Last Week in Ireland

Two years ago we discovered Portstewart, a charming resort town on the North Atlantic coast, and knew we wanted to return. Being able to rent the same apartment we had before sealed the deal. Sue, our Portstewart host, called our time here the “jewel in the crown” of our trip. And we totally agree.

We spent most of our week in Portstewart golfing, hiking and returning to favorite restaurants. As sometimes happens, reality didn’t always measure up to our memories, and we had a couple of disappointments. But some of our favorite restaurants were as wonderful as we remembered.

The Bushmills Inn, located just a couple of miles from the Bushmills Distillery, surpassed our memories. I don’t know if they serve whiskey-marinated salmon because they are close to the famous distillery, but it was a new preparation for me and it was fabulous.

The Dark Hedges

The last time we were here, friends recommended visiting The Dark Hedges, but we ran out of time. So, it was high on my list for this visit.

The Dark Hedges is an avenue of 225 year-old beech trees along Bregagh Road in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. But it is more than just a row of trees. The old trees are majestic, and the light is magical.

James Stuart created Dark Hedges when he planted 150 trees in 1775 along the entrance to his Gracehill House estate. He wanted to impress visitors as they approached the house.

Today a property developer owns the grounds and has created a golf course, hotel, coffee shop and landscaped entrance to the avenue of trees.

Although I never watched Game of Thrones, it was a very popular show. Fans of the show visit The Dark Hedges because it was the Kingsroad in the first episode of the second season.

Dunluce Castle is another stunning spot in the area that was used in Game of Thrones. It was used as the Seat of House Greyjoy, the great castle of Pyke.

Because we arrived after it closed, we could only see it from the outside. Built in the 1500s, the remains perch dramatically on the edge of a cliff. It was the seat of Clan McDonnell and is still owned by the family.

Hiking

We love hiking in this beautiful area. Beauty and history are everywhere.

On one walk, we passed a 17th century stone building that was used for commercial salmon fishing .

I am inspired by the saying, “There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing.” Since most of the week was windy and rainy, we had many chances to put this saying into practice.

As much as I try to be hearty, the Irish put my efforts to shame. They are masters of not letting the weather keep them inside. We walked the beach one day when it was 56 degrees and windy. Although I needed a neck scarf and puffy jacket to stay warm, people were swimming in the ocean. Our server at dinner one night told us when some of the staff get off work at 11PM, they often don wet suits and swim in the ocean-in the winter!

Golf

Golf is high on our list of what we love about this area. There are grand and famous courses and small unknown courses. During our week in Portstewart, we got to play both.

Thanks to a recommendation from a friend of a friend, we discovered the Bushfoot Golf Club, a small nine-hole course. As soon as we arrived, we noticed the informal, friendly atmosphere of the club.

Because it doesn’t get dark here until about 10PM, we booked a 6:40 tee time. When we got there, the pro shop was closed, and we weren’t sure what to do. A friendly man, who may or may not have worked there, got us score cards and push carts (called trolleys here) and directed us to the first tee.

We enjoyed golfing at Bushfoot so much that we decided to go back. This time the closed pro shop left a note on the door for us about how to get our trolleys.

Paul’s Best Golf Day

We hit the jackpot with Sue and her husband Dave, our delightful Portstewart hosts. Before meeting us, they invited us to spend two days golfing with them.

Sue is a member at Royal Portrush Golf Club and invited us to join her and Dave for a round of golf. Royal Portrush Golf Club has hosted The Open, the oldest of four major championships in professional golf twice and will host it again in 2025. It is the only course outside Great Britain to host The Open, sometimes referred to as The British Open in the US.

Golfing Royal Portrush was the highlight of the trip for Paul and a wonderful golf challenge for me. In spite of the wet and windy day, we had a fabulous time on the beautiful course. Paul’s birdies on #3 and #4 made it even better.

Paul and I didn’t know it at the time, but the man who took our photo after we finished was Sir Anthony Peter McCoy, a famous jockey and 2010 BBC Sports Personality of the Year. Sue said he was probably happy to be asked to take a picture for us rather than with us.

Sue and Dave, invited us to play with them at Malone Golf Club, their course in Belfast, the day after we played with them at Portrush. After playing all links courses, it was fun to play their beautiful parkland course.

