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.

Christmas 2000 was spent in County Wicklow, Ireland at the stunningly beautiful Clone House. Upon arrival, we were told that we were the only guests staying at the four bedroom country house over the holidays. Moments later, we were promptly invited to spend Christmas dinner with the proprietor’s family.

The family gathering on Christmas day included the owner’s parents, who were visiting from Italy.  It was quickly established that we did not speak much Italian and they did not speak much English, so we conversed through the owners and used elaborate hand gestures to emphasize our stories. Before long, the language barrier all but disappeared. Mutual curiosity of one another and of our culture differences kept the banter alive with ease.

The pinnacle of the evening came after an abundance of wine and at the end of a  decadent five-course meal. Startling all of us, our lovely new Italian acquaintances broke into an operatic song and serenaded us with a brief impromptu concert sung in Italian. A hush fell over the table as the last note was sung. With my eyes bright and brimming with tears of happiness and awe of what had just occurred, we all raised a glass to toast each other and to salute this unforgettable Christmas Day.