Author: odohertyelaine

Me and my Texas Girls love a road trip so when Renee suggests a weekend in Montreal, where she’ll drive us from her home in Portland Maine, we are all in! Packed and loaded up on baked goods from BLVL bakery, we set off.

We take the scenic road through the White Mountains National Forest, through some cute little towns, watching out for moose and following the signs for Canada!

It’s a long journey but the scenery is relaxing and we have lots of catchup chats in the car, and of course some good music to keep us going.

Passport control is straightforward although the officer is a little cranky and when he asks why we’re here Renee lists that we are going to walk around town, have some nice food, check out some nice bars… I’m not sure that was the answer he was after but he waves us through!!

We are staying in a gorgeous house with a very tight parking space at the back (well done Renee) but in a cool neighbourhood with lots going on.

We get settled and then we are off to Au Pied De Cochon, which is said to have the best poutine in Montreal. You’re going to be very familiar with poutine by the time you get through this blogpost, we intend to have them every day. Poutine is a dish of french fries and cheese curds topped with a hot brown gravy. This restaurant is also famous for serving duck in a can…. Sounds strange but it’s so tasty. The whole meal was fantastic – this little video captures how the duck was served and seeing those amazing poutine, which by the way came with foie gras, is making me want to have them again…. right now!!

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Next morning, it’s time for park run. The girls are very kind to indulge me as it’s a rainy morning and the park is about a half hour drive away. They drop me off with quite the fanfare and head off for a coffee while I slouch up to this very small crowd and declare I am visiting from Ireland which gets a massive round of applause.

As I run around the park, I see these pods…

There are loads of them scattered all over the park and I find out later that they’re designed to cover biogas capture wells. These wells are part of a larger system that captures biogases produced by the decomposition of waste as this was previously a landfill site! Although the reclamation of the landfill area, began in 1995, the park wasn’t officially opened to the public until 2017.

I’m so delighted to have ticked off my first Canadian parkrun so I don’t mind that I am not only wet but full of muck.

Right beside Frederick Back park is the Cirque du Soleil headquarters so we have a little nose around in case there’s an exhibition or a tour we can do. Alas no luck so we carry on.

While we’re driving, and it’s still raining we take a drive up Mount Royal. This is usually THE place to get a view of the city but unfortunately the rain is really coming down.

As we’re driving down, we pass Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery which is Canada’s largest graveyard and we wonder if there are any famous people here. Well of course Mr Leonard Cohen is here – in the Jewish section (SHAAR HASHOMAYIM). Google directs us exactly to his family plot and it’s great to be here and pay our respects.

I’m fascinated by this giant church on a hill which may be worth a visit later, if we have time, but right now we are heading to a deli for lunch.

There are a lot of delis in Montreal and this one is apparently among the best, and it’s off the beaten tourist track. Deli Snowdon is fantastic. The pace of customers in and food served up is impressive and the lady who serves us is cool as a cucumber while at the same time taking no nonsense. She navigates a gang of children running around while serving up armfuls of dishes!! We love her!

The poutine is fantastic – this one is certainly more rustic than last nights fancy one – it has shavings of meat and it’s so good. The brisket sandwich is also amazing and I get a decent cup of tea in a mug. Ten out of ten all round for Snowdens.

We are clearly in the heart of a Jewish neighbourhood and loving the rain gear to keep those hats dry!.

From here we head to the Jean Talon market which is a nice size to get around – not huge but it has plenty in it.

We do a full tasting of maple syrup and I buy the tiniest tin that I’ll be able to pack in my already bulging bag! We try these maple syrup lollies which give quite a sugar hit!

Back at the house, I finally get out of my wet clothes – well they’re dry by now except for my socks (my poor feet!), but they’re very mucky so I am thrilled for a shower and then we’re ready to head out again as the rain has stopped – hooray!

We continue our mural tour and insist the general get a photo with the tiny compost bins that are all over town… they look like kid-size wheelie bins to me! (🎶 bye bye lil’ Sebastian 🎶)

After shlepping around town for a couple of hours, it feels like cocktail time. We have a booking (I think!) at a very salubrious, almost hidden, cocktail bar called Big in Japan. When we finally find the door in, it’s so dark we can barely see and when we spot a girl down the dark corridor, at first we think she’s behind a glass door… eh no, that was just some strange illusion!! Once our eyes adjust we sit around this unusual shaped bar that’s like a maze and enjoy some delicious cocktails. I try the local Ungava gin.

After our cocktails we take a walk past Leonard Cohens house.

Murals and art installations are all over this city… love this 3-D one.

We go to a Moroccan restaurant called Nili and what starts off a little shaky with uncomfortable seats at the bar and some confusion with the waiter with our wine, ends in a beautiful meal with gorgeous wine and a comfortable seat at the back of the tiny restaurant. We chat to the chef while at the bar as he makes everything right there in front of us.

After dinner we walk home with a quick stop at LA MAISON DE L’ORIGINAL FAIRMOUNT BAGEL – one of the famous bagel shops…. So many bagels!

Next morning it’s still raining a bit so we have our bagels for breakfast while we watch a little tv – in fact we binge watch the whole series as we are now all obsessed with this show – Love on the Spectrum. Finally the rain has stopped and we are ready to leave and finish our murals tour.

It’s lunchtime (yes we did stay home for a decent amount of time this morning!) and it’s time to try a hotdog… and more poutine of course. We go basic at this fast food / diner style establishment which has been around for over a hundred years in some shape or form.

We are exploring the old town and it seems peculiar to be walking around the streets and seeing French names.

We reach Notre Dame cathedral which I’m excited to see. From the outside it doesn’t look much.

On the inside it’s a whole different story. It is magnificent! The blue colours make it feel dramatic when you walk in and it is just really impressive. It’s a minor basilica, very obviously Catholic and was built in 1672.

The stained glass windows along the walls of the sanctuary do not depict biblical scenes, but rather scenes from the religious history of Montreal. This is unusual for a Catholic Church and even more unusual, I come across a window that features three key women. In the contre is Marguerite Bourgeoys (1620-1700), one of the earliest French settlers in Montreal and founder of the Notre Dame congregation, a religious community for women which is still in existence today. On the right is Kateri Tekakwitha (1656-1680), the first North American Indigenous person to be canonized. On the left is Jeanne Le Ber (1662-1714), a voluntary recluse who lived simply and in prayer despite her wealth, which she left to the Notre-Dame congregation just before her death.

We check out some other old buildings including City hall….

…. and another beautiful old building that has shops with local handicrafts and grub!

There’s more maple syrup in here (it’s everywhere) and Renee demonstrates how it’s extracted from the maple tree – amazing!

We go into the beautiful Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel which has a beautiful alter and some interesting statues.

I spot this strange looking statue and read that it is apparently miraculous. Known as the Miraculous statue of Our Lady of Good Help, it was given to Saint Marguerite Bourgeoys (that’s the lady from the window we just saw in the basilica) in 1672.

We decide to spend the afternoon at Bota Bota, a floating spa, on what was once a ferry, in the Old Port of Montreal. It’s the grey building on the water, not the giant derelict old port building behind!!

We have a fabulous three hours going between cold and hot pools, steam rooms and saunas. There are a number of relaxing areas with swings and beds and it is wonderful after all of the walking we’ve done. No photos allowed but below is the view from the spa across the water to Habitat 67.

Fully relaxed and cleansed, for tonight’s dinner we were recommended to go to Le Majestique, in particular for their hot dogs… holy moly, the hotdog was giant with various toppings including crunchy onions… amazing!

After dinner we adjourn to what may be our favourite spot of the weekend, the couch in our very lovely house with a cuppa and an episode of Love on the Spectrum. Jennifer has to be up at 4am to fly back to Austin so we say our goodbyes before bedtime.

Next morning Renee and I have two things on our list before we drive back to Maine. We want bagels from the famous St Viateur bakery which we make happen, once we get cash from the machine – they don’t accept non Canadian credit cards!

And although we’ve already seen one of the Leonard Cohen murals, we need to see the giant one. A few minutes drive and there he is… it’s very impressive as I stick my head out the sun roof for a proper view.

Montreal, you’ve been a delight, even in the rain. Maybe see you again sometime!

