My Favourite Travel Guides

If there is one thing that I love just slightly more than travelling, it is reading. So, it isn’t surprising that one should influence the other. Some of the books that have inspired me to travel are series’ and others are singular works. It is the moment that I realize that I have dreamt about the setting of a current read, or that I start madly searching the area information on the Internet, that I know I have to go there.

I haven’t taken all of the trips yet, but I have the itineraries worked out in my head or shoved in between pages of my Fodor’s guide. These are two of the literary-inspired trips I’ve taken, and one that I’m planning.

Book: Outlander (Series, Book 1)
Author: Diana Gabaldon
About the Book:
From Publishers Weekly
Absorbing and heartwarming, this first novel lavishly evokes the land and lore of Scotland, quickening both with realistic characters and a feisty, likable heroine. English nurse Claire Beauchamp Randall and husband Frank take a second honeymoon in the Scottish Highlands in 1945. When Claire walks through a cleft stone in an ancient henge, she's somehow transported to 1743. She encounters Frank's evil ancestor, British captain Jonathan "Black Jack" Randall, and is adopted by another clan. Claire nurses young soldier James Fraser, a gallant, merry redhead, and the two begin a romance, seeing each other through many perilous, swashbuckling adventures involving Black Jack. Scenes of the Highlanders' daily life blend poignant emotions with Scottish wit and humor. Eventually Sassenach (outlander) Claire finds a chance to return to 1945, and must choose between distant memories of Frank and her happy, uncomplicated existence with Jamie. Claire's resourcefulness and intelligent sensitivity make the love-conquers-all, happily-ever-after ending seem a just reward. Doubleday Book Club main selection, Literary Guild alternate.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Where I went: Scotland!

This book first inspired me to sign up for a number of Scottish history and culture related classes while in university. From there I learned more about the country that contributed so heavily to the settlement of Nova Scotia, where I grew up, and I knew I had to see Scotland for itself. I visited a friend in Glasgow in 2004 but I was only able to spend two days in the city. Two years later, I accepted a position as a live-in receptionist at a castle hotel in the West Highlands of Scotland. I stayed for a month and became familiar with the Argyll and Bute region, and had the chance to spend more time in Glasgow and also in Edinburgh, which features prominently in one book of the series.

It was, hands down, the most breathtaking place I’ve ever visited. Convenient bus travel allowed me opportunities to admire the hills and rocky crags (and sheep!) that the highlands are known for. Edinburgh nightlife was an experience, and I made instant friends at the hostel where I stayed on the Royal Mile. This was my first experience in such a historic and regal city, and I enjoyed New Town and Old, especially the treasures found up and down the Royal Mile. I toured Edinburgh Castle at the top and Holyrood Palace at the bottom, as well as the underground vaults that the city is famous for. I saw more than a few landmarks of the series and could imagine the characters experiencing poignant moments just where I stood.

Glasgow was a cosmopolitan city and home to quite a few pubs that I had the chance to enjoy. The shopping is unrivalled in Scotland. I attended a relative’s wedding here, complete with a full Ceilidh band for entertainment and men in kilts. Now, being a Nova Scotian, men in kilts were nothing new to me, but are always very nice to look at!


Book: 1916: A Novel of the Irish Rebellion (Series, Book 1)
Author: Morgan Llywelyn
About the Book:
From Publishers Weekly
The task of transforming the events of the 1916 Irish Rebellion into coherent fiction would terrify most writers. Llywelyn (The Lion of Ireland; Red Branch), however, has produced a thunderous, informative read that rises to the challenge. Sticking to the historical facts and incorporating all the major historical figures, Llewelyn filters them through the experience of the fictional Ned Halloran, a young Titanic survivor whose lust for life takes on new meaning when he goes to the Irish-language school run by poet and schoolmaster Padraic Pearse. Gaining a new appreciation of Irish culture, Ned also learns of Ireland's tragic, bloody history. He soon becomes aware that he is alive in a vibrant and epochal time, when the new century's potential inspires poets and revolutionaries to challenge the British Empire's colonial might. Ned falls in love and graduates from schoolboy to soldier. On Easter Monday, 1916, he is ready for the Rising itself, and (as happened on those famously unisex barricades) his sweetheart fights by his side. Battle scenes are both accurate and compelling. The betrayals, slaughters and passions of the day are all splendidly depicted as Llywelyn delivers a blow-by-blow account of the rebellion and its immediate aftermath. The novel's abundant footnotes should satisfy history buffs; its easy, gripping style will enthrall casual readers with what is Llywelyn's best work yet.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Where I went: Ireland!

