1. Question: What are some of the “things” or activities that people in Ireland do for fun?

Answer:

It’s endless: Golf – with over 300 golf courses, Ireland has one of the most golf courses per capita in the world – and hiking in Ireland’s brilliantly coloured green terrain quickly come to mind. Team sports such as Gaelic football, rugby and camogie (camógaíocht) – an Irish stick-and-ball team sport played by women, which is almost identical to the game of hurling – is played by over 100,000 women in Ireland alone. Equestrian sports are also very popular, like racing, show-jumping, and cross-country riding. During the summer there is bowling on the roads in the evenings. From the stationary to the active, the Irish enjoy traditional Irish music pub crawls and an awesome walls climbing centre in Dublin. For a famous walk of remembrance, there’s an annual famine walk between Louisburgh and Doolough in southwest County Mayo, which commemorates the Doolough Tragedy that took place during the Great Irish Famine. The walk retraces the route where hundreds of destitute and starving people had undertaken to a location where they were promised to receive food, only to be turned away. Later, the bodies of people, including women and children, were subsequently discovered on the roadside between Delphi and Louisburgh. A monument in Doolough Valley has an inscription from Mahatma Gandhi: “How can men feel themselves honoured by the humiliation of their fellow beings.”

2. What are a few things the public probably does NOT know about Ireland?

Answer:

Being drunk in public is against the law: Despite what many tourists believe about the Irish and our drinking habits, drinking in public is actually illegal across Ireland. The only day of the year when this law is slightly bent is on St. Patrick’s Day when there simply aren’t enough police officers to monitor the one million plus tourists on the streets of Dublin. The law is a fairly new one. It is also illegal to be drunk in a pub… but that’s a law that’s rarely enforced!

St. Patrick wasn’t Irish: Contrary to popular belief, and despite being the Patron Saint of Ireland, St. Patrick was not actually from Ireland. Born in Wales around 386 AD, he was captured by the Irish and sold into slavery, working as a shepherd in the West of Ireland. Later in life, he returned to Ireland as a missionary, helping to spread Christianity in Ireland.

There were never any snakes in Ireland: While many tell the tale of St. Patrick banishing snakes from Ireland, the truth is that there have never been wild snakes on the island of Ireland. After the Ice Age, the snakes inhabiting Britain were never able to make it across the water to the island.

The shamrock is not the national symbol of Ireland: The shamrock is recognised around the world as a symbol of Ireland, but the harp is actually the official National Symbol of Ireland.

Halloween originated in Ireland: Halloween as we know it today actually originates from the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when the people would light bonfires and wear scary costumes to ward off unwelcome spirits. Samhain is an old Gaelic word which translates to ‘darker half’, thus marking the beginning of winter.

3. Share some aspect of what Ireland has contributed to the world.

Our artists (a remarkable list for a population so small):

WRITERS– Here’s ten

James Joyce:  Ulysses, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, Finnegans Wake
William Butler Yeats:  Dancing at Lughnasa, The Second Coming, Memoirs, A Vision, The Countess Cathleen
Bram Stoker:  Dracula, The Lair of the White Worm, The Lady of the Shroud
Jonathan Swift:  Gulliver’s Travels, A Tale of a Tub, Correspondence
George Bernard Shaw:  Pygmalion, Major Barbara
Oscar Wilde:  The Picture of Dorian Gray, Salome, The importance of being Earnest
Samuel Beckett:  Waiting for Godot, The Unnamable, Murphy
Seán O’Casey:  Juno and the Paycock, Rose and crown, The letters of Sean O’Casey
Brendan Behan:  Borstal Boy, The Hostage, The Quare Fellow
Frank McCourt:  Angela’s Ashes, ‘Tis: A Memoir, Teacher Man

ACTORS – Here’s ten

Richard Harris
Barry Fitzgerald
Maureen O’Hara
Michael Gambon
Liam Neeson
Gabriel Byrne
Kenneth Branagh
Brendan Gleeson
Pierce Brosnan
Colin Farrell

MUSIC – Here’s five

The Dubliners
Van Morrison
U2
Altan
Frank Patterson

Erin go Bragh!