Although I’ve been to Maine before I haven’t been to Portland (that I can remember!) and I’m very excited to be visiting the other “Texas girl” Renee. I fly from Austin to Boston and take a bus to Portland which is an easy and comfortable journey and I’m met at the bus station …

After getting settled at Renee’s house, we take a walk to the pier and go to Js Oyster Bar which is a long established unassuming eatery known for its fresh local seafood and served with no nonsense around a bar.

The food is delish – we have fish pie, chowder and mussels and wine is sold by the glass and served in small glasses filled to the top – love it!! We have a bit of craic with the barman who pours a pint of Guinness straight all the way to the top, no waiting for it to settle or anything… he plonks it in front of the guy beside us (who happens to be the oyster shucker on his break) and I can’t help but slag him over how bad a job he did. In fairness he accepted the comment with a chuckle and made a better effort on the next one!!!

There are lots of bars in Portland and they have a bit of a craft beer reputation but as I’m here with Renee and not himself, we hit a cocktail bar! I have a really tasty gimlet and then decide to have another… yep, its that good!

We are staying out a little late tonight as Jennifer is flying in from Austin so we can do a road trip tomorrow. We get the call before midnight for the airport pick up and we are on it… the 3 amigos are reunited!

Next morning we are ready for our road trip to Montreal – that’s in another blog post! Before we hit the road, we see a bit of town and some beautiful houses en route to stock up in the local bakery!

We see the Portland Observatory, which looks like a lighthouse in the middle of town!

Now I’ve jumped past the Montreal weekend (see other blogpost) and I’m back en route to Maine with Renee (Jennifer flew back to Austin this morning).

Back on US soil (yep, they let me back in!), we stop to view this amazing place…. Standing to the east of Mount Washington the namesakes Hotel was completed in 1902 as one of the largest, most modern grand hotels in the White Mountains, one of the few built in a single campaign. Served by as many as 57 trains a day, the Mount Washington Hotel became known as one of the most luxurious summer resorts in the United States. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1986.

Spring has sprung while we were away and the weather is gorgeous. Tonight we go to Renee’s sister’s house and have the first bbq of the season, sitting outside and enjoying a delicious dinner and the lovely garden.

I have two full days to explore Maine before I continue on my travels. Next day I have a leisurely morning catching up on some admin and then I take a long walk through town and along the Eastern promenade.

In Renee’s words, the people of Portland are aggressively polite which I think is both hilarious and accurate!

When I have 10,000 steps logged, I stop for lunch at Luke’s Lobster which has outdoor seating and looks out to the water. I have the most delicious lobster BLT and enjoy the sunshine and a little rest.

I spend some time in the beautiful Sherman’s bookstore which, as the sign says, is the oldest bookstore in Maine!

This evening, once Renee is finished work, we head out to Fort Williams Park.

The park is home to the very famous and iconic lighthouse “Portland Head Light” that you see on all the Maine postcards. It’s Maine’s oldest lighthouse, built between 1787 and 1790, and commissioned by George Washington. It is still active today and is the most photographed lighthouse in America.

We walk along the coastline and see it from the other angle. It really is beautiful.

Tonight we are dining at a local institution – The Lobster Shack! Apparently there are 49 species of lobster in the world and Maine lobster is the most highly coveted species because of its sweet and tender meat. Additionally, Maine lobster has a less salty taste than other lobsters as a result of the cold-water temperatures of the Northeast. Having had it for lunch and now again for dinner, I can confirm it is truly delicious. We also try a whoopie -pie for good measure!

Next day I set off for another walk around town and explore some new streets. I just happened upon the holy donut – donuts made with potatoes – gonna have to try something from here.

I continue downtown and spend a couple of hours at Portland Museum of Art as a guest of Renee who’s a member (happy days!). It exceeds my expectations on a number of fronts. It’s much bigger than you would think from the outside and it has an impressive collection including some European impressionists.

Some of the paintings I enjoyed….

At the back side of the building, it leads into an old house that’s been preserved for viewing – it’s very impressive.

I wander back to the house and Renee has finished work so it’s time to try out some pickle ball. We were rocking those courts!!

After all that we deserve a nice meal and so we head to Kong Tu Bot where we watch the funky chef cook our meal (while teaching someone) and serve it up to us at the counter… it’s delicious and we are happy out as we enjoy our final evening together.

Next day I have a little time before getting the bus to Boston for my onward journey home (well home via Iceland!). I decide to go for a half run/walk and this time head west. There are so many trees in bloom and I want to say these are cherry blossoms but I’m not sure… whatever they are, they’re everywhere and they’re beautiful.

This part of town is super fancy with lots of big expensive looking houses.

I run through an old graveyard, stop at the award winning ZU bakery and then my time is up and I have to say goodbye to my Texas Girl – I know we’re in Maine but she’ll always be a Texas girl to me.

Until next time!

I’m flying from Mexico City to San Antonio and my “Texas girl” Jennifer is picking me up so I can spend a week with her in Austin – woo hoo!!! No messing with the airport pickup, and along with her parents we head to the Alamo.

It’s my first time to visit San Antonio and I’m promptly given the relevant history. This whole state was once part of Mexico and the Battle of the Alamo, which took place here in 1836, ended with Texas becoming a self governing republic. [sidebar: California was part of Mexico at this time and Mexico had only just gained its independence from Spain in 1821]

After soaking up a bit of history we head to the Riverwalk, which is a busy stretch of winding walkway, with restaurants and bars on both sides of the river. It’s a lovely warm temperature with lots of people sitting outside.

We have a delicious meal with tasty margaritas and guacamole made at our table. Apparently the trick is a squeeze of fresh orange!

On Saturday we have a lazy morning catching up on all sorts and of course getting acquainted with Miss Milly or to give her her full title, Miss Millie Jane Scootaloo, Duchess of Milago. 😀

Time for a walk and to see how Austin has changed since I was here last, which was about fifteen years ago!

There’s an extensive green belt around the city and a really nice trail around the river, right outside Jennifer’s apartment. Plenty of interesting things to see as we walk around, including this statue of Stevie Ray Vaughan!

We stop at the library which is a very impressive building with lots of facilities and a massive volume of books. I’d love a library like this in my neck of the woods.

From the top of the library there’s a lovely outdoor area with some great views across the city.

This evening we have a delicious meal at Launderette restaurant and I get to meet a group of Jennifer’s friends which is lovely. We have some drinks at an outside bar (yep it’s that hot even in April!) and finish up with a few at Whisler’s, where they play the Smiths and the barman insists on us having a shot with him. All in all a great night!

Next morning is Easter Sunday and that bunny must have snuck in when I was sleeping…

I’m excited to check out a Methodist church service and I’ll tell ye, it was very enjoyable. So different to a catholic mass, it’s way more informal and inclusive of everyone and I didn’t get bored!!! I even got up to join in the Hallelujah chorus that they traditionally sing each Easter – it was great fun.

After church we have a family picnic and I’m introduced to another Easter tradition, which is a new one on me, where you smash confetti-filled eggs called Cascarones on each others heads. It’s a southwestern / Mexican tradition and was great fun even if I did manage to whack the boys before realising I should crack the egg over them!! While great fun to do the cracking, I don’t envy whoever has to clean up the confetti – it wasn’t myself or Jennifer as we had to leave for an important date with a chicken!!!

For another special Easter treat, we head to THE LITTLE LONGHORN SALOON for some “Chicken Shit Bingo” – yep you heard me, we’re going to watch some chickens shit and see if we can win some money!!!

It’s the maddest thing I’ve ever seen. At the back of the bar there’s a long line of people queuing to buy a ticket, including people who’ve traveled from Spain and Canada (no kidding, apparently it’s quite famous!). You get a number and when all the tickets are sold and everyone is gathered around the bingo cage, a chicken is put in and we all wait with bated breath for it to poop! Whoever’s number the poop lands on is the winner!

We didn’t win but we had great fun for the two rounds we took part in. It was very exciting!!

We also managed to climb up on this old truck for prime viewing of the bingo crowd. While it was fairly handy to get up there, I was struggling a bit on the descent but low and behold, a big burly cowboy reached up (don’t ask me how as it happened so quick I’m not even sure) and lifted me down, with a little twirl and plopped me safely on the ground as if I weighed a feather! Much appreciated sir! 🤠

Back inside we hang out and watch the band who are really good and there’s even a bit of dancing going on.

