Irish countryside days

From our trip to Ireland

Beach escape one day..

Bettystown- it was a nice beach, the town itself was run down and boring.

and some green time the other days

We were driving criss cross the hilly landscapes of Irish countryside one week ago. We focused our stay on the east-coast, north of Dublin. This was for practical reasons, because our son joined the rugby-camp in the capital town and we wanted to have a peaceful week surrounded by the green fields with our daughter. We got what we asked: serene beautiful landscapes, spiced with some interesting history from the county Meath. 

I forgot to take a nice photo from our little cottage near the town of Navan, but let's keep it a secret. One detail I can tell: a beautiful, young horse was kept just beside the house on the field. It was trained by a Ukrainian circus artist, who made some incredible acrobatics on the horse. One morning around 6.30 I woke up for the sound of a running horse and I saw him standing on top of the animal. The horse looked a bit lonely on the field during some days, but I saw it had a good connection with his trainer. 

History

I was surprised how old the history of Ireland really is. The ancient human beings made sacred tombs about 5000 years ago from the big stones and masked those to fit to the green landscape. These important landmarks are older than the pyramids of Egypt and the Stonehenge in England. Over the time some of these man made "hills" collapsed and were later discovered under ground. A small hill looking curve turned out to be a huge, collapsed stone made grave tomb with a narrow path to the space in the middle. We visited two of these tombs on our journey: The tomb of Knowth and the famous Newgrange. 

The size of these toms is big, but the inner space surprisingly small. The hilly shape was made by a special way with stone layers. Bigger stones turned on a right angle by the support of the smaller stones on the other side. This prevented the stones to collapse and and made a safe roof structure possible. It was only allowed to visit the Newgrange tomb from the inside. You walk a small path with a small group of people and a guide to the small space in the middle. The ancient carvings on the huge stones are symbolizing things that we can't be sure of. But for sure a huge effort was made to transport the big stones from far away and building these monuments for so many years. The people who started the project newer saw it ready, so long it took. You can read more information from the links in the end of the previous chapter.

The tomb one Knowth

Newgrange is best known for the illumination of its passage and chamber by the winter solstice sun. Above the entrance to the passage of Newgrange there is a opening called roof-box. It's purpose it to allow sunlight to reach the chamber during the shortest days of the year around 21st of December. For a few days the light will daily reach the chamber and lighten the stones inside for about 17 minutes. The intent of the Stone Age farmers who built this remarkable spot was to mark the beginning of the year. Amazing architecture and also spiritual feeling in these old places.

Typical carved symbols on a big, supporting stone of the tomb of Knowth.

The river Boyne

Movie sceneries

The central attraction of the village of Trim is the castle. It stands beside the river Boyne and is surrounded with green fields and from the one side it is very centrally located just in the centre of the village. Inside tour is available only with a guide. This castle if famous, because the film "Braveheart" starred with Mel Gibson was filmed here. It is nice to walk nearby the caste and along the river, but that's it. My daughter was suffering a bit when we were visiting these historical sights - she felt bored. We tried to make the rounds short enough. I can understand that a typical teenager doesn't have a big appetite for history.

The Trim Castle

The hill of Tara

We really much liked the big views of Ireland. The best places to  see the green horizons are the nice hills. From the country roads is difficult to see sometimes the fields, because they have so high bushes just beside the roads. 

The circled shape of the symbols on top the the Hill of Tara are only well seen from the air. This place was for a thousands of years a special place for the island of Ireland. It was a spiritual and cultural meeting point, the capital of old times. It was a ceremonial and a burial site, a very important place also for the high kings of Ireland.

The hill of Tara from the air (not my picture)

Food

The distances between villages and the sights are quite small in county Meath. We also got some good advice from our cottage owner about the interesting spots to visit in the area. We drove to the village of Slane for a lunch one day. The small hotel on the main street was cute and the food was tasty. We went there also for a dinner one evening, when our sporty boy was back from the camp. We learned that the dinner is not as good as the lunch was. Anyway worth to visit if you are around the corner one day! They also serve traditional afternoon tea and the interior of the house is cosy.

The Conyngham arms Hotel

I would like to visit Ireland again and see the more dramatic landscapes of the West coast. Dublin was also nice place to visit, but I really prefer more the beauty of the rural Ireland.

Summer hot continues.

We will be reaching almost 40 degrees of celsius today in Amsterdam.

Luckily we are going to see some Mediterranean waves soon. 

I hope to feel a cooling breeze over there.