The post 3 Things We Didn’t Know About The Island of Ireland appeared first on Traveling Archive.

And therein lie two of the greatest pleasures at this glorious old resort in New Paltz, NY – activities to keep you busy all day (but only if desired) and the connection to the Smiley family, who has owned and operated the resort for over 140 years.

That connection reverberates throughout the property, which has been dragged kicking and screaming into the 21^st century.  First bought in 1869 by twins Albert and Alfred Smiley, the 10-room tavern that sat on 300 acres of lake and farm area has been expanded to encompass 266 rooms in connected buildings spanning a sixth of a mile, while the property now extends to 2200 acres, all of which has been treated to accommodate the uninvited virus so that their more welcome guests can feel safe and comfortable.

Their most recent nod to architectural modernity came in 2005 when they added an ecologically sensitive, geothermally heated spa wing and the first and only – and long overdue (at least to my way of thinking…) – cocktail lounge. The structural expansion prior to that? 1910, when they added the rounded window section in the main dining room.

Which leaves you very unprepared for the grandiose creation greeting you as you drive up. The mammoth building sitting atop a hill more resembles a haunted house than a mountain resort. All jutting angles and balustrades, widows peaks and turrets, circular, angular and pointed wood, stone and rock cliffs result in a hodge-podge of architectural styles for which eclectic is an understatement. It’s an imposing mish-mosh of disparate styles, all tacked one upon the other, without thought to form or aesthetic. You don’t know whether you’ve arrived at a world-class hotel (which it is), Rapunzel’s castle or the Addams Family abode; you do know that it’s wonderful.

A walk through its many halls presents a similar adventure. A labyrinth of hallways, stairways, cubicles and cubby halls features a surprise at every turn: an aquarium, library, billiard room, activity center. The life-size stuffed Basset Hound and Russell Terrier in front of the gift shop were so real I was sure I heard them bark.

A Rogue’s Gallery of famous people and family members who contributed to the long history of Mohonk features pictures of Rockefellers, Vanderbilts and Carnegies who vacationed here along with several presidents and other heads of state. Around every corner, a rocking chair, lounge chair, or settee looking out on yet another beautiful view. Long porches and outdoor alcoves everywhere lined with more rocking chairs, many facing the lake caressed by canoes, rowboats, kayaks and paddle boats beckoning for attention. The whole idea is to get guests to look at, get out in and enjoy the surrounding nature. Or not. Sitting also is good.

Some resorts boast multiple restaurants and swimming pools – at Mohonk, it’s rocking chairs and gazebos.  Thus many a guest can be found sitting in any one of 125 gazebos spread throughout the property – the Smileys put them in areas they identified as beautiful locations, which accounts for their large number – either reading a book or just staring out at the lake or mountain before them. Or equally entranced by flower-laden, canopied pathways interconnected by wooden bridges, trellised walkways, green bushes and rock outcroppings. The connection with nature is all-encompassing. Be prepared: there are so many places – gazebos, benches, chairs, hidden nooks, alcoves, both indoors and out – enticing you to just sit and read that you should carry a book with you at all times (or, if you’re under 18, your iPad).

Sitting on our balcony – there we had to make due with yet another rocking chair, which are the only things that outnumber the gazebos – overlooking the views was so peaceful we had to force ourselves to get up and start undertaking the myriad of activities awaiting us. As an incentive to get moving, the map of the building lists 58 different destinations – and those are just indoors! We’ll talk about the outdoor options later.

Just as the current structure is essentially unchanged since 1902, the same goes for the initial mission of the resort, as first espoused by Albert Smiley: it remains dedicated to a renewal of the mind, body and spirit in a beautiful natural setting. That vision still permeates the property, embodying an old-world ambience that adds charm and character that no modern-day hotel complex can come close to matching.