The stunning tree-lined entrance and stately 19th century club house showed us a side of Belfast we had not seen before.

Golfing on a beautiful course in almost perfect weather with great people was a perfect way to end our Ireland journey.

Time to Go Home

Before flying home from Dublin, we made a short stop in Newcastle, a small seaside resort town, and stayed in the Conlyn House, the B&B we had loved two years ago. Maria, our thoughtful host, gave us the same room overlooking the ocean and the mountains in the distance.

As with all great trips, we are looking forward to going home but sad to leave this wonderful country. We returned to Northern Ireland because we loved the beautiful nature, friendly people, complex history and cool weather. After a wonderful three weeks here, we are going home with treasured new memories.

Greencastle and the Potato Famine

After our lovely ferry ride across Lough Swilly, we drove a short distance to Temple View Lodge. Located right outside Greencastle, a small commercial fishing port, the lodge overlooks beautiful Lough Foyle.

Doagh Famine Village

Another instance of synchronicity! Paul and I had been talking about how little we knew about the potato famine. Then, as I was looking at things to do around Greencastle, I read about the Doagh Famine Village.

Doagh Famine Village tells the story of a family and community living in a remote area of Donegal and how they survived the potato famine. It covers late 19th century and early 20th century. Located on the Inishowen Penninsula, the little museum is a labor of love and dedication.

Pat Doherty, creator of the family-run museum, welcomed us and invited us in to his original family home to begin the tour. He and his family lived in the thatched-roof cottage until 1983.

Inside the little cottage, he talked about his childhood and demonstrated some of the tools they used. I loved his story about using diving rods to find water. About 1% of the people had the gift to use the divining rod.

Over the years, the family added on to the museum based on the questions visitors asked. Other buildings focused on fishing, worshiping, burying the dead and making moonshine.

In the moonshine building, we learned about poitine, basically Irish moonshine. One tiny sip of the strong drink was enough for me.

After touring the buildings, we moved to the exhibit part of the museum. Some of the exhibits are life-sized historical depictions. One showed how landlords evicted tenants and destroyed their homes when they were unable to pay the rent.

The Great Famine

We were most interested in the exhibit about the potato famine. Although I had a vague idea of the devastation it caused, I didn’t really understand how awful it was. The potato crop, upon which a third of Ireland’s population depended for food, was infected by a disease that destroyed the crop. Between 1845-52, this caused a period of starvation, disease and emigration that became known as the Great Famine.

About two million of Ireland’s eight million people emigrated during this time. With a current population of a little more than five million, Ireland’s population has not returned to its pre-famine level.

I loved the little Home of the Fairies exhibit and of course, made a wish and tossed in some coins. All the proceeds go to area non-profits.

Peace and Justice

A newer part of the museum covered The Troubles, a period of conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted from the late 60s to 1998. Pat told the difficult story of the road to peace, respecting all perspectives.

Quotes and posters throughout the museum demonstrated his dedication to peace and justice. I was so moved by his commitment to fairly telling a hard story and working to make life better for all people.

We left the museum sobered by having a stronger feeling of the suffering the Irish people experienced during this time. Our visit also caused us to reflect on the suffering so many people are currently experiencing . Focusing on suffering probably wasn’t on our list of things to do in Ireland, but we are thankful for the powerful experience.

Ballyliffin

Since we were close to Ballyliffin, Paul wanted to make a stop at the Ballyliffin Golf Club and reminisce a bit about playing there years ago.

And I wanted to eat lunch at Nancy’s Barn. In addition to many culinary awards, the cute little cafe featured world-award-winning fish chowder. I didn’t know there was an award for the world’s best fish chowder, but I thought Paul would love to try it.

Another Ferry Ride

Leaving Greencastle for the next part of our journey, we felt like ferry pros. Arriving at the dock right before departure, we were the last car to board. Last car on, last car off and we were on our way.

Rathmullen

After three delightful days in Rosapenna, we drove to Rathmullen, a small town along the North Atlantic coast.

Rathmullen House, our home for two nights, is an 18th century Georgian house, built in the 1760’s by the local Bishop. Staying here felt like stepping back in time.

