Finding a common factor

So far, I've taken two major trips in 2019 - one to #CentralAmerica and the other to #Ireland - and both have their commonalities and differences keeping travel on an learning curve. Normally, I don't like to make comparisons. This could be a rare exception.

In Central America I struggled somewhat with the humidity, heat and the drinking water situation, while in Ireland it was almost the opposite with cooler temperatures and rainfall.

In neither location did I find my safety as an issue, nor did receive anything less than spectacular hospitality everywhere.

Of course, the American dollar goes further in Central America, and supporting the local economy - I brought home beautiful weavings from artisans - was the right thing to do. However, my entire trip to Ireland was based on staying in family-owned guests in small towns off the beaten path. I guess you could say that I met that goal.

The historical aspects of both trips -the route of the Maya and the development of Irish identity - were compelling, and my personal study prior to visiting enhanced my experiences.

People are resilient and adaptable to their geographical situations; however, the possibilities of making a sustainable living are much brighter in Ireland. The government supports education and health care with a safety net for its citizens. It is worrisome to see the level of poverty and lack of opportunities in Central America. The future is not as clear and I realize how migration is a viable option.

From Central America I took away a deeper compassion for hardships, human rights and indigeneous people. From Ireland I left with abounding affinity for a vibrant land and its citizens who long ago overcame servitude to the British Empire and are a current force in the technological world.

Reflecting back, the one commonality that I cherish is sitting down with an individual and listening to the stories - the midwife in her Guatemalan home and the cook at the Irish guest house - for all of us have a similar love for family that connects us together globally. We share the cycle of childbirth, marriage and death whether it be in an isolated village, or in a modern cityscape. Being rich in the blessings that each of us has at our fingertips is the key to our happiness.

There is a wide world out there with space for everybody.

Eyeing the Dysert O'Dea Castle

How much childlike fun exploring a castle from bottom to top without the fuss of too many other visitors. Here you may create your own stories of how you would have lived your life there perhaps as a beautiful lady in the keep, or a scullery maid trudging the stairs tons a time per day.

This particular castle was built C. 1480 by Diarmuid O'Dea and was the stronghold for the clan until 1691.

In 1970 the castle was purchased by John O'Day, a direct descendant of the original owner. It is now restored and managed by a development association.

As in life, there is a way out of any situation.

Finding your own meaning

No two people ever experience a trip in the identical way. You and I may be together on an adventure and your highlights no doubt won't be mine. In fact, yours may be totally irrelevant and not fit into my scheme of things. That doesn’t mean anything significant necessarily.

I search for meaning in misty morning walks down the hill into town, or through the bouncy music coming from an open pub doorway. More often than not, it is a vista so breathtaking that It's hard for me to put a finger on it exactly, except that all my senses are in play. That is how my writing comes together much later and captures those feelings. When I travel on my own, I "work" at my creativity much better.

We all travel with different purposes. On my last trip to Ireland there were three sisters celebrating a milestone birthday, a family sharing ancestral roots on one side and two work friends taking another of many vacations together. I went to energize my writing in a new direction for circumstances changed recently in my professional life.

That's what's so great about life in general. Think how boring it would be to live in a cookie-cutter world.

Observing all the differences is a good exercise in gaining visual acuity.