THE BLARNEY STONE

                               When There Gotta Do!

           Blarney Castle, home of the famous Blarney Stone, is in County Cork. Its tall tower overlooks the River Lee and the surrounding wooded countryside. There are several legends regarding the stone, the most popular being that Elizabeth the First demanded the 15^th century fortress/castle but the Lord of Blarney kept putting her off. Eventually she said he was full of blarney meaning his word meant nothing. Another legend says the prophet Jeremiah brought the stone from the Holy Land.

            It is said that if one kisses the stone he will receive the gift of gab and eloquence. Many of us climbed the 127 narrow twisting stone steps to the top. The slow moving crowd made for an easy climb and the view at the top was magnificent on the clear sunny day. Blarney House is a Scottish baronial mansion that has been the residence of the Colthurst family since the 18^th century and was easily visible from the top of the castle.

            To kiss the stone one has to lie on his back, grab hand rails and bend over backwards. One had better empty his pockets and remove glasses. More than one has lost his treasures by not heeding this advice. A fellow is there to assist, as it is really something one cannot do on his own very well. There is no graceful way an older person can get into position, but we were all in the same boat so to speak. I’m sure the photographer is a permanent fixture---never missing an opportunity to snap a picture.

            After kissing the stone, we took our time leaving the production line to absorb the fantastic view of the grounds below. After descending back to ground level I walked a couple of the several paths covering the lovely grounds. A fellow traveler joined me just before I made my wish and walked backwards up on the 26 wishing steps. The paths were uncrowded and wove though peaceful quiet wooded areas.

            I was there, I did it, but I probably enjoyed the grounds and the walks most. The tranquility  and quiet were wonderful.

            Castles, ruins, lush fields, craggy coastlines, gentle hills, azure lakes, and ancient monuments abound in Ireland making it an incredible picturesque old world country. Its long and passionate history is evident in landscapes and the lives of the friendly people. Yet, today Ireland is also one of Europe’s most vibrant nations. Ireland’s remote western seaboard has sheltered the old traditions of language, music and folklore that have enabled them to survive. Although the European Union is bringing many changes to Ireland the local economy still relies on small farms, fishing co-ops, and cottage industries.

VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA

                                  A Charming City

    Victoria is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, across the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Washington’s snow capped Olympic Peninsula. This island city is a romantic, quaint seaport. Victoria enjoys mild Mediterranean weather with low humidity and off shore breezes, and gets 20-25 inches of rain a year, about a third of Vancouver’s rainfall.

The city, named for a queen, is known as the City of Gardens, and beautiful gardens bloom year round. Elaborate rose gardens flourish in the mild climate. Down town, baskets of flowers hang from the 19^th century lampposts in summer, sprouting about mid-May. They add beauty and atmosphere to the waterfront of the already charming city.

In 1843 Victoria was settled as a political choice to secure an English border with the US. Actually Victoria sits below the American-Canadian border.  The city flourished when gold was discovered in 1858.  Gold seeking miners outfitted at Fort Victoria in the mid 1850s. During the gold rush there were 57 offenses that demanded hanging. It was a booming colonial city in the late 19^th century---until Vancouver was established in 1880s. James Douglas became the first Governor. He gave the city 150 acres of land which now is Beacon Hill Park. Established as a Hudson Bay Company Fort the city is a mix of old England with a proud history and British customs.

The first commercial brewery in Western Canada was established in the 1850s and was in operation before the first lighthouse. There are many vineyards on Vancouver Island making for a burgeoning wine industry.

  Today horse drawn carriages trot past stately legislative buildings.  Historic Fort Street is known as antique row in this modern metropolitan city.  London-style double-decker buses transit the city on a regular basis. Pedicabs and ferries are also available. Local transportation is frequent, reliable and easy to follow, and walking the compact city is easy as well. Float planes take off every 2-3 minutes making for a busy harbor.  This wonderfully preserved frontier town sits in a beautiful scenic seaside locale. Victoria is the island’s largest city as well as the Provincial capital. The rest of Vancouver Island is rural to wild.

The Gorge is a long body of water, a tidal basin, that at the turn of the century was the playground for well-to-do Victorians. Many lovely old Victorian homes were in the area. Unfortunately only a couple remain. 

Lt. Governor’s house has 35 acres of gardens! Budget cuts years ago transferred all the gardeners from the house. After twelve years of neglect the gardens were in a sad state of disrepair. In 1990 a large group of volunteer gardeners was organized who now care for the gardens that are again lovely. Several volunteer gardeners were working the morning we visited and I had a chance to talk to a couple of them. The city parks have unionized gardeners and do not encourage any volunteering----what a shame!

The University of Victoria’s gardens were exquisite! Azaleas and rhododendrons were in full bloom, in every color. Some of the rhododendron blossoms were the size of a large dinner plate, and standing six feet tall they were a magnificent sight!