And at the last minute we managed to meet the chicken shit lady herself – famous in these parts for running the Little Longhorn and I’ll tell ye, she takes no messing!

We have a delicious burger at Hopfields to close out the evening – what a day!! Next morning we are up and out as we drive to Enchanted Rock.

Enchanted Rock is a pink granite mountain with an elevation of approx 556 metres. It is the largest monadnock, (an isolated rock hill, knob, ridge, or small mountain that rises abruptly from a gently sloping or virtually level surrounding plain), in the USA!

It’s like a mini Uluru and we are delighted to climb it. We take our time though, it is roasting out here! Lots of stops and photo ops!

After our climb we drive the Willow city loop and see some beautiful scenery. It really is nice around here – the land feels vast, and it’s Texas so I suppose it is!

Time for a little respite, and we are in wine country, so we head to Fredericksburg and do some wine tasting. We visit William Chris Winery and get lots of info from this guy who is very excited to talk to us!

The wines are interesting, one red in particular is delicious and we have a glass of that outside on the porch to enjoy the grounds and the sunshine.

We’re getting hungry and there’s no way we’re gonna last until we get back to Austin so we decide to stop for some dinner. We go to Proof and Cooper at The Old Lumber Yard in Johnson city for BBQ and it’s delicious.

Next day I’m left to my own devices as the General (that’s how I like to refer to Jennifer) has to go to work. [sidebar: she is quite the high powered executive – very impressive as she walks out the door] . I have a bit more of a lie-in and then head out for a run. I end up stopping quite a few times for some photos of the city.

Spotted this bird walking along the plank with the reflection in the water – so cute.

The pathway is so nice around the lake, I cover a much longer distance than planned.

Back home I grab a sandwich in the local deli and spend the rest of the afternoon at the pool. Oh yes… April in the sunshine – I love it!

Once Jennifer is finished work, we meet up with her sister and friend and go to a really cool bbq restaurant called Loro Asian Smokehouse & Bar. It’s a bbq place with an Asian twist. The food is great and the cocktails are amazing – I get a tasting of slushies – have you ever had a gin and tonic slushy – well I can recommend it!

After dinner, on the way home, we hit the main Texas grocery store , which I’m excited to check out – it’s called H-E-B and it’s been around since 1905. It’s still privately owned and it’s massive!

Next morning I’m out for another trek on the trails and around the lake – this time a walk as opposed to a run and I try to cover some different ground.

It’s such a great spot for a walk and the weather is just glorious.

I have to pack today as I’m on a very early flight tomorrow so I spend some time at the pool….. (of course!)….

…… do some laundry and I’m packed and organised by the time the General gets home from work with some Detroit pizza. I’d never had Detroit pizza before – it’s rectangular, deep dish with a thick crust – delish for our final meal with a glass of wine!

The final thing that was on my list to do while I’m here is to see the bats leave the Congress Bridge at sunset. When the bridge was remodelled in 1980, it left deep narrow crevices between the beams and it turned out to be the perfect bat habitat. In spring and summer approximately 1.5 million bats emerge from the bridge every night and fly east, most to hunt for insects along the Colorado River. It is truly awesome to see them fly in the sky – in fact we saw them last night too as we were driving home- a long long line in the sky… it’s very cool!

Well that’s my Texas trip, Austin is such a great place to visit and especially when in good company. Until next time!

We are flying back to Mexico for the second time this year, this time to Mexico City to attend a wedding. We fly from Hilton Head, Georgia (which is essentially the Savannah airport) through Dallas, to Mexico City, a total of about 5 hours flying.

We arrive late in the evening so don’t get out until next morning when we see the jacarandas are in full bloom.

We walk through Parque Mexico and see some interesting art …

We have our first torta (a Mexican sandwich from a street stall) before we meet up with the wedding crew and take a bus to Morales. The torta has egg and chorizo and it’s gorgeous… a good sign of things to come. Meeting point for the bus is the famous Angel of Independence – this is my first view but there will be many many more!

It’s a long bus journey to Morales where my friend Vania (who’s Mexican) from Deloitte is getting married to Louis. We stay for two nights at the wedding venue, which is an old hacienda and have an amazing time with a great crew at a great wedding.

On Monday we head back to Mexico City where we are staying in the Roma Norte neighbourhood. We head out for some grub and find it hard to pass these amazing sausages.

We take a walk around the neighbourhood, get some supplies in the local grocery store (Sumesa) and have a quiet evening in anticipation of clocking up a lot of miles in the coming days.

Next morning we are up and out to see this city. We walk on the Paseo De Ls Reforma road which is the main thoroughfare. Plenty of statues to check out and admire among the skyscrapers and smaller streets, packed with restaurants and food stalls.

We continue to this beautiful building which is the Palace of Fine Arts.

I’m fascinated by the traffic lights of which there are many different kinds. Some have a tall fancy looking green man, some a short man, some go from green to red with no warning, some have a countdown and the below which is my favourite by far has the little green man speeding up (ie running) as time is running out to cross the road!!

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We walk down this crazy busy street in “centro” to the Zócalo or the central main square. It is noisy, hectic and overall just crazy chaotic!

Along the way we stop at the convent of San Francisco which is a real oasis as you step into its courtyard away from the masses. This complex was the headquarters of the first twelve Franciscan friars headed by Martín de Valencia who came to Mexico after receiving the first authorization from the Pope to evangelize in “New Spain”, as Mexico was called back then. The complex dates back to 1560.

The church standing today is the third to be built on the site. The first two sunk into the soft soil underneath Mexico City and had to be torn down. This church was built between 1710 and 1716 and the gold alter inside is very impressive.

Onwards to the square…. When you arrive upon it, it’s very impressive. Not only is it huge but the lava rock that the buildings are made from make it look dark. This is the cathedral which is giant and the other buildings around the square are as big, if not bigger!

It’s really hot as the sun is beating off the dark stone and yes, I’m roasting!! We walk toward the display of the old city ruins.

Exploring the surrounding streets, there are churches and impressive old buildings on every corner.

There are also plenty of peculiar looking things like this…

We stop for lunch and have a dish from Oaxaca called Tlayuda. It’s a large, thin, crunchy tortilla, partially covered with a spread of refried beans, meat and Oaxaca cheese. Then you load up on the salsa and veggies. It was really tasty.

Back at the Zócalo, we head inside the cathedral. Its full title is The Metropolitan Cathedral of the Assumption of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary into Heaven. It was built in sections from 1573 to 1813 on top of a sacred Aztec site. It has a number of impressive alters, this being the most impressive.

After getting our fill of culture, we make our way through another busy street to walk toward home. On the way we pass the famous ‘Pastelería Ideal’ and have to go in for a look. It’s the biggest cake shop I’ve ever seen.

We walk through Alameda central – you don’t need to walk too far to see a monument of some sort in this town!

… and continue through Cuauhtémoc viewing more art and buildings along the way…

The impressive building of the Plaza de la Republica is surrounded by a fence and hard to get a good view….

By the time we get back to our very spacious apartment, we are close to 30,000 on the ole Fitbit!

Tonight we have a really tasty meal at a casual restaurant close by. The margarita is delicious and I rave about this meal for days, it’s so good!

Next day we are off for more exploring. We go to Bosque de Chapultepec, one of the biggest city parks in Mexico.

There’s a great view back, with the Angel of Independence at the far end and the Estela de Luz (Stele of Light) on the right.

The park is home to Chapultepec Castle, formerly the imperial and then presidential residence, it now houses the Museum of History. It sits on a hill and we are up too close to see the scale of this beautiful building (also the queue is ridiculously long for the museum so we’re not going in).

Walking further into the park we stop to watch a “flying pole” performance, the “Danza de los Voladores”. A group of men in traditional outfits do a ritual dance while drums are banged and music played. Then five of them climb to the top of the pole!

The pole is 30-metres in the air and four of the five participants launch themselves, tied with ropes to descend to the ground. The fifth remains on top of the pole, dancing and playing a flute and drum. It is very entertaining to watch.

It’s time for lunch and another torta… these sandwiches are giant with layers of meat so I only manage a few bites of Shane’s!

