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During her last trip to Ireland Stephanie stayed at the Loch Inagh Lodge Hotel in Connemara. The area overlooks mountains and water and is surrounded by trees planted by the forestry commission. The Connemara landscape is stunning and has had human inhabitants living in its hills for over 6,000 years.
Leading Irish archeologist Michael Gibbons joins “Travel with Stephanie Abrams” to discuss the area and a recent archeological find. A local woman was gardening when she discovered a 5,000 year old stone axe. It has a polished, fine blade that is thought to have been used more delicate work like wood carving. All artifacts found on Irish soilare owned by the state. The owner will receive a small reward and the axe will most likely end up in a museum in Galway. It is rare to find artifacts in the area because there is little tillage.
The mountains of Connemara are crowned with Neolithic tombs, its valley side contains ancient field systems and the bogs contain preserved houses, walls and lots. Hunter and gatherer clans came to the area 7,000 years ago and lived off salmon, eel and wild boar. The area later came to be settled by farmers who cleared it with various kinds of axes.
The area has come to symbolize the old Gaelic, non-anglicized Ireland to many. Connemara means “the dog’s sons of the sea” and is an ancient Celtic name. Maam Cross is the meeting point of several roads that pass through Connemara. It is the site of a local pilgrimage on the last Sunday of July as is Crough Patrick a mountain to the west of Ben Goram. Just behind the hotel is another pilgrimage site Mamean, which is visited the first Sunday of July. St. Patrick is said have blessed Connemara and Galway at the pass.
Michael Gibbons lives in nearby Clifden, a town where everyone knows everyone else. He has worked for the Museum of London as well as the Department of Antiquities in Jerusalem. He also was involved in a sacred mountain mapping project in Ireland (which included the pilgrimage sites in Ireland) and a national survey program using aerial photography. He now works as an independent archeologist. Michael Gibbons says that Connemara people like to say they live on the edge. He remarks, “We live on the edge of bogs, seas and cliffs”.
Travel Deals:
CheapOAir.com has some great affordable airfare currently available. There is a flight from Detroit to Myrtle Beach for $77 USD one way (taxes not included). Though this fare may be posted at this time it could soon change. Stephanie says to act quickly. You won’t be guaranteed the rate until you finish the booking process.
For more information visit http://www.CheapOAir.com
2009 marked the 25th year of Connemara Bog Week, a 10 day festival which engages the local community. Leo Hallissey, Director of the Connemara Environmental Educational & Cultural Centre and Connemara Bog Week, states that “Connemara festivals give spaces for expression”. Bog Weeks activities include darts, football, concerts, music workshops, dance workshops, art exhibitions, road running, cycling and a Walkabout.
Director Leo Hallissey explains that Bog Week is planned by a small team of city locals. The staff divides out the work amongst one another (Hallissey’s focus is on the musical events) and has had much success with each year’s festival. Recent awards include the Galway County Council Arts Award and Galway County Council Heritage Award (Premier Award).
A new feature that Hallissey is currently promoting is the Connemara “lamb pie”. He explains that Connemara has great lamb and hopes the community will continue to sell the pie as a local specialty. Hallissey states that is important to go “back to basics” especially in times of recession. As an educator he expresses a concern about the children of his community. “They can’t eat the scenery” he says “as good as it is.”
Next year's Bog Week will be held May 28 to June 7, 2010.
For more information visit http://www.ceecc.org/
Fun Facts:
Maam Cross, County Galway, Ireland was one of the shooting locations for John Ford’s “the Quiet Man”. The cottage featured in it has since gone into disrepair. Many fans of the movies have stolen stones from it as mementos. Stephanie took a picture inside the replica of the famous thatched cottage in Cong, County Galway, Ireland.
During the scene in “The Quiet Man” where John Wayne first kisses Maureen O'Hara she slaps his face. When he blocked the blow, O’Hara broke a bone in her hand. The movie was being filmed in sequential order and the actress couldn't wear a cast during the time of filming.
Oscar Wilde’s mother and father spent their honeymoon in Connemara.
The giant Goram in Bristol folklore is said to have left his footprint embedded in a boulder in the top of a hill near Henbury, a suburb of Bristol. Limestone erosion is the scientific explanation for the Giant’s Footprint but is unusual in that part of Great Britain.