You want to do some hiking, rock-climbing or mountain biking? You’re in the right place. Want to ride a snowmobile, a Jet Ski or watch TV – you’re not. Mohonk is all about tranquility. And simplicity. This is not the kind of place where they bring you umbrella drinks by the pool. That same Quaker philosophy also limits any raucous nightlife options. In lieu of the usual resort band and dancing, there may be a lecture on the Geology and Paleontology of the Hudson Valley. Seems like a fair trade-off…

Okay, there actually is a TV located in one of the meeting rooms but a guest survey taken five years ago in which 97% of respondents said they didn’t want them in the rooms probably assures that there won’t be many more making an appearance. And the 15-20 local Smileys still involved in day-to-day operations probably also guaranty that the same ideal will continue. But make no mistake: this is no out-dated, out-of-touch, old-fashioned resort experience; I predict an exciting, activity-laden, fun-filled time to which, like the Gleasons, you’ll want to return to year-after-year.

Now, about those other activities? There’s swimming, inside and out, fitness center and spa, boating, fishing, yoga, guided nature tours, croquet, golf, tennis and, in winter, ice skating, snowshoeing and tubing. Eighty-five miles of carriage roads and trails are available for hiking, running, biking, horseback riding and cross-country skiing.  And most recently – to especially accommodate social distancing – they’re offering outdoor concerts on the Boat Dock every night, have transformed one of its parking lots into a drive-in movie theater and launched a series of live campfire performances.

Strolling the grounds is an activity in itself, past fish ponds, a putting green, stables, a Barn Museum chock-full of fascinating antiques and historic memorabilia, and extensive award-winning gardens. Some are laid out in a well-marked precisely structured design, an interesting antidote to the resort’s chaotic architectural structure; other less manicured foliage spill out over more trellised walkways and, yes, more gazebos, leading around, through, between, beneath and beyond an intricate maze – literally – of evergreen trees.

Rates start at $820 per room, double occupancy. Three meals daily plus afternoon tea and cookies are also included in the room rates, as is a Kids’ Club providing as many hour-by-hour activities for children ages 2-12 as for adults. Although there’s an additional charge for some of the usual suspects (horseback riding, carriage rides, spa treatments), all those other activities are complimentary.

Mohonk is also well-known for its more than 40 theme weekends throughout the year from Mystery Weekends to Rock ‘n Roll to Culinary to Hiking to Yoga and so much more. If you have an interest, they probably have a weekend.

For more information, call 1/855-883-3798 or visit the Mohonk Mountain House website.

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Cinemood

Cinemood 360 is the large screen television and the movie screen you have been waiting for. This handheld device turns screen time into activity time, and even allows for a full virtual tour of national parks, galaxies and more scenes. Check out this video exploring a galaxy..

With Cinemood 360, one can feel as if they are personally immersed into spectacular nature scenes and it also provides a virtual tour of some of the universe’s most spectacular sights. It is a fabulous way to explore the world without leaving your home!

This marvelous technology also provides interactive games for younger kids that get them moving and chasing characters around the room, scaring away ghosts, or playing “The Floor is Lava” with projected hot spots — all pre-programmed into the device.

Cinemood also provides endless hours of kid-friendly content, including Disney stories, videos and instructions on how to make hand shadows. It is a winner product and it also works with streaming services like Netflix and Youtube.

Roybi

Roybi is a charming talking little robot that will interact with your little one. This new friend will talk to your child and teach them about a variety of new topics — depending on what you choose on the app. It’s an educational toy that was recognized on TIME magazine’s Best Inventions of 2019, Roybi Robot ($199, available on RoybiRobot.com, Buy Buy Baby, Bed Bath and Beyond and Amazon) is the world’s first AI-powered educational toy to teach languages and STEM skills.

Through fun lessons, games, stories and songs, this new friend of your child (suggested ages 3-7) delivers personalized content based on their pace and interests. It also uses facial recognition and emotion detection to have interactive conversations and provides social-emotional support for children.

