our ancestors, meeting new people, connecting with our roots, and just feeling the guiding influence of those who came before us.
Have you been to any of these places? What did you think? What was your spin on the April Showers theme?
Happy TTT!
* Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl. Click on over there and give her some love.
*All photo credits go to my husband.
Thursday, October 14, 2021
My Fun, Fabulous, Unforgettable European Family Vacation
After a whirlwind two weeks in Europe, I'm back! I'm jet lagged and exhausted, but I'm home and full of gratitude for the wonderful time I had seeing beautiful sights, connecting with my ancestral past, and bonding with my family. Naturally, not everything went according to plan (who knew our adventures would be disrupted by city-wide marathons in two different cities in two separate countries?); still, it was an amazing trip. We saw and did so many incredible things that I can't even remember them all. Here's a quick rundown:
England
- Rode the London Eye
- Visited Stonehenge, Hadrian's Wall, the Tower of London, the Tower Bridge, Winston Churchill's secret underground war rooms, the Roman Baths at Bath, York, etc.
- Experienced a traditional High Tea in York
- Saw the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace
- Drove through the lush, beautiful countryside
- Passed a Da Vinci Code-like test to visit the oldest chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the world
- Stood on the Liverpool docks from which many of our ancestors departed in order to travel to the United States in the 1800's
The statue we're standing next to honors all the Mormon immigrants who sailed from Liverpool to join the Saints in Utah. It's called "Legacy" and you can read all about it here.
- Supped on fish and chips with a close college friend I hadn't seen in 25 years
- Dined on yummy lunches at pubs all over England
- Went to opening night of the new James Bond movie in London, a week before the film debuted in the U.S.
Wales
- Explored Conwy Castle, which showed off its beautiful views and delighted us with multiple rainbows
- Ate haggis (which is not as revolting as it sounds)!
- Found the old, isolated parish church where my husband's ancestor was baptized long ago
- Traveled through lush, lovely countryside
- Visited the National Slate Museum in NW Wales
Scotland
- Visited Ayr, the homeland of my Kennedy ancestors, and thoroughly enjoyed exploring "my" castle (Culzean Castle)
- Braved the driving rain and icy wind to check out Edinburgh and its lovely castle (not as charming as mine, of course)
- Served the most untraditional "traditional" club sandwich I've ever encountered at an "authentic" American restaurant in Edinburgh.
- Stopped by the impressive Forth Bridge, where one of my husband's great-grandparents died while helping to build it
- Drove (well, rode in in my case) an 8-passenger van through lots of teensy tiny streets to see beautiful countryside and charming villages
France
- Traveled through the Chunnel from London to Paris
- Were thwarted in our efforts to go to the top of the Eiffel Tower (dang marathon!), but got many pictures of it from many different angles
- Visited the Louvre, Versailles (including Marie Antoinette's charming village), the Conciergerie, Sainte-Chapelle, Notre Dame, etc.
- Ate escargot (not that bad) and lots of crepes and croissants (delicious)!
- Survived our climb to the dome of Sacré-Cœur and were rewarded with magnificent views of Paris
- Enjoyed a romantic evening river cruise down the Seine
- Had a family caricature portrait drawn by a Parisian street artist
- Passed Shakespeare and Company while headed to our Metro station—I was pleased to see a line out front, even if it meant I didn't have time to go inside
- Met up with another college friend I hadn't seen in 25 years who just happened to be visiting Paris at the same time as us
It really was an awesome trip. I'm glad to be home sleeping in my own bed again, but I'm also so thankful for the experiences we had in Europe and the memories we made.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
How to Find A Creepy-Good YA Novel in 4 Easy Steps
(Image from Indiebound)Step One
Watch this:
Step Two
Read this:
A mysterious island.
An abandoned orphanage.
A strange collection of very peculiar photographs.
It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that Miss Peregrine's children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow - impossible though it seems - they may still be alive.
A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photographs, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.
- From the front flap of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs
Step Three
Beg, borrow or buy the book. Stealing it is not recommended.
Step Four
Read it. Love it. (Okay, that's two steps. Whatever.)
See how easy that was?
(Readalikes: Um, I can't think of anything. Can you?)
Grade: B+
If this were a movie, it would be rated: PG-13 for language (no F-bombs) and scary images
To the FTC, with love: I received a finished copy of Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children from the generous folks at Quirk Books.
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