Penzance, an ancient seaside market town and popular tourist destination which lies on the southwestern corner of England, stole a little piece of my heart.

                 Take any heart — take mine!

From Act 1 of the Pirates of Penzance, by Sirs William Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan.

Penzance, with a population of approximately 20,000, lies on a small, rocky coastline on the southwestern corner of England.   The Capital of Cornwall, named “Pen Sans” in ancient Cornish language, means “Holy Headland” and refers to the sunniest western side of the harbour featuring a friendly and clean seaside promenade.   Here you’ll find historic houses among Georgian and Regency terraces, along with museums, galleries, and pubs, perhaps even a pirate or two.

While in Penzance, a visit to St. Michael’s Mount is in order, for it is truly the crown jewel of Cornwall with its stunning panoramic view of Mount’s Bay.   With its picturesque harbour and spectacular, fortressed castle dating back to the 14th Century, the magestic, terraced gardens are the perfect place for a  family day out.  You can access the rocky pathway to the Mount on foot across the causeway at low tide, or by short ferry crossing at high tide, when the Mount becomes an island surrounded by water.

As you walk up the main pathway from the harbour to the Castle, you’ll pass the heavily shuttered well where children will listen intently to tales of the Cornish Legend of “Jack the Giant Killer” and how the Mount was built by the giant, ‘Cormoran’.  Legend says the giant, Cormoran, would wade ashore from the island to capture sheep and cows as they grazed in the local fields.  One night, a local boy named Jack rowed out to the island during high tide while the giant slept.  Jack worked all through the night digging a deep pit leading half way up the Mount’s northern side.  By morning when the pit was complete,  Jack stood off to one side and blew his horn so loud he would wake the mighty giant.  As the giant ran down the hillside, the glare of the early morning sun blinded his eyes, causing him to fall head first into the pit.  The locals were so grateful that they gave Jack the title ‘Jack the Giant Killer’ and made up a little local rhyme.

Here’s the valiant Cornishman

Who slew the Giant Cormoran.

While in Cornwall, another must see is the eco-friendly and charitable Eden Project in St. Austell.  This place is truly amazing with its massive biomes.  The Eden Project works on projects worldwide about environmental, social, and economic regeneration and sustainability.   But more than that, this place is really fun, the food is great, and it’s totally awe-inspiring and you will not be disappointed.  Plan to spend the day (or two) by visiting all of the different biomes.

A Cornish Pasty made by Warrens (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Of course, any trip to Cornwall wouldn’t be complete if you don’t stop to eat a hot Cornish Pasty at lunchtime, in the traditional manner of course (from end to end while held in the hands).  A Cornish Pasty is a delicious pastry filled with meats and vegetables that are cooked together and the pastry is crimped around the edges.  The pasty is the national dish of Cornwall and is highly regarded.  If you’re a foodie, don’t leave Cornwall without giving this a try!

Have you been to Cornwall?  I’d love to hear comments about your visit.

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In 2010, I made my first trip to Greece.   After my arrival, my family and fellow travelers boarded a bus where we were transported to Katakalon, also known as Olympia, a sanctuary of ancient Greece known for having been the site of the first Olympic Games in classical times.  The Olympic Games were held every four years, dating back to 776 BC.  In 394 AD, emperor Theodosius I abolished them as they were then considered reminiscent of paganism. The first Olympic Games were held in honor of Zeus.

Standing there amidst the ruins it brings your spirit back to the early days of games.  Of course, I couldn’t resist the chance to be on what was known then as the 600-foot foot race, the only athletic event at the first games.  In fact, two of my “boys” got their competitive juices flowing with their very own foot race.

No trip to Greece would be complete without Ouzo.  My first experience with ouzo or oyzo was here in Olympia. As my group of friends and I sat down to a delicious lunchtime meal, we were also served Greece’s signature drink.  I must say it is one powerful drink, certainly not to be served to children.  Ouzo is customarily served neat – no ice.  Some  Greeks will add iced water to dilute the strength causing the liquid to turn a milky, cloudy white.  However, I was the next thing to turn cloudy as my veins were filled with white fire.  To call Ouzo a Greek “white lightning” is much too simple for this oh so complex drink.  Ouzo, a potent beverage, has an Anise and licorice-like flavor and is often consumed with savory snacks, especially small salty fish, olives, and feta cheese.

There is an old Greek saying that “ouzo makes the spirit.”  The Greek spirit or kefi (KEH-fee) can be found in their hearty food, soulful music, and lively conversation.  Sharing a glass of chilled Ouzo with a friend is the perfect companion to all of these things.

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An Icelandic Appreciation.

Vatican City has recently come alive with church leaders from around the world who are preparing to choose a new pope.

As the world anxiously awaits a new pope to greet crowds of the faithful in Vatican City this week, the Vatican‘s “Military” will be keeping a watchful eye.  Indeed, the Vatican’s Swiss Guards, are something of a tourist attraction themselves.