We walk to Polanco, an upmarket neighbourhood, which happens to be where Shane lived many years ago. His old apartment still stands!

Back to the park, it’s time to visit the National Museum of Anthropology. The building is amazing.

There is a huge volume of exhibits so a lot to see.

The most famous is the Aztec sun stone which has a complex set of glyphs representing a type of calendar (it gets very complicated when you read the different interpretations). Likely carved in the early 1500s, it was buried during the Spanish conquest and was discovered in 1790 during repairs to the cathedral in the Zocalo.

Next day we are off on a full day tour which I’m very excited about. We have a knowledgeable tour guide who gives us all sorts of info about Mexico while we are on the bus, e.g. the official name of Mexico is the The United Mexican States and there are 31 states plus Mexico City. Our first stop is a place called Tlatelolco and what is known as the Square of Three Cultures. From this spot we see the modern city, an Aztec archeological site and a colonial church.

Back on the bus, we see the dense volume of houses built on the hills, sprawling to the edge of the road. They are colourful and have a certain “picturesque” quality from the road, but as you look a bit closer there’s no doubt there is a significant amount of poverty in these areas.

Next stop is somewhere I have wanted to visit for many years – Guadalupe. It’s a place where Our Lady appeared in 1531 so one of the oldest accounts of an apparition of the Virgin Mary. For those of you who know me well, you know I love this stuff… Having been to Fatima, Knock, Medjugorje, and the Rue de Bac in Paris, visiting Guadalupe is a huge thrill.

There’s a lot of ground to cover as the area has become a huge complex. First we go into the new basilica, which is huge and has numerous entry points. There is currently mass going on so we quietly walk around and then head to the main attraction that’s housed in this church.

We go behind the alter to see the very famous tilmàtli (cloak) which was worn by Juan Diego (who Our Lady appeared to in 1531) and according to what was documented at the time, an image of the Virgin Mary appeared on it in the presence of the bishop of Mexico City.

I’m always on the lookout for a relic and spot one of a saint who I’ve never heard of before.

José Luis Sánchez del Río was a Mexican Cristero who was put to death by government officials because he refused to renounce his Catholic  faith. He was 14 years old when he was killed in 1928.

There are a number of churches to visit including the original church that Our Lady requested Juan Diego to build.

From here we walk up the hill to the place where Our Lady appeared.

The views of the large complex with the city in the distance is impressive on this sunny (albeit grey-ish) day!

I could happily spend a whole day here but it’s time to move on, so after picking up a small statue in the gift shop, we get back on the bus and have an hour or so drive to our next spot. On the way, we see more houses on hills and our guide points out the aerial trams that are a regular form of public transport for those who live in these areas.

We reach our destination and there’s lunch (which I’m not able to have due to the ole tummy situation), a bit of a cultural show, then some local booze tasting (again not able to partake), and some display of local crafts (which I’m really not interested in) and eventually it’s time to visit the UNESCO world heritage listed, ancient site of Teotihuacan.

Teotihuacan is the site of the most architecturally significant Mesoamerican pyramids.  The most famous pyramids are the Moon and Sun and in between there are lots more. It’s a vast complex and really awesome as we walk around.

We walk along the “Miccaotli”, a Nahua word meaning “avenue of the dead,” because it was mistakenly thought that the ruins on the sides and along the road were burial mounds. Partially visible today, this 50m wide and almost 5km long road also served as a backbone that structured the rest of the streets, squares and multi-family homes along it. It was the main avenue of the ancient city of Teotihuacan. The local population and visitors walked along this path; also, being a political, economic and religious center of great importance, it was possibly a pilgrimage and procession route for the surrounding towns.

The most common mistake people make is assuming these are Aztec ruins but they’re not, they were built by people earlier than the Aztec rulers (around 200 AD) and this is more than just a site for pyramids, this was a huge city in its day.

We head home for a rest after the tour and then hit a local restaurant for dinner. Shane is delighted to get his chilli rellenos and I’m taking things easy with some mini sopes. They are delicious.

Next day is our last day and we set off again on foot… we are covering a lot ground! We pass “Glorieta de las y los Desaparecidos” – the Roundabout of the Disappeared, which has been symbolically renamed and taken over by families of missing people. It’s a prominent traffic circle, that was renamed after families of missing individuals installed posters and memorials of their loved ones on the posts. It is very eerie.

We also pass the stock exchange building which has a cool display of stock prices around the circular top .

And of course more art along the main road…

I really want to see some Diego Rivera murals and we get to see his most famous “Dream of a Sunday Afternoon at Alameda Central”. It is fascinating to look at all the people depicted in the mural and try figure out who they are. Luckily there are notes to help identify them.

From here we take the metro, which by the way costs about 25 cents, to Coyacan which is where Frida Kahlo and Diego lived. Casa Azul (the blue house) is the house where they lived, now a very popular museum that needs to be booked weeks in advance. We didn’t book early enough so have to be satisfied with a view from outside.

They have really “leaned in” to the Frida phenomenon and she is everywhere around here.

It’s a really colourful area to walk around and there is a large market that has tonnes of food options so we opt for some enchiladas for lunch.

We stroll around and visit Parque Frida Kahlo where there’s a cool statue of Frida and Diego.

A short walk from the park is Museo Trotsky, where Trotsky lived from 1937 until his death in 1940 and where he is now buried. There is a lot of interesting history to read as we walk around his former home.

We take the metro back to the Zócalo. Did I mention it’s also called Plaza de la Constitución – so many names! The giant flag is getting a good gust today and you get an idea from this angle how big this square is. This important place has been a gathering place for Mexicans since Aztec times and it is always busy!

We were hoping to visit the palace where there are more Diego murals but unfortunately it’s closed so instead we visit the National Museum of Culture. Much of the displays are from around the world and they even have an Egyptian mummy!

It’s nearing the end of our time in Mexico City so we hit a Mezcalaria so I can have a final margarita and Shane can finally try some mezcal. We round it off with some guacamole, which feels very appropriate.

Next day before we fly off, we get to have a final tacos al pastor, which I think are my favourite tacos!

Mexico City has been a blast and I’m fairly confident we’ll be back again!

We arrive in Savannah Georgia to our Airbnb rental which is in a beautiful Victorian house in the Starland neighbourhood.

We have a room on the ground floor which is huge with its own living room. I love it!

We’re a bit of a walk from downtown so we decide to stay in our local area tonight. The houses around here are beautiful.

Of course Shane has found a brewery close by so we check out Two Tides Brewing Company which has this very tasty mango seltzer. We’re not loving the vibe here – nothing to do with the fact that we were asked for ID when we ordered but we decide to move on!

As we walk along the quiet (and hopefully safe) streets, we see the house of the first black nun in Georgia! Mathilda Taylor was born in 1834 in New Orleans. and came to Savannah as a young woman. She taught black children in her home before the Civil War, when it was still illegal. She married a black businessman in 1869 and after he died, in 1877, she traveled to York England and became a Poor Clare nun. She returned to Savannah and established an orphanage in 1886 and founded the first group of black nuns in Georgia where she became known as Mother Mathilda. She died in 1903. What a great story! There are historical markers all over Savannah sharing this kind of history.

Onwards to another brewery not too far from our house, called Whale Ale. As we arrive it seems there’s a local comedy night on and we see four comedians who are clearly very new to this but give us a good giggle.

Again we’ve had a big lunch so not able for dinner but we do have a second beverage at this place as it’s cosy and has a good vibe (and we weren’t asked for ID!!)

Next morning we set off to explore the town and walk to Forsyth park. Forsyth Park is Savannah’s largest and oldest public park.

The park’s iconic fountain was installed in 1858 and is one of the most photographed places in Savannah.

There are so many squirrels around. These two were particularly cute and seemed to be almost posing for me!

The weather is beautiful and there are so many nice buildings to see and squares (with many historical markers) to view.

We have sussed out the 7F bus which runs from downtown to our house and is free so we are able to jump on this and shorten some of the time to go back and forward.

We want to have brunch in our local area as there are a few soul food places we want to try. Unfortunately none seem to be open so we head back into town and end up at Paula Deans restaurant “Lady and Sons”. This place is huge and must be massively popular as she’s a big deal in the South. In fairness the food is very good.