*Make the best of your summer* 

(or the season you have now in your country)

Countryside Dreams

My sunday was active in a very relaxing way. We were at the countryside of the East Holland and spent as much time outdoors as it was possible in the constantly changing weather conditions. For example our barbecue had to be cancelled, because of a thunderstorm and hill stones. After the loudly echoing sky Theatre the Sun was shining again and the Nature looked so fresh.

I borrowed the old, nostalgic "Gazelle" (what a lovely name) bike from the Carage and went for a nice cycling Tour. I was inspired of the green and surreal, peaceful living panorama that I had seen in my morning jog already. So this was a very sporty day for me. My intention was to take a lot of Photos, but after a one round in the peace of the silent country roads, the rain surprised me again and I cycled back, chased by the raindrops.

The Dutch people are cycling a lot. It is wonderful to make bike trips at the Countryside. There are many Bed and Breakfasts, Camping places or small Hotels in small Towns. The big Trees are growing beside the roads and you find nice shadowy spots even in the hot Summer days. I saw some big groups of people making a Tour with their sport bikes and outfits. Passing me and my old lady Gazelle with high speed ! It is really a National sport here and the flat landscape makes it easier to make bike tours also with the kids. 

Driving the old bike, which was still in an excellent condition, I suddenly felt a moment of timeless beauty. I felt like this could be any time, any decade...and the stories of these country views started to pop in my mind. Like I was being a part of the story in some book and seeing the scenes and doing my cycling round in the past. It was a wonderful moment! I had a vision of me having a picnic blanket, a bottle of wine, a book and something to eat with me. Finding a spot from the fields and enjoying the summer and watching at the sky. Next time I will definitely do this, now I would have got wet anyway! 

The contrast of the Countryside compared to Amsterdam was something I really needed. I did not realise that before going there, but after two days I noticed being away was like being in a paradise, giving me some inner peace and inspiration. 

Surrounded by the grass, the fields, the old trees and smelling the farms or the sweet perfume of the flowers. I did not need anything, I was part of everything and there was no pressure of the time passing, the symbols of time lost their meaning. The right time and the right moment was just there, like I had been there forever and still was...I still am.  

Streets and roads with green

The signs of the new Season are getting stronger and the green fingers of the springtime are being busy. Some local street gardeners are transporting new plants to their pots with a "bakfiets", a bike with a big box in front: handy with some small kids or transporting things in the City. 

The light green leaves are getting visible and growing with the support of the Sun and rain. The long Easter weekend is behind and my personal spring goal is to prepare the balcony and the terrace for the outdoor life. 

The dutch people like their gardens. At the countryside or in some small villages the gardens look sometimes a bit surreal to me. Everything is very strictly planted, planned and organized. Many smaller gardens look like showrooms where you can enjoy your coffee, but not necessarily play any sporty games with your friends. It is nice to see these pretty outdoor spaces and there is a lot of work to keep them so clean and blossoming. In Amsterdam the common gardening style is more diverse. The perfect garden can have a messy neighbour on the other side of the fence. The creative green solutions are parked on the pedestrian zone too. It is nice to walk on the streets and admire the creativity of the people and how they mark their own little space on front of their house with something personal.

The Magnolias are blossoming now and reaching up to the blue sky.

Finally the spurt of the green growth at the park! Soon there will be some good hiding places for the birds including the green parrots who are living in Amsterdam all year long since 1976. The first individuals were released pets and the countings from 2004 and 2006 released that there is over 2000 of these birds living in Amsterdam, mainly in Vondelpark area.

On the first Easter day we had a nice drive by car at the Countryside in the East of Netherlands. An older relative wanted to see her childhood neighbourhood and admire the landscape. It was better sit inside the car, because it was raining regularly. The grass was so fresh everywhere and we saw a rainbow. The children were asking some questions from the old times and from their roots.

Somewhere in the end of the rainbow or near it...we stopped and looked inside to this old house and it's empty rooms. There used to be a someone that we knew living there and after her death the "farm" is for sale. It was a bit sad and a beautiful moment. I am happy that I took some pictures from there.

Back in Amsterdam and ready for the spring! The secret garden of the spring and summer 2016 will be open soon for all of us.

Walk with me

I love the dutch countryside and the green fields with the open view. On the second Christmas day I went for a walk in East Holland, in the province of Overijssel. It is a nice contrast to spent some time in a peaceful village compared to busy Amsterdam. I enjoy it a lot every time. It did not feel like winter. The grass was so green and the weather so mild. This time I let the pictures tell the story. I had a quiet walk and I just concentrated watching around, breathing, listening, moving and taking photos. The best way to relax after all the holiday action. So, let's walk.

Green holiday greetings, Erja