It seemed every home in the city had a flowering garden of some size and they obviously take great pride in their landscapes

Oak Bay, which is one of Victoria’s most British-looking villages/ neighborhoods. Many of the homes were built from stone used as ships’ ballast. Much of the iron trim was also used as ballast. Many old stone walls are still standing and were lovely. We wandered around a bit in some of the shops, and the last evening we had dinner at the Blithering Pub in Oak Bay. In one area of town each street is lined with a different kind of tree. Most neighborhoods in Victoria have lovely old trees. Each little village has its own small grocery store and local pub, both of which are part of the village charm.

Craigdarock Castle

Early railroad and coal barons built many luxurious castles in Victoria. Robert Dunsmuir emigrated from Scotland and became an empire building coal baron. He built Craigdarock
Castle, a lavishly furnished 39-room castle in 1887.  The stained glass windows in the castle were exquisite. The ornately carved woodwork was beautiful as were the fireplaces, pink granite columns, stone turrets and the parquet floors, with a different design each room.

We climbed the 87 steps to the top of the tower, which rewarded us a good view of the city below. We stopped on each floor to view various rooms. We descended down stairs that led through the servants’ quarters.

The original estate extended to the water covering 28 acres. Mr. Dunsmuir died months before the majestic castle was completed, but his wife and children moved into the castle and lived there until his wife, Joan, died in 1908. At that time the castle was a white elephant that no one wanted. Eventually the acreage of the castle was subdivided into 120 lots and sold.  

 Over the years the castle has been used as a military hospital, housed Victoria College, the School Board offices, a conservatory of music, and finally today is an historic house museum.

Victoria is a charming city with a lot of history and much to see and do.

Visit post 8-8-12 to read all about the fantastic Parliament bldg

            Post    10/27 /13 for a look at the Empress hotel and hi tea there.

           

ST MICHAEL'S MOUNT

                                 Center Piece in the Bay

One of Cornwall’s most famous natural landmarks is St. Michael’s Mount. It sits 200’ above the bay on the highest point of the granite and slate island rising out of the water. Built over the site of a Benedictine chapel, it has been a church, fortress, and private residence.  It was one huffing hike over a very rough cobblestone path to the top, but the views were spectacular, the castle was lovely, and it certainly was worth the climb.

I was the first to make it to the top, passing a couple who had touted all trip what terrific hikers they were. I was surprised to see them stop every few steps to get their breath. I have found that the people who do the most talking are often full of hot air.

      One can walk the causeway, built in 1425, only at very low tide, otherwise it’s a pound fare for the ‘ferry’ ride. The 12 passenger ferry was little more than an open row boat with an outboard motor. Eight boats run continuously.  At the top of one of the pair of stairs at the island loading piers is a gold footprint marked VC in commemoration of Queen Victoria’s visit in 1846. I wonder if she made the climb to the top?

       The castle was a defense in 1585 when the Spanish tried to invade, and for any significant disturbance since. St. Michael’s Mount was built by the same French monks who created Normandy’s Mont St. Michel.

      The organ in the present chapel is circa 1791.  The castle houses period furniture and old maps. Lovely wooden floors are throughout, and the castle is bright inside because of its rather large windows, unusual for its day.

Close up of castle

Perched atop the rock outcropping

      After viewing the castle and having interesting conversations with a couple of the docents I made my way back to the bottom. Fortunately it did not rain, because if it had that cobblestone walkway would have been very slippery. I spent a fair amount of time walking through the large gardens surrounding the base of the castle. The gardens contained many unusual plants.

     A few medieval and Victorian buildings, as well as a small gift shop, are at the base of the island. 

     In the middle of the bay it was windy and cool. Otherwise it was a clear sunny day and it was a neat adventure.

HEIDELBERG, GERMANY

                            Heidelberg Castle and Environs         

The big attraction in Heidelberg is its castle sitting high on the hill overlooking the Neckar River. There is much to see here and lots of history to learn. The castle ruins are the largest in Germany. The French destroyed the castle during the 30-year war. One tower blown up by the French had 21-foot thick walls! Five dukes lived here, each adding another wing to the castle. The moat has always been dry.

We entered the castle through the Elizabeth Gate which was a birthday gift to Elizabeth from her husband, Fredric. She was the daughter of Mary, Queen of Scots. Elizabeth had 13 children. Her fourth child established the Hudson Bay Company. Another son became George I, and number twelve child became a Hanover. After WW I the Hanover House became the House of Windsor.

The views of the city, river, old city towers from the once fortified walls, and the 200-year old bridge spanning the river were fantastic from the high vantage point.

Berg denotes a castle before the advent of artillery when a structure was primarily used as a fortification. Schloss refers to a castle after fortification when a structure was primarily a residence.

Famous Heidelberg Fass

In the castle cellar sits the Heidelberg Fass, also known as the Tun. The largest wine barrel in the world has a capacity of 58,124 gallons of wine. Today it is more of a tourist attraction than anything else as it is no longer used. It is said that it took 130 oak trees to build the enormous keg.  Stairs lead up to a dance floor built on top of the barrel. Mark Twain apparently visited and received inspiration for a chapter in Huck Finn.