For over 500 years, the Swiss Guard has been at the service of the Popes and has been watching over the Vatican. It all began in 1506 when the first Swiss arrived on request of the then Pope Julius II. The official day of the foundation of the Pontifical Swiss Guard is 22 January 1506, the day when 150 Swiss, led by their Captain Kaspar of Silenen in the Canton of Uri, entered the Vatican for the first time through the „Porta del Popolo“  and were blessed by Pope Julius II.

Continue reading more about the Swiss Guards in the following article:

The Swiss Guards: The Vatican’s “Military”

http://www.swissguard.va

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Saint Patrick’s Day (Irish: Lá Fhéile Pádraig) in Dublin

It’s often said that on Saint Patrick’s Day, there are two types of people:  those who are Irish and those who wish they were.

“If you’re lucky enough to be Irish, you’re lucky enough.”

Saint Patrick’s Day in Dublin – every year on March 17th, Dublin’s inner city experiences a period of unusual calm (when the gardai have closed all streets for traffic) before the storm. The storm being the annual celebrations for Saint Patrick’s Day. With the parade through the city being the unmissable highlight.

Here are some helpful hints for visitors to make the most of this parade:

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 Travelling in Europe by train? Before you embark on exploring your chosen city, take a moment to savour its first port of call.

Not only packed with passengers, many European railways stations are steeped in rich history, fine architecture and fun trivia, making them a tourist attraction in their own right. Here are the top ten, as chosen by travellers and the media:

Click here for a gallery of European train station pictures

Denmark: Copenhagen Central Station
Located in the heart of the Danish capital, this third incarnation of the city’s central station was five years in the making and opened in 1911 to royal acclaim – King Christian X invited around 800 VIP guests while thousands of locals lined the streets to see the spectacle. The building was designed in national Romantic style by architect Henrich Wenck. Indeed, romance has blossomed in this railway station for generations, with the grand clock inside the main entrance a favoured meeting spot for first dates. Why not hop off your train and take a more adventurous ride next door – the station neighbours the city’s famous Tivoli Gardens and amusement park.

Belgium: Antwerp Central Station
Listed by US magazine Newsweek at the world’s fourth greatest train station, the building, with its vast iron and glass train-shed, was completed in 1905. A ten-year renovation project to transform the station from terminus to a high-speed through station finished in 2007. The building achieved international celebrity – or possibly notoriety – in 2009 as the backdrop to a staged flash mob event. Around 200 dancers descended on the station to publicise a new Belgian TV talent show. The subsequent video went viral, showcasing the country’s musical talent and finest example of railway architecture.

Belgium: Liège -Guillemins TGV Station
It may have taken 13 years to finish, but when Belgium’s third city overhauled its railway station it did so in style, employing the talents of renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. And he managed to imprint his individual style without disruption to the 36,000 daily passengers that travel through the station. Opened in 2009, the steel, glass and white concrete construction combines nine tracks and five platforms with exhibition space and its signature arch, standing 32 metres high and 160 metres long. With costs to the tune of 312 million euro, the sleek, futuristic hub offers visitors a memorable welcome and now connects Liège to Brussels, Paris, Aachen, Cologne and Frankfurt.

Croatia: Zagreb Central Station
This grandeur of the building is a throwback to the days when Zagreb was a stop on the Orient Express. The largest station in Croatia, spanning a colossal 186.5 metres long, it is situated on King Tomislav Square in the midst of the city. Inaugurated in 1892, the station’s construction was overseen by the rather efficient Hungarian architect Ferenc Pfaff who finished the neoclassical-style building in just two years. Zagreb offers direct services to major European cities such as Vienna, Budapest, Zurich, Munich, Salzburg, Ljubljana, Sarajevo and Belgrade. Spot the high-speed tilting trains at this station, which make domestic travel services convenient and fast.

Spain: Atocha train station, Madrid
A maze of palm trees, exotic plant species and even a turtle pond; it’s not what you would normally expect before you board your train. This was the vision of architect Rafael Moneo who remodelled the station in the late 1980s from the inaugural 1889 building. The major transport hub in the Spanish capital now lies behind a huge iron and glass panel while the original building was transformed into a concourse with shops, cafés, a nightclub and the unusual 4,000 square metre tropical gardens. A memorial in the station commemorates the 191 victims of the 2004 Madrid train bombings – an 11-metre tall tower inscribed with thousands of messages of condolence.

Finland: Central Station, Helsinki
Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen won a competition to design the station that opened in 1919. Clad in local granite, its distinguishing features are the two pairs of imposing statues of figures on either side of the entrance. Known as “the stone men” (Kivimiehet) the figures have become iconic symbols for Finns. A unique feature that fewer people know about is the private waiting lounge exclusively for the use of the President of Finland and official guests. Former President of Finland Kyösti Kallio died at the station in December 1940 after suffering a heart attack. He was returning home to the small town of Nivala after attending farewell ceremonies in the capital for his retirement.