After lunch we walk to the river which is the main touristy area and it’s busy, albeit with domestic tourists as we haven’t met any foreigners since we arrived!! We see the below slavery memorial.

We see the WWII memorial.

After wandering around for a while we buy tickets for the Telfair museum just off Telfair square and we see the famous Bird Girl statue that was removed from the Bonaventure cemetery when it became famous, having been depicted in the best selling book “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” which I’m reading right now!

Our ticket is valid for 3 museums so next we do to the Telfair museum and see some art. I particularly like this.

The third museum is The Owens Thomas house and Slave Quarters. This is by far the highlight. Just as a reminder – on December 18th 1865, ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolished slavery. Below is the beautiful mansion that was lived in by a wealthy family who owned up to fifteen slaves in the 1800s.

The mansion was built from 1816 – 1819 for Richard Richardson, a Savannah merchant and is considered Savannah’s finest and among the nation’s best. The rooms are very grand and in particular there’s an amazing “bridge” at the top of the staircase.

In contrast, we see the slave quarters which were bleak and cramped, housing slaves who worked as nursemaids, cooks, gardeners and held various roles needed for the family in their urban home. Of course they owned many more slaves on their plantations out in the countryside.

The guide is fantastic and really knows lots of history of not just these buildings and the families who lived here but the general politics at the time. It’s a really good tour.

Time to head home and get cleaned up for a fancy meal tonight at Husk restaurant – it’s another anniversary celebration! We have oysters and beef tartare, catfish and a massive array of veg and a buttery Californian Chardonnay – delish!

Next morning after a pastry at Foxy Loxy, we pack up the car and head to one of the world’s most beautiful cemeteries, Savannah’s Bonaventure. It was made internationally famous by John Berendt’s 1994 bestselling book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (that I’m still reading) as the book’s iconic cover photograph, depicting the Bird Girl sculpture in the moss-draped cemetery, became a symbol of both Bonaventure and Savannah. It is also particularly famous for the oak avenues of moss covered trees.

BONAVENTURE was initially developed in the 1760s as a 600-acre plantation and was later established as a cemetery, with the first recorded adult burial in 1802.

From the 1860s through the 1920s, the cemetery increasingly resembled a sculpture garden as wealthy families commissioned funerary monuments by artists from Savannah, the Northeast, and Italy. There really are some amazing sculpture and headstones to see.

The famous “Little Gracie Watson” was the daughter of a hotel manager, popular with everyone in downtown Savannah. She died of pneumonia when she was six years old, and her monument is based on a photograph given to a new sculptor in town named John Walz. It is famous for its likeness to the child and is kept in a beautifully maintained site behind an iron gate.

The other very famous person buried here is Johnny Mercer, who was a lyricist, songwriter, and singer, as well as a record label executive who co-founded Capitol records. He wrote tunes such as “Moon River “, “Hooray for Hollywood”, “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive” and many more. He’s also mentioned in the book I’m reading as the main antagonist lives in his former home which sits on one of the squares we visited yesterday.

We leave the cemetery and head for Tybee island which is a holiday destination.

It’s sunny and warm, and although we’re not quite dressed for the beach, we take a walk along the sand to the pier and enjoy notching up some steps before we head to the airport Mexico bound!

Well America it’s been nice to see the places we did. We didn’t witness any MAGA madness but we also didn’t have anyone really engage with us…. Maybe it’s always been that way, who knows. Ah well, I’ll be back after Mexico. Adios!

I’m excited to get to this southern state as it’s been on my list for a while. This is no. 32 of the 50 states for me, it’s been a while since I’ve ticked a new one off the list. We arrive from Chicago and pick up a car – it’s really hard to do any travelling in the USA without one. Here’s our baby for the next few days.

We had a small pastry in the airport this morning before our flight so we are ready to have a southern lunch. We stop at Boxcar Bettys for a fried chicken sandwich and it doesn’t disappoint.

I’m doing the driving and Shane is navigating and we easily make our way to Charleston where we are staying downtown in a “loft” which is essentially a tiny little two story apartment. It’s very compact and really close to the main drag. We park the car, drop our gear and head out to explore. There are tonnes of shops in the downtown area and while I’d love to do some shopping here, I haven’t a hope of fitting stuff in my bag at this early stage of the trip! Best to stick to admiring the many churches….

And the homes are beautiful too…

And there are more churches as we continue to walk to the river.

We are going to see lots of Civil War monuments and memorials in this neck of the woods but in Marion park we see the Charleston Holocaust Memorial. In addition to the structure in memory of the six million Jews murdered, there’s an inscription wall that lists survivors who settled in South Carolina. The wall also includes the names of 24 major concentration, transit, and extermination camps positioned east to west to reflect their extent throughout Europe.

We see the beautiful Customs House building or as I like to call it the Tariff collection house!! 🤣

Continuing to the Waterfront park we see the famous pineapple water fountain. There are little kids splashing away in it so I did well to get this photo in between their play. It’s warm but it’s not that warm!!

After a lot of walking, we agree we are still full from lunch so won’t go out for dinner tonight. We find a corner store and get some milk for tea and then it’s back to our tiny “loft” for an early night.

Next morning we set off for a day exploring Charleston. The fire department is a block from our place.

I have a craving for biscuits and gravy (sure you’d have to when you’re in the south), so we go to Callies Hot Little Biscuit and the biscuits and gravy are delicious. The gravy has big lumps of sausage meat which is quite different to what I’ve had before. I really like it! Carrie Morey is the proprietor and she serves us – she’s a bit of a celebrity as she’s got a couple of cookbooks and has been on tv. She adds a couple of cookies to our order as she has no English breakfast tea and I have to provide my own (Bewleys) emergency teabag from my handbag!!

We continue walking along King Street and visit a gallery where there are beautiful photos of Charleston – lots of trees with Spanish moss and doors, kind of like how you see the beautiful Georgian doors in Dublin. We take a few photos of our own although ours aren’t filtered enough to compare!!

We walk through Marion square and see a large stone which is from a fortress that protected Charleston during the Revolutionary War. It was destroyed long ago, but remnants of its formidable tabby walls (tabby is cement made with oyster shells and it’s very popular here and in Savannah) lie just below the surface of the park. This fragment is preserved above ground as a reminder of the structure that once stood here.

We arrive to Fort Sumter National park and walk toward the water and Liberty square.

From Liberty Square we see the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge which is a prominent landmark connecting downtown Charleston to Mount Pleasant over the Cooper River.

We have booked a boat trip to Fort Sumter which is on a small island, about 45 minutes away. We sit in the half open deck and the wind is extremely gusty. We are blown out of it but we suffer on and are glad when the fort comes into view.

Upon arrival we listen to Ranger Walt (an extremely expressive young man with a booming voice!) give us the history of the fort. This is considered the place where the civil war began. In the early dawn of April 12, 1861, a mortar shell fired from Fort Johnson in Charleston Harbor burst over Fort Sumter, inaugurating the American Civil War. For 34 hours Confederate forces bombarded the fort, forcing the Federal garrison to surrender. On April 14 victorious Southern troops claimed their prize.

For the next four years Fort Sumter remained a Confederate stronghold despite frequent Union attempts to capture it. Between 1863 and 1865, determined Confederate soldiers kept Federal land and naval forces at bay for 587 days – one of the longest sieges in modern warfare. By February 17, 1865, the fort was virtually demolished and the Civil War was nearly at an end. The Confederates reluctantly abandoned the fort, leaving it to be re-claimed by Federal troops. And that my friends is the American Civil War in a nutshell!

For the return boat trip we decide to sit in the lower deck where we are protected from the wind. When we get back we visit the Old Slave Mart Museum, which was where slaves were traded.

It’s a sobering thought to be standing in the “salesroom” of what was Ryan’s Mart, built solely for slave auctions. Crowds of slave traders and buyers did business here in the seven years the building operated. It’s hard not to feel enraged and deeply sad at the thought of it.

After that tough history reminder, it’s time for a little respite so we head to a brewery called Palmetto. Shane has sussed out a free bus that will take us close-ish and we walk the rest of the way, through streets that we hope aren’t too dodgy!! Shane enjoyed the beers and the cider is good. There is even a red stout named after County Cork! From here we go to dinner at Rodney Scott’s bbq which is on our list to try. This place is famous for its collard greens (which are fantastic) and its whole hog bbq cooked low and slow. The meat is exceptional.