After checking in, we explored the beautiful grounds. Although it was a little too blustery to walk on the beach, the forest was magical.

I didn’t see any fairies, but I am pretty sure we were in a fairy forest.

Rathmullen House grows most of the produce they use in a lovely walled garden behind the hotel.

I enjoyed their garden-grown produce at almost every meal. Vegetable soup, a beautiful beet salad and grilled eggplant were some of my favorites.

Donegal International Rally

On our second day in Rathmullen, we drove to Portsalon Golf Club, about forty minutes away. Driving along a quiet little country road, we suddenly ran into a massive traffic jam. Because we had lots of time to get to the course for out tee time, we weren’t too worried. However, when cars parking in one lane of traffic turned half the road into a car park, we started to worry a little more. When people started randomly parking anywhere there was open space, we got really worried about missing our tee time.

After finally making our way through the maze of cars to the end of the road, we learned the road was closed. Dodging pedestrians, bikers and other cars, Paul turned around and we slowly returned to our starting point to find an alternate route.

We had no idea why there were suddenly so many people on the little country road. A bit later, another stuck-on-the-road motorist told us the Donegal International Rally was causing all the congestion.

Recognized as one of the best domestic rallies anywhere in the world, it is quite popular. The three-day event consists of 275km over 20 stages on country lanes and roads in the northwest of Ireland. 70,000 people were expected to watch the rally along the different stages, and I think we saw half of them on our route.

After trying multiple routes only to encounter more closed roads, we finally made it to the golf course.

Golfing Portsalon

Although we were an hour late for our tee time, the kind starter got us on the course. I am so grateful for his flexibility, because Portsalon was stunning, probably the most beautiful course we have played so far.

Beautiful, lush grasses surrounded Paul’s tee box.

After golf, we wondered if the rally traffic would delay our trip back to the hotel. Two golf club members told us the fastest way back would be the scenic route over the mountain. With hesitation and a reminder to me of his acrophobia, my dear husband agreed to take the scenic route. I loved the views and know I enjoyed the ride back way more than Paul did.

Ferry Across Lough Swilly

Learning from yesterday’s surprising traffic challenges, we consulted with a few people in our hotel about the best way to get to Greencastle, our next destination. Everyone recommended taking the ferry across the lough rather than driving around it.

We listened to the locals and took the ferry.

Knowing the ferry might be busier than usual, we wanted to make sure we got to the pier early enough to get a spot. We might have been a little over-cautious because we were the only car in the ferry queue for about thirty minutes.

Waiting for the ferry turned out to be a fun part of our day. We enjoyed watching all the activity on the beach and talking with other people in the queue.

I especially loved talking with Harry and Kit , two brothers who were biking 1,000 km from the southern border to the northern border of Ireland. They had raised almost 2,000 pounds for Samaritan, a suicide-prevention call center. On day seven of their eight-day journey, they still looked energetic and happy.

We enjoyed the calm, soothing ferry ride across Lough Swilly and were almost disappointed when it ended.

The ferry docked at Buncrana. We drove off the boat and across the Inishowen Penninsula to Greencastle.

Rosapenna

After leaving Slieve Russell and driving three hours on beautiful but steep and narrow, sheep-inhabited coastal roads, we arrived at Rosapenna Golf Resort, our home for the next three days. We went from a golf-course view at our last stop to a North Atlantic Ocean coastal view here.

Located in a remote part of County Donegal in Ireland, Rosapenna lies farther north than most of Northern Ireland. Learning that this part of Ireland is west, not south, of Northern Ireland made me realize I needed a geography lesson.

Ireland-North and South

Even though I have been to Ireland four times, I never thought about the geographic border between the two countries. In my mind, all of Ireland was south of Northern Ireland. Not so!

I knew from previous trips that the border between the two countries meanders through the top part of the island. Driving through the area, our GPS would switch between miles and kilometers depending on the country. Not always being sure which country we were in, we needed to ask if we should pay in pounds or euros.

Once I started thinking about not all of Ireland being south of Northern Ireland, I wanted to know why. So, I did a little research and learned that the establishment of the borders, like Irish history, is complex. The simple answer is the territorial extent of Northern Ireland, which came into existence on May 3, 1921, was defined by reference to six of the nine counties of Ulster. The desire for a Protestant majority determined which Ulster counties would be included.

