"A Life Worth Living, Is A Life Worth Seeing"

9 July 2008

For those of you that already know my philosophy on travel, this should come as no big surprise to you. It is a "typical" rainy day in London and I am not at Big Ben, The London Eye, or Buckingham Palace. I am sitting at a table at the Barley Mow Pub in Chiswick and taking in the local ites and people. I find something quite serindipitous about the fact that I am sitting at the only dry table on their front patio. Though they have huge umbrellas covering the entirety of the patio, the rain drops have managed to sneak their way through, crashing onto the tables....except mine. This is quite nice for me as I am now able to watch the cars drive by and observe the people walking about the street. there is a great vibe to this place and an atmosphere I am quite comfortable in. I am thousands of miles away from home, yet this bench feels strangely familiar and welcoming as if I am meant to be sitting right here at this exact moment in time. It's a brilliant thing, really.

This was exactly what I wanted to do before I set out for this latest European journey (first time in Dublin, second in London). I wanted one day to break free of the chains and constraints that typically hold travelers down and do my own thing. I wanted at all costs to avoid tourist spots and soak in the moments of an "every-day" experience here. Of course, I'm not saying there is anything wrong with doing that, it is perfect for most, but I wanted something different. I wanted to meet the local bartenders, eat the local food, and chuckle at the fact that there are close to twenty five people here at 1:26 on a Wednesday afternoon. This is the way I enjoy traveling and experiencing new places - to do as the locals do. To go to the same pubs and restaurants they will forever solicit. Put another way, I would never be caught at the London Hard Rock or the T.G.I. Fridays in Piccadilly Circus. There is so much more out there and I want to see it all!

I should add one caveat to these opening thoughts. I am fortunate enough to have been to Europe a number of times before so I can avoid some of your typical tourist haunts. But if it is your first time, there is definite worth and value in some of the popular spots and I have enjoyed and appreciated a few of them thus far. You will not be surprised to find out that the majority of these places were churches. I would like to take a few moments now to recap my travels thus far on this trip and then add a few thoughts on how my philosophy on travel and on life intersect more frequently than you may think.

Friday, July 4 was our first day in Ireland. S & L found an amazing golf/hotel package for us at a resort called Druids Glen (www.druidsglen.ie). This particular course has hosted the Irish Open four times and is beyond amazing. We played its second course, Druids Heath, that day. It is a commonly found links course set-up found in the United Kingdom. There are not many trees, but if you miss the fairway, you are in grass and rough that is crazy thick and sometimes waist high that is practically impossible to hit out of. There are also a ridiculous amount of bunkers on each hole - hit into them at your peril. The course record is a 70 shot by professional golfer Darren Clarke. Most times you will see course records of around ten to twelve under par, but this one is only two under. The course is no joke. I cannot begin to describe how beautiful the landscape is on the course. Standing on the first tee, you are looking directly at the Irish Sea and a fishing troller slowly motoring by while the fog is creeping over the mountains behind you. I didn't play particularly well that day but I couldn't shake the thought that was continually running through my mind....I'm playing golf in Ireland!! After the round was complete, we went to the hotel bar and had a "few" Jameson and Guinness whilst watching Wimbledon. An exceptional dinner of fish and chips (fries, for those of you not in the know) closed out the first magical day in Ireland.

On Saturday we checked out of Druids Glen and made our way to Dublin where we stayed at the Westin Hotel in the heart of downtown Dublin. Our first stop that day was at the Old Jameson Distillery. This was an awesome tour as they took us step by step in the distilling process of my favorite whiskey - Irish or otherwise. L, J, A, and I joined four others as the official tasters at the end of the tour. We tasted Jameson against Johnnie Walker Black Label and Jack Daniels. It was quite interesting to taste the differences of the three up against each other. The Jack Daniels was far too sweet for my liking and since Johnnie Walker is distilled with peat, it is too smokey and oaky for my liking. Jameson is triple distilled with anthracite so you get an amazingly clean taste....so good. I purchased a bottle of twelve year old Distillery Reserve for my father that can only be found at the distillery and I had his name put on the label. Much to my surprise and delight, S, L, A, and J bought me a bottle of Middleton Whiskey, the rarest Irish Whiskey produced by Jameson. In the box was an invitation to go back to the distillery and sign the book they keep for anyone who buys a bottle. This book is on display in the distillery. Next we went to the Guinness Storehouse and saw the brewing process of Guinness. It was such a cool experience to observe the process of how my favorite beer is made. After the tour, you go to the top of the building to the Gravity Bar for a 360 degree view of downtown Dublin. After Guinness, we went to the Purty Kitchen for dinner and I met a phenomenal new musician. His name is Andrew Mann (www.myspace.com/andrewmannmusic) and is an up and coming Irish singer/songwriter. You definitely need to check out his music. To close out the night we went to the Auld Dubliner for traditional Irish music and many pints of SmithWicks.