Stomp Rocket

Now more than ever kids need to be playing outside. A great product to get them moving and getting some energy out is Stomp Rocket. These rocket launchers are easy to set up, and fly high into the sky depending on which one you have. Some fly as high as 200 feet into the sky, while others seem to do loops. They are all fun and a great activity to get moving as kids, set up, stomp and run.

Tileblox

Build, create and let your imagination run wild with the all new Inspire 20Pc Tileblox set. These magnets that let your little one build a variety of structures from castles to parking lots.

They are perfect for the beginning builder or as an add-on to another set as these triangles and squares are see through and perfect to use as windows in buildings or in any creation where you want to see through.

TileBlox is perfect for STEM education and when playtime is over, use the magnetic power to simply stack and store.

Hatvitity

What a wonderful concept, a marvelous sturdy hat that protects your little one from sun exposure or for cold days and is also interactive and fun. The Hatvitity allows kids to place a variety of patches all over their hats, and style them according to their own ways.

The patches are interchangeable making it a fun activity as children can personalize their hats. Hativity’s interactive design facilitates independence, socialization, learning, and creativity for children.

BIC Puzzles & Markers

When you hear the name BIC, you might think pens and pencils, but they also have an amazing array of markers, fun activity kits, stationery supplies and free online resources perfect for keeping the whole family occupied and those creative juices flowing!

Try coloring and creating your own unique puzzle, with a kit that comes with designing with bright gel pens, and with smooth mechanical pencils. I also adore their BIC Intensity Fineliner Marker Pen Easel Pack which has wonderful markers that are perfect for coloring with or drawing your own designs. Also, another option which is wonderful is the BIC Gel-ocity Original Retractable Gel Pen Spinner. It is organized, fun and has great colors.

Also, Bic has its own online family resource link, BIC Online Family Resources  which features free downloadable coloring pages, calendars, story prompts, cards and more.

Revell USA: Building Sets

Some of my favorite activities for kids include building. Revell USA, the granddaddy of model kit makers with a history dating back to 1945 produce fabulous sets for kids such as cars, planes and ships.

What makes these kits even more fun is that some are snap together — no paint or glue needed and include small screwdrivers and other tools needed to create the final product.

These kits are a great way for kids to gain first experiences in model making and train their fine motor skills. The creative activity also strengthens the self-confidence of the little hobbyists. The colorful cars are easy to put together and can be taken apart if necessary. They are robust and can withstand one or the other collision.

Crayola Light Up Tracing Pad

A fun way to recreate modern marvels such as the Eiffel Tower or draw your favorite cartoon character is with the Crayola Light Up Tracing Pad. It features 1 graphite pencil, 12 short colored pencils, 10 tracing sheets, 10 blank sheets, and the Tracing pad.

Crayola also offers free coloring pages, some including your children’s favorite characters.

And as parents look for more ways to keep their children occupied, enriched and learning Crayola has a library of resources available from crafting to education. Definitely worth taking a look at — am sure you might find some fun and colorful ideas.

Please join my mailing list for the latest greatest toys and activities for kids as well as special treats for parents. Stay Cool and Stay Safe.

Masada Siegel is an International correspondent who writes fun, positive, and adventurous types of stories – many of which appear on Traveling Boy.

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Color Chemistry Lab Set

The Crayola Color Chemistry Set for kids is filled with pages of super cool experiments exploring your favorite subject — color! This set includes an instruction booklet that’s packed with 50 colorful science-y activities to try out at home. Create and blow up a volcano, learn about the color wheel and what colors create other colors. There are endless creative possibilities and bottom line — kids have fun.

3 Doodler Pens

3Doodler pens are a creative and affordable way to delve into 3D printing. They are a cool way to create structures and bring storybook pictures to life.

There are a treasure trove of stencils, projects and DIY ideas on 3Doodler.com (or YouTube) to keep one busy for weeks on end. They even have a mobile app that allows you to draw on-screen too!