Golfing

Ever since we were rained out on the 16th hole of one of the Rosapenna golf courses two years ago, Paul has wanted to return to golf and explore the area. So, he was especially happy to be golfing Old Tom Morris and Sandy Hills, the two courses we missed on our first trip. Benny, the almost-eighty-year-old starter, was a great ambassador for the courses and the area.

All of the Rosapenna courses are links courses, the oldest style of golf course. Generally built on sandy coast land, they offer stunning ocean views. The beautiful views definitely distracted me from my game.

Exploring

Downings, the nearby village, is on the Wild Atlantic Way, a 1,600-mile trail along parts of the west, north and south coasts of Ireland. After multiple people suggested driving the Wild Atlantic Way six-mile loop around the Downings penninsula, we drove the beautiful route one evening.

Every chance we got, we pulled into a cut-out to enjoy the view and take pictures.

Beach Walk

We planned to walk the beautiful beach right outside our window one morning, but a hotel staff member recommended we drive a half mile from the hotel and walk along Sheephaven Bay. It is usually a good call to follow locals’ recommendations, and this was no exception. We easily found the tiny parking lot and almost-hidden beach entrance.

Only four other people shared the beach with us. Walking along the quiet shore in the soft light was a serene and beautiful way to start our day.

At first glance, I thought I saw a woman walking on water. Looking closer, I could see that she was on a barely-visible sandbar.

The day was cloudy, but the colors and light were amazing.

Summer Solstice

Coming back from our beach walk, we saw two helicopters on the ground by the pro shop. Inquiring minds wanted to know what was going on, so we asked at our hotel. The front desk attendant told us some famous people were here to play all three Rosaspenna courses in one day to celebrate the summer solstice, the longest day of the year.

When we got to the golf course, we learned that she wasn’t quite accurate. Jack Nicklaus’s son and grandson were the golfers who helicoptered in. They were playing one course at Rosapenna and flying off to play a different course later in the day.

However, Rosapenna was hosting a summer solstice event for fifty-four players who played all fifty-four holes in one day.

Not sure if they celebrate the summer solstice this way every year, but this one warrants special celebration. It is the earliest summer solstice date, June 20, 2024, in 228 years.

As we were leaving we talked with two of the summer solstice golfers who had nine of their fifty-four holes left. They were walking the entire course. After walking eighteen very hilly holes that day, I was quite impressed with their endurance.

A Little Reunion

On our way out of the area, we had a reunion moment with the Carrigart pharmacist and assistant who had helped us when we were here two years earlier. When Paul’s leg started bleeding uncontrollably, the golf course staff directed us to the Carrigart pharmacy for help. Not only did they remember us being there, the pharmacist wanted to know how Paul’s leg was doing. We ended up having a lovely chat with both of them.

It seems like the Carrigart pharmacist is always coming to our rescue. We stopped in this time because I had forgotten my prescription arthritis medicine and wanted to know what they would suggest for a substitute. The pharmacist took all my information, including my doctor’s name, and was able to give me a two-week supply of my prescription.

A Special Place

Many times during our three days in the area we talked about how we could live here. To be honest, I talk about living in almost all of the beautiful places I visit. But this area feels uniquely appealing. It is an interesting combination of wild and dramatic and serene and welcoming. Not sure if I will return, but I will always remember how much I love this area.

Hiking and Meditating

When the bright rays of the early-rising June sun woke us this morning, we had high hopes for a beautiful day. And that is exactly what we had-a sunny day and not one drop of rain!

After another hearty breakfast, we left our rain gear in the room and headed out to get some much-needed exercise.

Ballyconnell Canal Loop

We didn’t need to go far to find a lovely hiking spot. The first night we were here, our waitress recommended a walking trail in Ballyconnell, a quaint little town just a few miles from us. It has the intriguing distinction of winning numerous National Tidy Town awards.

The Ballyconnell Canal Loop follows the Shannon-Erne Waterway. Although our waitress told us how to access the walkway, and I put it in Google maps, we still got a little lost. The bad news was we walked almost a mile before we found the trail. The good news was we saw parts of Ballyconnell we would have missed if we had known exactly where we were going.