Walking back into town we go for a drink in a bar called The Dispensary and I try a local cider which is terrible. It’s not often that happens to me but I actually can’t drink it. The barman is really nice and says he’s had other people complain about it so I try a different cider which is like Ribena (not an apple in sight!!) and sure that’s grand!!

We get home just before a crazy rain shower that is so loud it would wake you up… luckily it ends before bedtime!

Next morning we are leaving Charleston and driving to Savannah, Georgia but first it’s time for a Big Bad Breakfast! I do love my biscuits and gravy and although these are quite different to yesterday’s they are still delicious. Shane’s shrimp and grits are super tasty, seems nearly too spicy and flavourful for breakfast and you could have them for your dinner!!

We have two places we’re going to visit on our way to Savannah. The first is Angel Oak and it’s down this lovely road…

The famous giant Angel Oak tree is in Angel Oak Park on Johns Island and it really is huge. Experts believe it’s age is between 400 and 500 years.

The tree measures an impressive 8.5 metres in circumference, and its branches stretch outwards to cover an area of approximately 1,600 square metres. The span of its longest branch reaches a staggering 57 metres from tip to tip. The sheer scale of the Angel Oak is a reminder of the incredible potential for growth in nature, given time and favorable conditions. It’s hard to capture its massiveness in a photo but to give you an idea, it took a few minutes to walk all around its branches.

Next stop is Cypress Gardens nature reserve which has 170 acres of extremely picturesque swamp!

They also have a butterfly house, birds (parrots and macaws), fish, turtles, peacocks and a couple of giant alligators on show!

We do a loop walk around the swamp and gardens and just past this sign….

…. A frog jumps in front of me and frightens the life out of me… while I’m looking at the frog Shane points out that the reason he jumped out of the swamp toward us is because there’s an alligator in the water. Hopefully you cans see him in this photo…

Having clocked up plenty of steps we continue on our way and stop for lunch at a diner in Goose Creek that does a shrimp po-boy and it is delicious.

We cross the river into Georgia state and say goodbye to South Carolina.

Shane and I are attending my friend’s wedding in Mexico and as there are no direct flights from Dublin, we decide to fly through the USA and spend a few days exploring some cities. I’ve been to Chicago a few times but it’s a first for Shane. The flight time is 8 hours and we arrive in O’Hare in the afternoon. We are just off the plane walking through the terminal and an air hostess randomly starts talking to us about Kylie Jenner products in a vending machine that we pass. She tells us how they’re full of additives and poison… at first I’m not even sure who she’s talking to but it’s definitely us. Then she starts ranting about all the crap food that’s not only in the airport but that’s in most of the shops in America and how we shouldn’t even be drinking water from the tap… bizarre! Anyhooo we make it safely through the airport without encountering anymore crazies and take a taxi to our hotel on the Magnificent Mile. Bags dropped we head straight out to explore the city.

A block or so from our hotel is the Tribune Tower which was designed as a result of an international competition for the most beautiful office bullding in the world, held in 1922 by the Chicago Tribune. The competition proved extremely influential for the development of skyscraper architecture in the 1920s. The crowning tower, with its flying buttresses is derived from the design of the French cathedral of Roden and gives the building a striking silhouette.

It’s very impressive and as we walk around it we see stones from buildings all over the world including the GPO in Dublin

It’s all about the architecture in Chicago, there’s just so many amazing buildings and skyscrapers.

This one I’m not so mad about!!!

I also really like the bridges as we walk along the river walk. It’s a lovely stretch with lots of bars, shops and restaurants although they’re all “closed for the season”.

I don’t believe I took much notice of the train system when I was here last but it is really cool, known as The “L” system, it began operating in 1892 and is the second-oldest rapid transit system in the Americas, after New York City’s elevated lines. The “L” gained its name from “el” because large parts of the system run on elevated tracks.

Walking under the elevated train tracks.…

We walk to Millennium park and on the way in there’s a security checkpoint – seems strange! The whole park has guardrails around it and police officers are performing security checks. We have to raise our arms and have a security wand check we don’t have anything we shouldn’t… as we enter a park… bizarre!! [later in the week we find out there was a huge protest in Chicago earlier in the day, thankfully we missed it]

The big draw in the park is the giant sphere or “The Bean”. It’s really cool to see the reflection of the buildings in it. It was sculpted between 2004 and 2006 and is made up of 168 stainless steal plates welded together – its reflective and highly polished exterior has no visible seams

We exit the park in an orderly fashion and continue roaming around until we see the famous Chicago theatre sign. The sign is one of the few remaining original exposed lamp electric signs still in use in the United States. It really is iconic.

We’ve booked dinner at Carsons Rib house which is the place I went to about 20 years ago with my sister Linda!! Carson’s smokes their famous Baby Back Ribs in a genuine wood burning pit using natural hickory wood. That means no chemical tenderizers, no marinades, no rubs, no liquid smoke and no boiled fall off the bone ribs here.

When making the reservation I had mentioned it’s our anniversary which they congratulate us on as we enter. Shane’s face is priceless, although I did actually tell him I’d done this (you never know what we might get!), we’d both completely forgotten!! After our really tasty dinner they brought us a dessert with candles! 🤣

Cheers to our 7 year mark!!

We are knackered after an extra long day so head back to the hotel and next morning we are up early for our flight out… so long windy city!

Having never been to Denmark two years ago, this is now my third visit. It’s a quick couple of nights to visit Caroline but we manage to pack a fair bit in. We arrive late in the evening but Caroline meets us at the airport to take us to where she lives…

The metro is really efficient (I wish we had one in Dublin) … better not forget this stop.

Next morning after breakfast in a local cafe (which has the most amazing fluffy sourdough bread) and once Shane is finished work, we take a walk to BISPEBJERG KIRKEGÄRD or the Bishops cemetery.

It’s a huge cemetery and park and is really nice to walk around.

It was established in 1903 and has very subtle gravestones dotted around with some large stones every so often. It’s quite unusual as graveyards go.

We are a little early for the cherry blossoms but they will soon be in full bloom (apparently about 4 days after we leave!!) and there is a beautiful avenue of them that is famous for people to visit in Copenhagen.

Street view of the cemetery… I’m wondering if that chimney is the crematorium 🧐.

Opposite the entrance is a huge gothic cathedral Grundtvig’s Church. Unfortunately there’s a lot of work going on to the roads and apartments that surround it so the view is obscured by a very large crane and also we cannot go inside.

We walk around a large block to try to get a better view and eventually get a way in – it really is huge.

The building was completed in 1940 and is very impressive to look upon from the front entrance.

It’s time for some lunch and we are defo having a local sambo i.e. the smørrebrød (as I like to pronounce it shmooor-burd)

The lady in the small takeaway shop is lovely and she offers us a table and chairs to put across the road in the sun (outside some apartments!) so we can relax and enjoy our lunch.

We chose a variety of these small open sandwiches and each one is really tasty.

Next it’s into town to meet Caroline after work. We meet at City Hall square.

We cross to the other side and walk along the canal. It is such a beautiful day.

Plenty of walkers and cyclists and workers taking a break in the sunshine along the way.

Interesting buildings… some love them, some hate them.

We sit outside in the delightful sunshine and have a drink in ÅBEN, luckily there’s a very nice cider for me!

Around the corner is Mikkeller Warpigs Brewpub we have a couple more. We are in a sun trap here and it is roasting!!

We walk along the always vibrant 17th century waterfront – Nyhavn. The light is particularly good at this time of evening and there’s such a beautiful blue sky.

We have a really good meal at a place called KANALHUSET which is in a beautiful building that dates back to 1754. Here’s how the describe the restaurant: “At Kanalhuset we eat together every day at 7 pm in Spisestuen. Our chefs prepare the dinner with seasonal ingredients and an everchanging menu. The meal of the day is served as a social dinner with our neighbors, residents and other curious guests”. We are seated with 3 ladies (my age-ish) who are friends since school and have a lovely chat over the shared meal of veal, salad, veg and of course bread.

On our way back home we get another opportunity to view Nyhavn, which also looks gorgeous at night.