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1. Question: What are some of the “things” or activities that people in BERGEN do for fun?

Answer:

Like all of Norway, the citizens of Bergen have an unique bond with nature. Bergen and the surrounding area offer a wide range of sports and recreational activities. Bergen’s seven mountains feature many opportunities for hikes, walks and even guided horseback rides  in the varied mountainous and forested terrain. Bergen is the “Gateway to the Fjords of Norway,” so a fjord cruise, boating expedition or kayak trek is popular for both locals and tourists. You can also explore Bergen on a Segway.

2. Question: What’s one thing the public probably does NOT know about BERGEN?

Answer:

That Bergen was the capital of Norway from 1200 to 1299 and was the largest city in Norway until 1830 (when Oslo took over as the biggest), and was one of the largest  and most important cities in Scandinavia and Northern Europe in the 15^th and 16^th century because of the trade of stock fish to the rest of Europe. The name of the city was Bjørgvin which means “the green meadow between mountains.”

3. Share some aspect of what BERGEN has contributed to the world.

Answer:

Bergen gave the world one of the greatest composers ever, Edvard Grieg. He was born in Bergen in 1843.

The post 3 Things We Didn’t Know About Bergen, Norway appeared first on Traveling Archive.

This installment of Three Things About Slovenia is courtesy of Aleksandra Jezeršek Matjašič of the Slovenia Tourist Board

1. Question: What are some of the “things” or activities that Slovenians do for fun?

Answer:

A “true” Slovenian has to do and does several things. It is expected from him (her) that at least once in his (her) life time climbs the Mt Triglav, the highest peak of Slovenia. During the spring and summer he (she) has to climb other mountains, too, and hike around the hills, forests and natural parks. In the winter time, he (she) skies in different Slovenian ski resorts. Slovenians are very sporty, they like to cycle, play golf, try different adrenaline sports such as paragliding, canyoning and rafting. They love to pumber themselves with the thermo-mineral waters therapies in different natural thermal spas and wellness centres across the country.

It is also expected that a  “true” Slovenian at least once in his (her) life time visits the Slovenian  hidden world. In Slovenia, there are over 10.000 karst caves with the mysterious limestone stalagamites, stalactites and halls. The most famous are Postojna Cave and Škocjan Caves. He (she) has to visit the birth place of the elegant, amazing, world-famous white Lipizzaner horse in Lipica, too.

The Slovenians love to meet with their friends, colleagues and parents for a cup of coffee or for a glass or two of amazing Slovenian wine such as traditional red teran – and talk for hours about the current politics situation and their neighbours. The Sundays are usually reserved for a lunch with the family. The plates have to be traditional and made of plants and vegetables grown in their own gardens, terraces or fields. Or at least bought from the trusted farmer.

2. Question: What’s one thing the public probably does NOT know about Slovenia?

Answer:

The identity of the Slovenian nation is inseparably connected to its culture and the Slovenian language. The traces of the cultural creativity on the today’s Slovenian territory leads us several ten thousands years back in the history. In the Slovenian museums, there are amazing artefacts such as 60,000-year old flute, 30,000-year old needle or 5200-year old wooden wheel which is the oldest known in the world.

Slovenians are proud of its language, too. The proof of its existence take us to the  9^th–10^th century to the Freising Manuscripts (Brižinski spomeniki). The manuscripts are not just the oldest known  text in the Slovenian language, but they have wider importance, too. They are also the oldest known written proof of any language from the Slavic linguistic group.

Although the Slovenians got their own state just in 1991, they are in fact very old nation with the rich history. And a big secret how did they survived thorugh the rough history lead by different foreign masters.

3. Share some aspect of what Slovenia has contributed to the world.

Answer:

Technical legacy:

The first report on skiers of Bloke is from 1689. The skiers of Bloke are considered inventors of special skies and the oldest skiers in Central Europe. Their legacy is continued today by Slovenian ski brand Elan.