The Irish language ranks 66th out of the 322 languages spoken in the United States today. Of the over Irish 25,000 speakers in the US New York State has the most. Massachusetts the highest percentage.
Related Photo Galleries:
Guests Include:
Michael Gibbons, Archaeologist, Connemara, Co. Galway, Ireland.
walkwest@eircom.net
Leo Hallissey, Director, Connemara Environmental Educational & Cultural Centre and Connemara Bog Week, Letterfrack, Co. Galway.
www.ceecc.org
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The city of Anchorage, Alaska is located in the south central region of the state adjacent to Prince Williams Sound and Cook Inlet. Alaska boasts spectacular scenery including glaciers, mountains and wild life and has much diversity in landscape and climate. Anchorage is no exception and is surrounded by beautiful mountains on all sides. It is unique because its natural beauty stands alongside fantastic cultural opportunities and modern amenities from spas to the opera. It has all the cultural perks of a large city alongside its more rural aspects such as great fishing destinations.
Anchorage has skyscrapers, a modern performing arts center, a modern convention center and the brand new Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center. Despite its rich cultural offerings the Anchorage downtown is still a comfortable walking city with a lot of green parks, small business and a backdrop of mountains. A block from the downtown area is Ship Creek a popular fishing spot. Anchorage has 380,000 people and is said to be a big city in the middle of the wilderness.
Anchorage’s current weather has been in the mid fifties to the mid sixties and will stay in that range throughout the summer months. The city is known for having “winters that aren’t too cold and the summers aren’t to hot”. This is due in part to its proximity to the ocean. Anchorage receives visitors year round. Fall is a fabulous time to see the Northern Lights and during the winters visitors can watch Iditarod, the famous dog sled race that starts in the city’s downtown. Anchorage offers a range of accommodations from high-end luxury hotels, limited service hotels, standard chains and many bed and breakfasts.
The Anchorage Convention and Visitor’s Bureau is currently promoting their “Gold Card Program”. Visitors obtain the Gold Card when they check into their hotel or bed and breakfast when they stay two nights or more. The card features the 50th Anniversary of Statehood logo (Alaska became a state in 1959) on one side and the ACVB logo on the other. The card is good for upgrades, discounts, or special offers at participating businesses including everything from car rentals to a store that might sell a signature print downtown. Many shops and restaurants that participate display a decal in the window of their place of business.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=377
For more information visit http://www.anchorage.net/
Sitka is a major port of call for Southeast Alaska, also known as the inside passage. It is in a rainforest and as such is green year round and has very temperate weather. Locals refer to the area as the “Banana Belt” because winter temperatures range between 32 and 36 degrees. It snows in the city at higher elevations but not frequently on lower levels.
Sitka is great location for fishing, kayaking, and hiking. The city also has many unusual museums and historical centers. Alaska was purchased by the US from Russia in 1867. The ceremony for this event took place on Castle Hill, a famous lookout point in Sitka. In addition to its role in American history Sitka has an abundance of historical sites and centers related to indigenous culture of the area, that of the Tlingit Indians. Visitors can see traditional Tlingit costumes during their dance performances.
The local tribe in Sitka built a modern rendition of a Tlingit longhouse which is now where fire dance shows are held. Sitka’s New Archangel Dancers also perform Russian dance shows in the city. The Sitka National Historic Park hosts the Southeast Alaska’s Indian Cultural Center.
Travelers411 Community Forums - This interview's thread
http://www.travelers411.com/forums/showthread.php?t=378
For more information visit http://www.sitka.org/
Fun Facts:
Stephanie recently saw the 2009 film The Proposal starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. The film is set in Sitka, Alaska but was largely filmed in Rockport and Gloucester, Massachusetts. One area of Rockport featured prominently in the film is Bearskin Neck.
According to a local road sign “Bear Skin Neck” in Rockport, Massachusetts was “Named from a bear caught by the tide and killed in 1700”.
Anchorage’s July 1st sunrise and sunset times are 4:28 AM and 11:38 PM.