After wandering around, seeing off-the-path parts of the town, we found a sign identifying the start of the walkway and began the official walk.

We especially enjoyed the beautiful old trees along the path.

After the steep climbs yesterday, the nice level path was a welcome change.

Jampa Ling Buddhist Centre

Following our hike, we explored a totally different environment. After reading about the Jampa Ling Buddhist Centre on the back of a tourist map, I emailed them to see if we could visit. They promptly and warmly replied that we were welcome to come to the afternoon meditation.

Although meditating at a Buddhist center was not high on Paul’s list of things to do in Northern Ireland, he was a great sport and agreed to come with me. As we drove through the gate, a beautiful, tree-lined entrance created a sense of serenity and peace.

When we arrived at the center, I immediately noticed the interesting effect of Buddhist additions to a nineteenth century Irish estate.

Everyone we met was friendly and welcoming. One of the monks escorted us to the meditation room in the main house and gave us an idea of what to expect.

Because His Holiness the Dalai Lama has been a patron of the center for more than 30 years, we saw his picture in many of the rooms.

After the thirty-minute meditation, the leader invited us to tour the grounds and visit the beautiful walled garden.

After enjoying the peaceful environment and unexpected experience of visiting a Buddhist center in Northern Ireland, we left feeling quite relaxed.

Cotswolds Connection

Sometimes things just happen and you have to trust that synchronicity is working for you. An encounter on our last evening here reminded me of this energy. Yesterday Paul told me about a conversation he had with a woman from the Cotswolds. She encouraged him to visit this beautiful area in central South West England.

Since the Cotswolds have been on my list for awhile, I was pleased to meet her the following morning when we saw her in the lobby. She promised to write a list of recommendations for the area. Because we didn’t even know each other’s names, I didn’t think we would ever see her again.

When we walked into the bar that evening, there she was, waving her list of recommendations at us. Because the hotel is large, and I have not seen anyone here more than once, I was amazed. She, however, said she knew she would see us again. We shared a drink and conversation with Liz (now we know her name) and left with a fun memory and a great list of recommendations for a visit to the Cotswolds.

Really, I think the Universe is telling us to go to the Cotswolds!

We have had a great three days in this lovely area, and tomorrow we leave and go on to our next adventure.

Return to Northern Ireland

Two years ago we fell in love with Northern Ireland. The friendly people, serene countrysides that come in a million shades of green, great golf courses, and delightful food made it an easy decision to return.

Unlike our last drama-filled trip here, flights went smoothly and luggage arrived on time. To celebrate, we had a commemorative cup of coffee at the little shop where, two years ago, a friendly airline employee met us with our golf clubs-three days after our arrival.

A little sleep-deprived but looking forward to another great Irish adventure, we picked up our rental car and began our journey. I am so thankful that my dear husband is comfortable driving a manual shift on the other side of the road. His driving gives us the freedom to explore at will.

After a two-hour drive from the airport, we arrived at the Slieve Russell Hotel and Golf Club, our home for three days. We are grateful that a friend who has relatives in the area recommended this lovely place.

The resort golf course is right outside our window.

Paul was happy to start his day with a full Irish breakfast. And I was happy to get a vegetarian version.

Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail

Ireland’s bogs have fascinated me since I read a novel based on the discovery of a body preserved in a Irish bog for more than a thousand years. So, I was excited to discover that the Cuilcagh Boardwalk Trail, one of the largest expanses of blanket bogs in Northern Ireland, was just a thirty-minute drive away.

After only one missed turn, we arrived at the trail ready for an interesting hike. Dressed for a typical Irish day of potential rain, we began our hike on the limestone landscape that leads to the bog.

As we made our way up the gentle hill, we looked back at a misty view of beautiful rolling hills.

After hiking a short distance, we came to a meandering boardwalk through the lowest part of the bog.

Bog cotton, beautiful little white flowers that bloom in the spring, danced across the bog.

For most of our hike, clouds covered the top of Cuilcagh Mountain in the distance.