Lovrenc Košir (1804–1879) reformed the post system in Habsburg monarchy. He invented the stamp in 1835, but he never got the credit for it.

Janez Puh (1862–1914) was inventor and pioneer  in the motorcycle and automobile industry. He obtained 13 patents and made several inventions and improvements regarding the vehicles and even for the typing machines. As founder of motorcycles and automobiles manufacturing company in Graz he was one of the most significant vehicle producers in Europe, developing different types of cars, lorries, buses, military and some other special vehicles such as limousines for the imperial Habsburg family.

Baron Anton III von Codelli (Anton Freiherr Codelli von Codellisberg, Sterngreif und Fahnenfeld; 1875–1954) invented several improvements for the automobiles: an ignition device, a miniature in-car food refrigerator, rotary engine etc. But he didn’t limited himself on the cars, he also invented mechanical mower, wireless conection of different devices, high-frequency telephon, mini radio … He is considered, too, a pioneer of television technology.  He even produced and shot the film The White Goddess of the Wangora in Togo, the first feature film ever to be shot in Africa.

Herman Potočnik Noordung (1892–1929) was the first architecture in space, one of the first rocket engineers and pioneer of cosmonautics. His work was focused on the long-term human habitation of space. He is the author of the revolutionary book The Problem of Space Travel – The Rocket Motor (1928). It served as an inspiration for the International Space Station and for the wheel-shaped space station in famous Stanley Kubrick‘s film 2001: A Space Odyssey.

The genious ancestors are succeeded today by different individuals and companies – as Robert Lešnik, the director of Mercedes-Benz passenger cars’ exterior design, Akrapovič, the leading international company in inventing and producing the exhaust systems for motorcycles and performance cars, or Pipistrel, constructor and inventor of advanced light and zero-emission aircraft.

Cultural legacy:

Slovenia is the birth place of Jurij Slatkonja (1456–1522), who became the bishop of Vienna and in 1498 the first director (in some sources he is consider the founder, too) of the boys’ choir that is know today as Vienna Choir Boys and as one of the  best of it’s kind in the world.

In Slovenia were born the late Renaissance composer Jacobus Gallus Carniolus (1550–1591), who is famous for his motets, and Baroque composer and violinist Giuseppe Tartini (1692–1770).

Maks Fabiani (1865–1962) left his home land for Vienna to became personal advisor of Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire throne, professor at the University of Technology and author of interesting architectural projects – such as noticeable observatory Urania, placed by the river Danube.

Ljubljana was the first city in  the world to establish an industrial design biennale in 1964 (BIO) and one of the first to organise a biennale of graphic arts in 1955 (Biennal of Graphic Arts Ljubljana).

Slovenians are making many contributions to the contemporary art and culture and to the philosophy, too. The most famous and notable person is Slavoj Žižek,  continental philosopher, Global Distinguished Professor of German at New York University, international director of the Birkbeck Institute for the Humanities of the University of London and critic of capitalism, neoliberalism and political correctness.

Country of powerful women:

Through the history, different powerful and famous men were attracted by the beautiful and smart Slovenian women. One of the examples goes many centuries back in the history of Europe. Barbara Celjska (Barbara of Celje; 1391/92–1451) was married to  Sigismund of Luxemburg, king of different lands and Holy Roman Emperor. Barbara was involved in politics, negotiations, administration and economy, too. Among different assignments, she was also the regent of Hungarian kingdom and the co-founder of the royal Order of the Dragon.

In the present times, another Slovenian woman is married to a powerful man and gets a lot of international interest. After the last presidential elections in USA, ex fashion model Melania Knauss (today Trump) has become the USA First Lady and one of the world’s most famous women.

Thanks to her hard work, creativity and skills, another Slovenian woman is rocking the word. Ana Roš was seeking perfection in the kitchen for years so that she was finally declared the World’s Best Female Chef.

Additional Information

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