Related Photo Galleries:
Guests Include:
Julie Saupe, President & CEO, Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau, Anchorage, Alaska.
www.anchorage.net
David Kasser, Vice President of Tourism Development & Sales, Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau, Anchorage, Alaska.
www.anchorage.net
Sandy Lorrigan, Executive Director, Sitka Convention & Visitors Bureau, Sitka, Alaska.
www.sitka.org
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“Travel with Stephanie Abrams!” is celebrating its 7th year anniversary on Sunday, July 5, 2009. Listeners will have the opportunity to win prizes online. Click on “register to win” at the top right of the page on the navigation bar and choose from various land travel packages that are listed. Send an email to Stephanie and in 50 words or less explain why the prize you specify should be yours. Include your name and phone number. Prize winners must pay for the airfare that is needed to get to the destinations.
Stephanie met Paul Gill, the Managing Director of the Claregalway Hotel in Claregalway, Ireland at the Volvo Ocean Race in Boston in May, 2009. Gill joins “Travel with Stephanie Abrams!” to discuss his property, a three star hotel with luxury amenities.
The Claregalway Hotel is conveniently located just outside Galway City and Galway Airport.. It is an affordable and comfortable hotel which prides itself on its warm atmosphere. The onsite bar and grill receives a lot of local traffic so it is a great place to experience authentic Irish food and authentic Irish people. There are 48 spacious guestrooms on site, spa suites that offer a variety of treatments, an 18 meter swimming pool, sauna, steam room, Jacuzzis, free wireless internet, leisure center and a bistro that is open on the weekends.
The hotel has modern decor and a rich use of woods. The standard guestrooms are generally 16 square meters and contain queen sized beds, plasma screen TVs, power showers, and satin quilted bedspreads. The average room rate during a high season weekend is between 80-150 euros. Midweek rates are between 60-90 euros.
For more information visit http://www.claregalwayhotel.ie
“Travel with Stephanie Abrams!” broadcasts an interview recorded during Tianguis 2009 in Acapulco. Sylvie Laitre joined Stephanie to talk about the unique hotel group, Mexico Boutique Hotels. Mexico has received a lot of bad press in recent history and Stephanie feels much of it is unjustified.
Hoteles Boutique de Mexico or Mexico Boutique Hotels is dedicated to providing memorable properties in destinations throughout Mexico. The company is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary and has grown much in the last decade.
Founder John Youden traveled extensively in Mexico for his work in international publishing. He always sought out boutique hotels and found that many of the best properties weren’t well known. Few of these hotels had websites at the time and struggled to promote themselves. Youden started an advertisement in one of his magazines under the title “Hoteles Boutique de Mexico”. It advertised a total of six hotels in different parts of the country. This produced much excitement in the travel community and signified a great demand for the kind of properties Youden had discovered.
Mexico Boutique Hotels was designed to help small independent properties network, advertise and to establish high standards of quality product. There are a total of 47 properties in the group today. Quinta Las Acacias in Guanajuato, Baijo, Meson Sacristia de la Compania in Puebla and La Casona in Mexico City, are among the first hotels in the association that remain with the group today.
In order for a hotel to be included in the group it must have fewer than 50 guestrooms. Most of the properties have less than 30. Another area of criteria is that hotels must provide quality service (what Director Sylvie Laitre refers to as the “welcome choreography”). The properties must also be ambassadors of local culture. This extends to the knowledge of the hoteliers and often the inclusion of original artwork on the grounds.
The company has a small staff dedicated to matching people to the right hotel. Management of the group has personal experiences with each of the properties represented by the association. In 2008 the company developed a pre-arrival concierge service. This extends to all the properties and allows guests to have a consistent contact throughout their stay in Mexico as well as post-departure.
The company’s directory of hotels is distributed to many travel agencies and is also available to individuals who contact the group online. The website reflects the directory at its most up-to-date state. Extensive information is available online about the accommodations as well as their locations and surrounding areas. The site is available in English and Spanish.
Mexico Boutique Hotels can be contacted through their website by email or their online chat service. They also have toll-free telephone numbers in both the US and Canada.
For more information visit http://www.mexicoboutiquehotels.com or call 800.728.9098.
Guests Include:
Paul Gill, Managing Director, Claregalway Hotel, Claregalway, Ireland.
www.claregalwayhotel.ie
Sylvie Laitre, Director, Hoteles Boutique de Mexico/ Mexico Boutique Hotels.
www.mexicoboutiquehotels.com