Irish Bogs

A bog is a wetland of soft, spongy ground consisting mainly of partially decayed plant matter called peat. These ancient bogs began forming in Ireland between 7,000-10,000 years ago.

More than just a geographic feature, bogs are a mythic feature, as well. Irish poetry, myths and folklore mention bogs and their magic. For example, will-o-the-wisp, which look like dancing fairy lights, appear over the bogs in the darkest of nights. Although there is a scientific explanation for this phenomena, long ago people believed the lights were the spirits of the departed attempting to lure travelers into the bog.

Beautiful as they are, bogs can be treacherous. They can swallow up people who inadvertently wander into them and preserve their bodies for years.

Scientists have recovered preserved bodies that are thousands of years old. Called bog bodies, these recovered bodies are on display at The National Museum of Ireland. In 1977, researchers discovered a Stone Age site that held artifacts from the Mesolithic era, around 8,000 years ago.

A sign along the walkway reminded us of the bog dangers.

For centuries bogs provided turf for domestic heating and cooking. Now, as the environmental cost of using bogs in this way has become apparent, the practice is being phased out. Today, healthy bogs are quite rare, with just 1% remaining active.

Although bogs no longer provide fuel, they provide wild spaces and havens for biodiversity. They also accumulate and store millions of tons of carbon and help control the green house gasses that contribute to climate change.

After a beautiful hike and wonderful dinner, our first day ended on a perfect note when our kids in Minnesota FaceTimed us to wish Paul a Happy Father’s Day.

Farewell, Damanhur

My amazing week in Damanhur is coming to a close. The night before our departure we had our closing dinner at Old Mill of Bairo, a totally luscious farm-to-table restaurant.

We enjoyed a traditional Italian meal- antipasto ( three items), first course, second course, dessert, and of course, wine.

The owner thoughtfully prepared vegetarian first and second courses for me and the other vegetarian in our group. My risotto first course was so beautiful and delicious I forgot to take a picture. I did, however, remember to take a picture of my second course-an amazing, fluffy spinach souffle.

Last Day

I felt like we were completing a beautiful circle when we ate our last lunch together in the same cafe where we had shared our first lunch when we arrived. Although the salads were different, we had another beautiful array of salads and great bread. Tigrilla introduced Tarrabah,the talented chef/owner, who created our wonderful meals.

Tigrilla also introduced two other Damanhurians who were in the cafe. One of them was Orango, the head of Meta Action, which focuses on putting spiritual thought into action.

The other, Barys, was introduced as a child of Damanhur because he was born here.

After lunch, a friend and I walked around the Open Temple before boarding our van for Milan to fly home. Once again, it felt like coming full circle. We visited the Open Temple on our first day in Damanhur and again on our last.

Final Thoughts

As I leave Damanhur, I am so thankful for the people who played a role in this amazing journey.

My dear friend Bev organized the trip, guided us through the powerful week, and initiated the transition from fourteen seekers to one powerful group.

Tigrilla and Crotalo our Damanhurian teachers, orchestrated our experiences, shared their knowledge and opened the door to the beautiful mystery of Damanhur.

My amazing group of fellow seekers were a constant source of support, inspiration and fun. I feel lucky to have gotten to know each of them.

When I started this journey, I knew one roommate a little bit and the other not at all. I am leaving with two new friends. We stayed up late talking about so many things-our Damanhur experiences, life, love, women’s rights, and on and on. And, oh, how we laughed- hard and often.

It will take time-probably lots of time-to understand everything I learned and experienced this week. I am looking forward to the journey.

Meditating With Nature

After two rainy days, we were thrilled to have two beautiful sunny days. For the first time since we arrived, we could clearly see the snow-topped Alps in the distance.

Luckily, our indoor activities were on the rainy days and our outdoor activities were on the sunny ones.

Vidracco

On our first sunny day we met at the Commune di Vidracco (Municipality) in the village where we are staying.

After we posed for a group photo, Elfo, the mayor of Vidracco and one of three Damahurian Sages greeted us and told us about the history of Vidracco. The three Sages share the leadership role left vacant when Damanhur founder Falco Tarassaco passed in 2013.

After he finished his brief history of Vidracco, Elfo led us down a little trail to an old mill.