Germany: Leipzig: Leipzig Central Station
This is Europe’s largest railway station when measured by floor area. Covering 83,460 m² there are 24 platforms housed in six iron train sheds hidden behind a 293 metre-long facade. When it opened in 1915 it was mutually owned by Royal Saxon State Railways and the Prussian state railways, complete with two identical dome entrances, one for each company. The building suffered serious bomb damage during World War II when the roof of the concourse collapsed. Following German reunification in 1990, the building underwent extensive refurbishment and now 150,000 passengers travel daily through the station.

France: Gare du Nord, Paris
Situated in the French capital’s 10th arrondissement, the busiest railway station in Europe receives around 190 million travellers per year. The station complex was designed by French architect Jacques Hittorff and built between 1861 and 1864. The Gare du Nord has been used and mentioned in a mixed bag of popular culture, from French films and the book The Da Vinci Code to Hollywood movies including The Bourne Identity, Ocean’s Twelve and the less highbrow Mr Bean’s Holiday. French architect Jacques Ignace Hittorff was handpicked to design the current station complex, which opened for service while still under construction in 1864.

Portugal: Rossio Railway Station, Lisbon
With its prime location in the Portuguese capital’s Rossio Square, a bustling hang out for both locals and tourists, the majestic building could easily be confused for a palace or theatre. Designed by local architect José Luís Monteiro and completed in 1887, its typically Romantic style facade is laced with intricate sculpture, most notably two intertwined horseshoe portals at the entrance. Trains access the station through a 2,600 metre-long tunnel, excavated under the city and considered one of the most important works of Portuguese engineering of the 19th century.

Holland: Central Station, Amsterdam
First opened in 1889, the station was a contentious issue for the city officials before it was even built. Set on the banks of the IJ River – the Amsterdam harbour – many argued its location cut the Dutch capital off from the beauty of its own waterfront. The building rests on three manmade islands supported by over 8,600 wooden pilings. Around 250,000 people pass through the station everyday and the station has been expanded numerous times to cater for the now 1,500 trains that depart and arrive daily. Having undergone recent restoration, the building has now regained much of its original grandeur. Designed by architect PJH. Cuypers, who was also responsible for many of Amsterdam’s neo- Gothic churches, the station was considered a symbol of rejuvenation for the country at the time.

Article sponsored by Eurail Group.

Originally published in The Local (Germany’s News in English)

Fellow traveler, where is your home?

It’s a question I sometimes ask myself, especially during the holidays, which for many reasons have more to do with family traditions, friends, weather and my Mom’s good cooking more than anything else. And yet, I’m asking something much deeper than the place where you live.

The answer to where home is will be different for each of us. Home is where you long to be, whether it’s where you come from, the place you’re most comfortable, where you understand the local customs, or just being with the people you love and care about the most.  It can be all or none of the above.  Home is where your heart is. According to poet Robert Frost, home is where they have to take you in.  On the other hand, according to poet Maya Angelou, every human being longs to be at home wherever you find yourself.

Few things in life are as comforting as the idea of home —being there, going back there, or dreams of making a new home.

“Home is an emotional state, a place in the imagination where feelings of security, belonging, placement, family, protection, memory, and personal history abide. Our dreams and fantasies of home may give us direction and calm our anxieties as we continually look for ways for satisfying our longing for home.”  writes psychologist and spiritual thinker Thomas Moore.

America is, after all, the “Home of the Brave.”

Fenway Park calls itself “Home of the Red Sox.”

Burger King merely the “Home of the Whopper.”

Home speaks. We listen.

During my lifetime, I’ve lived in some interesting places — on a mountaintop chalet overlooking a majestic lake in New Hampshire, in a modest ranch-style home heated by a wood stove in the suburbs of North Carolina, on a military post located in a valley surrounded by the Alps in southern Germany — and just about every kind of house or apartment in or near big cities. Wherever I happen to be, I always make myself feel at home, even when sometimes it’s easier said than done.

Home for me now is in a house surrounded by tall, sheltering pine trees, rolling greens otherwise known as golf courses, and a yard that backs up to a regional airport where several times a week, throngs of golfers make their way into a town with New England-named streets, and boasts southern-bred charm and manners.  Here, out-of-town visitors and locals alike come to play  world-renowned golf courses which happens to be the home of the U.S. Golf Association’s 2014 U.S. Open and U.S. Women’s Open.

We rent from a very nice couple who are currently making their temporary home in Okinawa, Japan.   In the meantime, or at least until the military calls us to move again and make a new home someplace else in this world, our home will continue to be a comfortable shelter, filled with warmth and love, laughter,  and welcoming neighbors.  No, it isn’t my dream home, that one lies somewhere in the midst of an undetermined future.

For us, and perhaps you, too, the definition of home is forever changing.

For now, I like calling North Carolina home.

Where is your home?

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