            Heidelberg is a rather small baroque city built on Roman foundations where culture is highly valued. The city is home to Germany’s oldest university, founded in 1386.

            We learned about several old historic buildings and churches  in the heart of the city before moving on to the university. A rather unusual feature of the university was its Student Prison, which functioned from 1712-1914. Mostly well bred, rather well-to-do students attended the university. Punishable offences included dueling, brawling, practical jokes, drunkenness, extinguishing street lamps, and chasing citizen’s pigs down alleys.

We were told, “Students actually liked to be sent to the student prison as it was such a lark. The first two days they were starved on bread and water, but after that they could have food brought in. Water came from a well in the courtyard. Visitors were allowed. The boys continued to attend classes. Liquor was not banned. The boys arrived with their mattress and linens.”

 The walls were covered with graffiti. There were five cells with an iron bed frame, a couple of tables and stools. Using a bright light and candle-soot the boys fashioned silhouettes. The graffiti is preserved now with a coat of varnish. There are a few stairs up to the prison, but it is quite unique and worth the visit.

For some unknown reason the city of Heidelberg escaped WW II bombings which helped preserve its lovely old buildings.

NUREMBERG, GERMANY

                            An Interesting City

We arrived in Nuremberg on a Sunday, and in Germany Sunday is a family day, no question about it.  The shops were closed. However a local city guide showed us the important sites.

The medieval foundation was built on Roman ruins. Nuremberg means stony hill and the first settlement was built on a hill. The first documents in 1050 mentioned when a slave was freed. That was unusual as most documents then referred to trade or war. The medieval trade route was lost when a sea route developed, and the city became part of Bavaria under Napoleon.

Nuremberg is the second largest city in Bavaria and capitol of Franconia. The 16^th century zigzag fortification walls were designed by an Italian architect. By the 19^th century the entire city was still behind the city walls. In January 1945, 525 British Lancaster bombers bombed the city, so much of the city’s medieval splendor was lost in the ashes of WW II. Dresden is the only city that received more war devastation.

 For years the city’s name conjured up a recollection of the infamous Nuremberg war trials. That is now soft-pedaled as the city has many other things to offer. However, our first stop was the Party Rally Grounds of the Nazi Third Reich 

The 11 square kilometer grounds were built between 1933-38 for the Nazi conventions held each September. The convention center resembles the Roman Coliseum, which is no coincidence. Built between 1935-42 it is 40 meters high, but was never finished to its intended 60 meters. Besides being built to impress, it also was built to seat 50,000 people. Hitler intended the granite-fronted building to be a monument forever. Located next to a lake, the center’s reflection gives the impression it’s even larger. At the time these grounds were built unemployment in Germany was 33%, and it gave many people a job.

The field was meant to accommodate 100,000 spectators and 70,000 participants. A huge golden swastika was removed from the lecture area by the allies. Pillars were also removed, possibly because they also had swastika imprints on them. The whole Nazi movement was a combination of fascination and violence. The SS barracks were occupied by American soldiers and new refugees from 1945-92.

Nuremberg was a rich important city because it was an important trade route, and it was close to the Emperor who held his first diet (imperial meetings) here. Today the city has a full democratic council. Nuremberg, an industrial town, is known for its toys, and many other handcrafts with excellent workmanship.

As we traveled the city I noted a marked contrast as the architecture changed from modern boxy construction to old medieval buildings. It was almost like a curtain had been dropped in some areas.

The Imperial Castle (Kaiserburg) was the residence of German kings and emperors. We walked up a cobbled incline to the entrance where we stopped while our guide explained, “An enemy had to climb this ascending wooden bridge that made it hard to run, but if he was successful, he immediately ran into a stone wall here. The ascending walk inside made it easy for the inhabitants to roll a burning fireball down on to the enemy, and if that failed there were holes in the ceiling where hot oil could be poured on the trespassers below. But as far as we know none of these things were ever put to use.”

The tower dates to the 11^th century. The inner court contained a deep well, which was guarded. The moat was dry. At the end of the courtyard was a Roman chapel with only one seat---for the emperor.    

  We ended our city tour at Marketsquare that houses the 60-foot high, 1370s stone pyramid fountain where thirty figures are arranged in four tiers. The ironsmith who made the wrought iron fence surrounding the fountain had an apprentice who fell in love with a nobleman’s daughter. Naturally the dad objected to the match. One evening the apprentice disappeared never to be heard from again, but he left a golden journeyman’s ring on the fence. It is said that if one turns the ring it will bring good luck. Because the ring had to be replaced frequently it now is no longer gold.

The churches were all having services so we could only view the facades. The center of the square was covered with several hundred green rabbits—a modern art exhibit.  It was different but at the same time kind of quaint.

This trip to Europe was made during the big heat wave that blanketed the continent. It was hot, hot, hot so we were happy to make it back to the boat to enjoy the air conditioning!