He gave us a tour and history of the mill. It had been used to grind maize, chestnut, wheat and hemp.

Meditating with the Plants

Leaving the mill, we followed Tigrilla down a forest path to a little grassy area by the river.

Soaking in the welcomed sunlight, we listed to Tigrilla talk about using nature as inspiration to more deeply connect with ourselves. She guided us in a meditation and then gave us time to find a plant partner.

A tiny, one-of-a-kind wildflower called to me. My little flower and I spent a peaceful half hour being in the field together.

After our meditation, a member of our group led us in a beautiful peace dance. It seemed like the perfect way to end our morning.

Sacred Woods

I thought our first sunny day was amazing, but our second sunny day was even better.

In the morning, my dear roommate and I walked to the crea for a cappuccino and pastry. Not only were both delicious, my total bill was only 4 euros. Not sure how that is even possible.

The we climbed into our vans and traveled to the Sacred Woods

The Sacred Woods are outdoor temples that sit on top of the underground Temples of Humankind. Each space in the Sacred Woods corresponds with a chamber of the temples below. Just as in the Temples of Humankind, we were not allowed to take pictures once we went inside.

After walking deep into the Sacred Woods, Tigrilla led us through a beautiful tree meditation. After our meditation, we walked to lunch at a nearby nucleo.

Lunch at a Nucleo

Most Damanhurians live in communes called nucleos. Each nucleo is devoted to a specific field such as education, healing, seed saving and solar energy. The nucleo that hosted us for lunch serves as custodians of the labyrinths in the Sacred Woods.

Nucleo resident Lucertola Peppe welcomed us. Like other Damanhurians, she has taken a new name. In order to strengthen their relationship to nature Damanhurians take the Italian name of an animal and plant. So, Lucertola’s name in English is Lizard Pepper. The Italian language is definitely more beautiful than English.

When we arrived, approximately fourteen residents of the nucleo were eating lunch at a long table. As I watched them interacting like one big, happy family, I definitely felt the lure of living in a nucleo. And if being part of a large, supportive family isn’t luring enough, the Sacred Woods is their back yard, and an incredible view of the river and mountains is their front yard.

Afternoon in the Sacred Woods

After lunch we returned to the Sacred Woods and walked some of the labyrinths. There are about thirty labyrinths encompassing ten miles of paths in the Sacred Woods.

A labyrinth is a single path twisting and turning through several concentric circuits to arrive at a central goal.

Most of the circuits in the Sacred Woods are labyrinths, but a few are mazes, which means they have multiple paths. I found a picture of a maze in the Sacred Woods online.

One labyrinth was outside the gates, so I was able to take a picture of it. The sticks in the labyrinth are designed to aid people with visual impairments walk the labyrinth independently.

As we left the Sacred Woods we saw an interesting gate. Since it was outside the entrance, I was able to take a picture of it.

I loved my time in the Sacred Woods and know I will remember it always.

Turin

I began my day with a wonderful small-world moment. Waiting for coffee at the crea, I met Israel, an artist who had just completed a thirty-day artist residency in France. He was making a one-day stop in Damanhur and was preparing to visit the Temples of Humankind. As we chatted, I discovered he is from Fort Meyers, just an hour south of Sarasota, where I live. Amazing how we can travel to the other side of the world and meet someone from close to home.

Energized by a fun encounter and great coffee, I joined our group for a road trip to Turin, capital city of the Piedmont region. Main stop-the Egyptian Museum, the sixth most visited museum in Italy. Depending on the reference, it is the oldest or second oldest Egyptian museum in the world.

Before entering the museum we took refuge from the rain in one of the two main covered galleries in Turin while Crotalo told us about the most important artifacts we would see.

Egyptian Museum

The Egyptian Museum houses one of the oldest collections of ancient Egyptian artifacts in the world. There are more than 37,000 items in the museum. My first impression was how well the museum organized and labeled the vast collection.

Crotalo pointed out highlights in the museum collection. An 1847-cm long entire “Book of the Dead” written on papyrus spans one whole wall. The “Book of the Dead” is a set of funerary formulas, including the funeral kit to guide the deceased to the afterlife.

