Travel Reflections - Hogmanay 2001

View of Edinburgh from Carlton Hill by day

It took a great amount of willpower to leave the warmth of the crackling fire behind with our empty pints at The Ensign Ewart pub. Spilling out of the pub onto the Royal Mile, we are hit at once with a chill that worms its way expertly underneath our winter coats and gloves and seeps into our bones. Pausing briefly, we take a deep breath and join the throngs of people clogging the street for the start of the “river of fire”.

It is 2001 and the first night of the 3-day Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Festival.  Scottish for the last day of the year, Hogmanay is also the Scottish celebration of the New Year. For over twenty years, Edinburgh has hosted one of the biggest Hogmanay festivals in Scotland attracting upwards of 100,000 people. The festival starts with the Torchlight Procession on December 29^th and ends with a concert in the park on December 31^st.

Five of us took the train up from London to experience New Year’s Eve, Scottish style. Uncertain about what to expect during the festival, we decide to partake in the Torchlight Procession that very evening. We had tucked into a pub after exploring Edinburgh Castle many hours ago and were now ready to face the dark wintry night.

Photo courtesy of bbc.co.uk

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Travel Reflections - Clone House, Ireland 2000

As we begin a fresh year full of hope and possibility, I find myself reflecting on the past twelve years and the adventures that have been had. Traveling has been such an enormous part of my life that I am hard pressed to find memories that aren’t tangled deep in the fibers of travel.  In times of celebration and in times of heartache, traveling is the one constant that has kept me afloat, rejuvenated my soul, and given me the strength to tackle the many shades of life. As with life, my relationship with traveling is fluid and ever-changing. And, for that, I am forever grateful.

The past few weeks, I have found myself silently reminiscing about various journeys and unforgettable moments in time of years gone by and thought I would put these memories to paper, so to speak.

The task of filtering through twelve years of travel memories is daunting to be sure, but I would be lying if I didn’t say it was also an immensely enjoyable assignment. Over the next several weeks, I’ll work my way through the last twelve years, starting with the year 2000. I am sure there are many gems that I have overlooked, so be sure to remind me of any that I may have missed along the way!

2000 – Clone House, Ireland

The bluish white candle flames danced seductively with the wind that seeped through the 19^th century dining room windows of the rural Irish manor house. Laughter roared across the Christmas adorned farmhouse table where we were devouring a Sicilian-influenced, locally sourced feast, with our Italian hosts and newfound friends. The scorched earthy aroma of the peat fire laced with hints of garlic cloaked the room like a smoky savory blanket.