There are many of these Rema 1000 (tusen) stores around town and apparently Caroline’s local is award winning in the region. Well we have to check it out… also because she said they do great sour cream and onion crisps and I want to buy some remoulade, which is what they put on the smørrebrød.

Next morning we don’t have a lot of time to do much so after brekkie in the cafe, work (for those who need to do it) and packing up, we head to the city for our final goodbyes.

Back to city hall square I say goodbye to Hans Christian Anderson….

Last on our list for this visit is to have a lunch of hotdogs!!! These are not your big standard hot dog, they are dressed up and there’s a variety of different sausages. We try one from the main square which is delish.

And then Shane and Caroline wander a little further afield to try a different one for comparison… this one has a lot more crispy onions… both are delicious in my book!

Well it’s been a short visit but it was a great one. Until next time.

After celebrating Mark and Aoifes wedding in Dublin, Shane and I fly to Manchester so we can meet up with the Irving’s and spend a few days in Wales. This is a new country to visit for Shane in fact it’s country number 100. Woo hoo!

It’s about an hour and a half to north Wales with a bit of Friday evening traffic but the countryside is nice as we cross the border.

We’re staying at a really nice house in a tiny little village called Dwygyfylchi – it’s going to be fun trying to pronounce that!!

It’s surrounded by hills and we walk uphill to a quiet pub/restaurant called the Fairy Glen for some dinner and refreshments. They have a nice pub menu and all the dishes are served with giant chips (or a different spud type), peas and salad!! Delish!

On Saturday morning we head to Penrhyn castle for Parkrun. I’m thrilled to be getting to do one in Wales and not only is Shane doing it with me but we’ve roped in Sarah too. I think she’s going to be a big Parkrun convert!

We go into Bangor to get some brekkie and find an interesting place called Open Heavens Cafe… we really should have known by the name that it was a Christian establishment. Probably not surprisingly the waiter was somewhat over friendly while at the same time insisting we do an online review!! This will have to suffice: “The food is good and you get a blessing not only for yourself but for your family and all our friends!”

Back in DWYGYFYLCHI, which Siri and I like to pronounce as follows….

….. we go for a local walk

Our little village is part of the community of Penmaenmawr which has a population of 4,353 and a fair amount of sheep!

The small church and graveyard is very picturesque.

Onwards to the beach… looking across to the Irish Sea

It’s a lovely day, I think you’d call it fresh. The Aussies would call it cold and windy!

Next up we’re back in the car (thanks to James for being our trusted driver) and we go to Conwy which is a bigger town with beautiful medieval walls and a castle. We take a walk along the walls.

This town is full of Edwards but I’m obviously with the best looking one 😉

We decide to share a few chips and honestly I think these might be the best chips I’ve ever had. They are cooked perfectly and are just fantastic. We carry on to the castle which is very impressive.

Onwards to Llandudno where we find a cafe for some Welsh cakes – I don’t think I’ve ever had one before and I love them – they’re essentially squashed scones!

Llandudno (pronounced with a “ch”) is a popular seaside town and a lot of the accommodation has a touch of the Fawlty Towers vibe!!

There’s also a pier with amusements that we battle the wind to check out.

On the way home we stop at ASDA to pick up some food with the intention of cooking dinner tomorrow night. Tonight we plan to hit The Gladstone, which is a pub at the bottom of the hill. Unfortunately when we rock up to the bar at around 6:30pm we’re told they have no more tables for tonight and also they can’t take a reservation for tomorrow… luckily we went to ASDA today… a pint and some crisps and it’s home to cook up some dinner.

Next morning we head for Snowdonia National Park.

We walk around the lake close by the railway….

…. and meet a few locals!!

There’s a sign for a castle that we decide to check out and it’s a really pretty one.

It’s Dolbadarn castle, built in the early 13th century and we climb a small hill to get some good views of it and the surrounding quarry and hills.

At 11am it’s time for us to take the train up the mountain.

The train ride up takes about 45 minutes and the scenery is very nice.

The train is unable to get to the very top due to some work on the railway line so it stops at Clogwyn which is about three quarters way up.

It’s really cold up here!

We spend 30 minutes looking around and enjoying the scenery.

Looking out to the lake.

It is freezing up here….

There are approx seven different routes up the mountain and in hindsight we should have planned to walk back down. We haven’t planned enough time though so we take the train back down.

Looking into the valley on the way down from the other side of the train

After a brief lunch of pasties and sausage rolls at the railway cafe, we head for Anglesey island and to Beaumaris which has, you’ll never guess what, another castle!

This castle is surrounded by a moat and is in the centre of town.

We walk along the coastline looking out to the mainland and the sun has come out so we have definitely warmed up (although the wind would skin ye!).

We even come across some standing stones.

We walk along what is called The West End and see these beautiful houses dating to 1869.

Back in the car, we head further west toward / past Holyhead to South stack lighthouse.

It’s still a bit cold but it’s beautiful along here.

Back “home” and we’re heading to the Fairy Glen where we have a reservation for dinner tonight as we cooked last night and there are very few options around here for food! With the clocks changing last night, it’s still lovely and bright as we walk up the pretty pathway and have a tasty meal at our ‘usual’ table!

Next morning it’s time to leave North Wales and we stop at St Margaret’s church Bodelwyddan before crossing the border back into England.

We notice lots of graves for Canadian soldiers and learn that they were housed at Kinmel camp (close to the church) which was a military camp used by Canadian troops during WW1. There were riots in the camp at one point and 5 people were killed but most of the soldiers buried here actually died of the Spanish flu.

We really enjoyed our short trip to North Wales which had a lot to offer especially if you like to walk. For now we say “hwyl fawr” to Wales.

Today we are arriving to the last Central American country of our trip and it’s a first for us both – El Salvador. It’s another land border crossing as we are driving from Antigua, Guatemala which is about 3 hours to the border crossing at Las Chinamas.

We get out of the car and go into one building to exit Guatemala – a straightforward stamp out and there’s no queue so happy days. Then back into the car, drive over the bridge…..

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….. and into another building to get stamped into El Salvador. We’ve just managed to get ahead of a group of about ten people so no wait time, and after answering a few questions, where are we staying, how long for etc we are stamped in. Shane has to pay $12 to get in and as I take out my purse the lady says no payment for you just him …. Haha, love my EU passport!!

After about a 45 minute drive from the border we arrive at Tazumal, a Mayan city set in the Chalchuapa archaeological complex.

It’s a small enough area relative to the Mayan sites we’ve visited in other country’s, with one main pyramid to see.

It has a small museum which we walk around and I learn something I’ve wondered about since I started this trip. I kept reading reference to meso America which I thought just meant middle America (aka Central America) but it actually refers to something a little different. It is defined geographically as “from the southern half of Mexico -Pánuco River-, including Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador and the western part of Honduras, the Pacific coast of Nicaragua and northwest Costa Rica- Nicoya province. So there you go!

Back in the car we continue to Joya de Ceren. This archeological site has been nicknamed the Pompei of America. Unlike Pompei you don’t get to walk among the buried city, you walk around a couple of large covered areas and look down at the remains of the city that was covered in lava. There’s not a huge amount to see here but it’s interesting.

The eruption of the Loma caldera volcano in 535 AD covered the city in a 5-metre layer of ash. The burial preserved evidence of Mayan daily life and happily no bodies were found.

The park has lovely grounds and I see cocoa beans on a tree which is cool to see.

The Ruta de Las Flores is in the western highlands of El Salvador and it is a scenic destination that’s one of the most popular places in the country. There are long, winding roads with lush green hillsides and coffee plantations, connecting the colourful towns that dot the route and during spring, vibrant flowers bloom in every colour along the roads — giving la Ruta de las Flores its name.

We arrive to Concepción de Ataco where we’ll spend the next couple of nights at Casa Degraciela which is a colonial home more than 200 years old and I think it could have been a convent as there’s so much religious memorabilia around.

It’s still bright so we head out to explore this little town. It’s small so easily walked around in 20 minutes or so. We head to the main square, beside our hotel and it is very busy. It’s Sunday so all the locals must be out. It has a bit of a crazy feel to it as there’s really loud music coming from a few different sources. On the corner of the square there’s a guy with a microphone singing to backing tracks with his amp on full blast. There are also roadworks everywhere!