I learned that pyramids had another small pyramid called pyramidions on the top. We saw the limestone Pyramidion of Ramose. Symbolizing the pinnacle of a king’s power and divine connection, pyramidions represented the king’s ascent to the afterlife and eternal rule.

And or course, we saw mummies.

And not just human mummies. Egyptians viewed animals not only as pets but as incarnations of gods. They buried millions of mummified animals at temples honoring their deities. We saw an entire small room devoted to animal mummies. I saw cats, a cow and some other animals I could not recognize.

Sometimes the body of the deceased was wrapped in funerary nets attached to the bandages. The beautiful nets were composed of cylindrical beads strung together in a rhomb pattern.

The Egyptians used special beds and headrests to facilitate dreaming. Different heights of headrests facilitated different types of dreams. I’m not sure how anyone could sleep, much less dream, in the uncomfortable looking beds.

Crotalo pointed out the hawk’s eyes on the side of a coffin. The eyes served as protection and reminder that the person can still see outside.

After the museum, we walked to an Italian restaurant for lunch, and I had an amazing eggplant parmigiana.

Magic Turin

Located where three energetic lines intersect, Turin is considered a spiritual place. So, it seemed appropriate that the Savoy royal family, who had a castle in Turin, were interested in magic. They created an alchemy garden under the castle that we visited in the afternoon.

We walked through the castle arch and into a lovely garden. I imagined what it looked like without the crane and apartment building in the background.

The Shroud of Turin

The Savoy royal family owned the Shroud of Turin and agreed to give it to the Pope under one condition. The shroud must remain in Turin-forever. So, for over four centuries the shroud has resided in Turin’s Cathedral of St. John the Baptist.

The Cathedral was closed when we first arrived to see the shroud. Most of our group went for coffee, but a few of us decided to explore a bit while waiting for the Cathedral to open. We didn’t want to get lost and miss meeting our group, so the tall bell tower next to the Cathedral served as a perfect landmark. We never wandered so far that we could not find the bell tower.

Walking around, always in sight of the bell tower, we discovered an outdoor market. Unfortunately, the market was closing by the time we arrived, but an indoor part of the market was still open, and we enjoyed looking around.

We then met the rest of our group in front of the Cathedral and went in to see the shroud. The Cathedral was beautiful and it was interesting to see how they presented the shroud. I remember The Shroud of Turin being the cover story in Time magazine many years ago, so I knew it must be a big deal.

It is a big deal. By far, most people in the Cathedral were visiting the shroud. But, here is the rest of the shroud story. You can’t see the actual shroud. What you see is a copy that hangs above the home of the shroud. And it may not be the real shroud. Carbon dating suggests the shroud is a fake. Actual or not, fake or not, it was a nice final stop in Turin.

The Temples of Humankind

Today we visited The Temples of Humankind, the most well-know part of Damanhur. The totally hand-dug, multi-level temples are located inside the foothills of the Alps. Adorned with sacred symbols, paintings, stained glass and tile, they are unlike anything I have ever seen before.

Begun in 1978 when Damanhur founder Falco Tarassaco and others began excavating deep inside a mountain, they were mostly completed by 1991. Inspiration for building the temples came from visions Falco had of ancient temples when he was eight years old.

The temples were built in secret because they would not have qualified for building permits. When the Italian government discovered the temples and checked them for safety, they found the temples exceeded safety requirements and gave them retroactive approval.

Before entering the temples, we gathered outside the entrance for a group picture.

As we entered the temple we noticed another spiral across the road, Although clouds covered most of the view, the snow-topped Alps are in the distance.

Time in the Temples

We were lucky to be able to spend almost a full day in the temples. In the morning we visited each of them and learned about the art and sacred symbols. We walked through narrow, art-filled hallways and up and down steep stairways to reach each temple.

After lunch, we returned and meditated in each temple. In silence, we moved from temple to temple for each meditation. The gongs, chimes, bowls and voices used during our meditations were the only sounds.

We were not allowed to take pictures, but I don’t think a million pictures could capture the temple’s scale, intricacy and artistry. The pictures below are from on-line articles.

Dinner

After our powerful and moving day in the temples, we enjoyed a relaxing meal at an Italian (what else!) restaurant. Crotalo recommended a wonderful local red wine.