On Sunday, I started off with a traditional Irish breakfast at Beweley's (yes, the tea and coffee people). This breakfast consisted of toast, poached eggs, mushrooms, sausages, bacon, nd black & white puddings. Puddings are interesting and I would normally never eat them, but I had to try. White pudding is an interesting mix of meat and mystery bits and was not at all bad tasting but I think many Americans would have trouble overcoming the consistency and texture. Black pudding is basically blood sausage and not a favorite of mine at all. I did suck it up and have a few bites confirming my dislike of it. From there, we visited St. Patrick's Cathedral and Christ Church before having a traditional dinner at the Boxty House. I had leek and potato soup and a corned beef and cabbage boxty. A boxty is basically a thin potato pancake wrapped around various fillings. So good. Sunday night brought our tired souls back to London for a little rest and relaxation.

On Monday, J, A, and I set out for the day to visit a few places. We first hit up Westminster Abbey and walked around for a while inside. It is quite the architectural gem and holds the resting places to many of the royalty throughout the years, Isaac Newton, Chaucer, and many other notables. I was pleasantly surprised to find a plaque in Poet's Corner with the familiar AMDG on it belonging to Gerard Manley Hopkins, Jesuit priest and poet. Being Affiliated with the Church of England, I was impressed the Abbey included him. I was struck by a few of the plaques throughout the Abbey and realized how I have such a divergent theology than that of Henry the VIII. One particular plaque said "Fear God and Worship the King." My thinking runs more along the lines of "Worship God." But hey, that's just me. J and A headed inside Parliament and I decided to take a walk and have lunch at a cafe next to the River Thames. We made a stop at the Churchill Museum and War Rooms exhibit before a dinner of bangers and mash back at the flat.

On Tuesday, we took a tour of Emirates Stadium, home to Arsenal Football Club of the English Premiere League. it was an awesome tour of one of the most beautiful stadiums in the sport. From there we stopped in Covent Gardens for lunch at Gourmet Burger Kitchen and then hit up LillyWhites where I purchased Manchester United Football Club and Celtic Football Club scarves for my office. We stopped off at the Swan for a few pints before we ventured to Busabba Eathai, the best Thai restaurant I have ever eaten at. My dinner consisted of Pandan Chicken (cooked in banana leaves) over coconut rice with a sweet soy sauce drizzled on top. I also ordered the calamari which is without question the most delicious calamari in the world. A quick stop for gelato on the way home and Tuesday was in the books.

And now here I sit at the Barley Mow. I just finished my lunch of a braised lamb shank with a zinfandel & rosemary sauce with butternut squash puree. This is just another example of the completely un-boring English cooking I have eaten on this trip.

So how the heck do these ramblings translate into my philosophy on life? Quite simply, really. As the title of this post says, "A life worth living, is a life worth seeing." I love to travel and I love to experience new and exciting things. Some of the most rewarding times in my life have come when I push my limits and step outside of my comfort zone. There is an immensely huge and wonderful world out there that I feel obligated to see. If I am content in my day to day in Buffalo, I will miss out on so much. While I have written about experiences on the world scene, these things can be done in your hometown as well. Visit a place you have never been before, talk to a stranger, practice random acts of kindness, and help your fellow man/woman not because there is something to be gained by you, but simply because it is the right thing to do. When we get too comfortable in our lives, and never push ourselves, it can be a shocking occasion when something new comes around - sometimes good, sometimes bad. But if we are constantly evolving, loving, and living we are ready for the newness that life may bring us each new day. I truly believe that I need to constantly grow and question what I "know" to assure my continued growth on this planet. I will always want to see more. I will always want to do more.

The rain is still bucketing down and it is time for me to move on to the next pub. Who knows what it will bring.

I just saw a great quote at the bottom of the menu: "You will always be welcome." I should have known....

Cheers.