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In the square we have, on one side a headcase dancing by him/herself to their very loud music via an amp and on the other side a couple streaming themselves dancing to their own music. Did I mention this square is quite small! It’s all a bit bizarre!!

We see there’s a large funeral coming from the main church and the hearse is a pick up truck!

Once the funeral clears out we go inside to see this very beautiful church.

Now you know I’m fascinated with how they dress the statues in this part of the world. Check out this one… looks like Jesus may have been going to prom!! 😱

Around this small town are brightly painted murals which I love.

There are lots of food stalls and we spot something we’ve never had before – “Riguas”. They are soft, sweet, buttery pancakes made with fresh white corn, that can be eaten plain, or stuffed with beans, cheese and different types of protein. Riguas is a common street food in El Salvador and can be found being sold off a hot griddle cart. We opt for a cheese and lorocco (the green veg we had in Honduras) and it is really tasty.

We walk to another smaller church that has the same colours as the other church in the town – there seem to be three and all uniform white and blue. This one is closed but it’s nice from the outside.

More cool murals as we walk around.

In El Salvador, the pupusa has been declared the national dish and has a specific day to celebrate it. It’s no surprise then that there are plenty of pupusa restaurants in this little town. So no surprise this is what we have for dinner tonight at “Primavera”. We also try a local margarita which is really good but surprisingly has a cherry in there!!

Next morning, we are up early to drive to Volcanoes National Park which is home to what is called the “three giants”: Izalco, Santa Ana and Cerro Verde. This is our second volcano climb in a few days (we just climbed Pacaya in Guatemala for anyone who hasn’t read the previous blog instalment!). This morning we climb Santa Ana and although the initial climb is not as steep, it’s a longer hike up and back. The weather is beautiful, there’s no cloud and the views on the way get better and better. This is the view of Izalco volcano behind us.

As we get close to the top we see a coyote – he’s close but not too close!

This volcano last erupted in 2005 and is the highest volcano in El Salvador at 2,381 metres. At the summit we have this magnificent view of a turquoise crater lake which is absolutely stunning.

It is stunning up here…

We leave the Park and drive downwards to Lake Coatepeque. Viewpoint (or mirador) halfway up/down.

We have lunch looking out on the water at Restaurante Las Palmeras and then walk along the lake to get some other views. It’s roasting – 34 degrees!

Tomorrow we will visit a number of towns on the “Ruta de las Flores” and now we will tick off another – Nahuizalco. This dusty little town is famous for it’s night market, although we are a bit early and it is only getting underway, plus we are knackered so after a short walk around and the obligatory photo of the church we head back to Ataco.

We have a well deserved restful evening as we are tired after such a busy day. Thankfully our lunch was substantial as we don’t even fancy dinner! An early night tonight and we’ll be full of beans for moving on to our next destination tomorrow.

Feeling refreshed after a great rest and our “full Guatemalan” breakfast, we load up the van and get on the road with Cecil.

Today we continue driving the Ruta de las Flores as we make our way toward Suchitoto. There were some flowers but not a huge amount in bloom but the highlight for me were the volcanoes that stand ominously over the horizon at every turn. Stunning scenery and the roads were so much nicer to drive than the bad conditions in Guatemala. This view clearly shows the three giant volcanoes including Santa Ana which we climbed yesterday, I love it!

Our first little town or pueblo we visit is Apaneca. Apaneca means ‘river of the wind’ and this is El Salvador’s second-highest town (1450m). Considered one of the country’s prettiest places to visit, its cobbled streets and colorful adobe houses are largely untouched by tourism, while its cottage craft industry is highly revered. It’s cute and is clearly being looked after.

Did I mention there are roadworks everywhere. I think all of the villages are currently having new roads laid. This place looks like it’s also getting new drainage!

We drive through Ahuachapán but there’s not much to see here apparently, it does have some tragic history though. In 1932 this region witnessed the horrible Peasant Massacre, when mostly Nahuatl coffee farmers were slaughtered by government troops for an attempted insurrection and mass protest. The actual number of deaths still varies, but 30,000 people is a close estimate.

Next stop is Juayúa (why-ooh-ah), which is the most-visited town on Ruta de las Flores due to its attractive cobbled streets, weekend food fair, and nearby waterfalls and hot springs. Cristo Negro, or Black Christ is an important religious statue carved by Quirio Cataño in the late 16th century and housed in the church. We will definitely be checking that out!

The church is beautiful- the prettiest we’ve seen in all the little towns.

Inside is also beautiful and we see a couple of black Jesus’s so not sure which is the original!!

We also see this guy in every church we’ve been in so I need to do a bit of research on him.

We stop in the tiny town of Salcoatitan which has a very colourful sign….

….. and another interesting sign as you enter the village…

We reach Suchitoto, the last place we will stay before we leave El Salvador and we are at a gorgeous hotel called El Tejado. This is in the Lonely Planet as a place to go to enjoy the food at the restaurant and the big pool. Oh I will definitely be checking that out but first it’s time for lunch which is delicious.

Here’s that pool…. Time for a dip as yes it’s still roasting!

Once the sun has gone down a bit we take a walk into town for a look around. We see this interesting sign on a lot of the houses and buildings.

We walk to the main square and you’ll never guess what we check out… yep the church. Mass is on so I peep in and sit for a while. it’s a beautiful big church.

We have a beer in one of the bars on the square and grab a couple of pupusas before we head back to the hotel. Our pupusas cost all of .50 cent each which is crazy!!

Next morning we visit the ALEJANDRO COTTO museum. We don’t know who he is but it’s listed as one of the things to do while we’re here so we’re intrigued. ALEJANDRO COTTO was a writer, poet, and film director. At 25 years old he organized the First Centennial of Suchitoto, which resulted in a grand cultural event with many famous attendees. We see photos of him when he was young with stars from around the world and there are stunning views from the gardens.

We explore more of the small town, visiting the market and having lunch at El Rinconcito del Sabor. There is another “museum” – Museum of the Thousand Plates and More that we decide to check it out and it is such a funny and odd experience – it was well worth the $3 admission. The small building houses this man’s collection of plates and other stuff from all over the world and a young girl points things out speaking in Spanish – I think she thinks I understand her!! After a while the owner (I’m pretty sure her Dad) comes over and takes over the explaining and then at the end his wife picks up the tour!! It’s quite bizarre!

There were some interesting and scary looking plates on show!

Back at the hotel we have more pool time and I have a chat with the parrot who I heard shouting at 6am this morning! I say hola, he says hola… he is a cheeky bird!

We decide to try a margarita at the hotel as this will likely be the last one of the trip and it is really good.

Time for our final evening on the streets of Suchitoto…..

Our final meal is at a restaurant with a terrace overlooking the water (although it’s dark so we can’t admire the view) and we have a shared grilled plate which is delicious.

Next morning we have a final leisurely breakfast and then it’s off to San Salvador, the capital city of El Salvador. A city that was once very dangerous but since a huge number of criminals were locked up a few years back it is now apparently very safe for everyone including tourists. [side bar: In 2022 there were a series of murders and the Salvadoran government declared a state of emergency that suspended several constitutional rights and enabled the government to launch mass arrests of suspected gang members]

We only have a few hours before we head to the airport so we’ve done up a list of the places we want to see. We start at the main plaza

We see the palace. The government sat here until 1974 but are no longer in this government building.

The library building is very modern. We go to the top and see some great views of the cathedral and palace, the square and further afield.

View from the outdoor terrace at the library.

We decide to take a tour of the palace which thankfully is in English and we see lots of rooms which are painted in different colours. The courtyard is also beautiful with giant trees.

We visit Iglesia El Rosario which is an unusual looking church and from the inside is supposed to be amazing when the sun shines in through the stained glass windows. Unfortunately it’s closed so we don’t get to see it.

At the metropolitan cathedral of San Salvador we see the tomb of – Oscar Romario. This is the person we’ve seen in every church in El Salvador. He was a bishop who spoke out against social injustice and violence and was shot by an assassin while celebrating mass in 1980. He was declared a martyr in 2012 and canonised a saint in 2018.

It’s not the most beautiful capital city we’ve visited but it was interesting to see it. After a few hours it’s time to head back to the car and to the airport.

And that’s a wrap! Goodbye El Salvador and Central America, it has been the best January I think I’ve ever had!