Now, it wouldn’t be fair to say that I went to Ireland just because of this book. In fact, I’d already done a tour of Dublin that featured many well-known sites from the Easter Rising before I’d ever read the series, and I’d already visited the Belfast murals as well. However, it was my previous experience in Ireland and my confusion about the conflict itself that made me want to read this book. That said, once I had finished reading the series and had a reasonable grasp on the history of the conflict, I headed back to Ireland and was able to enjoy certain nuances of Irish culture and daily life a bit better.

I stayed for two months, in the Republic’s northwest, working at a shop in a resort area and living in the town. I didn’t do a whole lot of sightseeing, but rather enjoyed taking part in everyday Ireland. However, this time when I walked into certain buildings (Markievicz House) or down certain streets (Pearse St.) I knew the stories of these landmarks’ namesakes and the part they played in the rebellion.

I got to visit Dublin again, the night before I flew back to Canada, and this time I stood outside the GPO and imagined the siege. I looked for bullet holes on the statues on O’Connell Street. And, while I could see why many of the Irish found the city’s relatively new Spire to be a bit of an eyesore, I appreciated what it stood for.

Understanding the conflict is an ongoing experience, as history is being made every day in Ireland and Northern Ireland. I expect to have even more to explore when I return to Ireland this spring.


Book: The Island
Author: Victoria Hislop
About the Book:
Amazon.co.uk Synopsis
On the brink of a life-changing decision, Alexis Fielding longs to find out about her mother's past. But Sofia has never spoken of it. All she admits to is growing up in a small Cretan village before moving to London. When Alexis decides to visit Crete, however, Sofia gives her daughter a letter to take to an old friend, and promises that through her she will learn more. Arriving in Plaka, Alexis is astonished to see that it lies a stone's throw from the tiny, deserted island of Spinalonga - Greece's former leper colony. Then she finds Fortini, and at last hears the story that Sofia has buried all her life: the tale of her great-grandmother Eleni and her daughters and a family rent by tragedy, war and passion. She discovers how intimately she is connected with the island, and how secrecy holds them all in its powerful grip...

Where I Want to Go: Crete. More specifically, Spinalonga, which was an actual leper colony until the 1950s. Normally I would consider it difficult to find romance and happiness in the story of people subjected to life as outcasts for something they had no control over. However, Hislop tells an amazing story, and the fact that the setting really existed and is available to visit today, makes it a compelling place to consider. As well, the scenery is described so nicely and the people of the area so lovingly, that I have got to see it for myself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spinalonga

© Jamie L. O’Hanlon 2006

Queen of Hearts and Hard Cheese - Queen Maeve's Tomb, Sligo, Ireland

Queen Maeve’s Tomb sits high above the town of Sligo, Ireland on a low mountain named Knocknarea (“Mountain of the Moon”). Legend states that it is good luck to bring a stone up the mountain to place on the large cairn, but that it is bad luck to remove a stone. This would explain it’s formidable height.

From the center of town, the mountain looks anything but daunting. It looks like another one of those beautiful hills that Ireland’s Northwest is so well known for. Look a little closer however, and you’ll notice a bump on the top of this relatively flat-topped hill. This bump is of course, the tomb of Queen Maeve herself.

In Celtic mythology, Queen Maeve was known as the Warrior Queen of Connacht. Unfortunately, the queen had a reputation of being quite unkind, having murdered her own sister Eithne with the intent to covet Eithne’s husband. She also seems to have made her way through a number of husbands, disposing of each by murder. She figures prominently in “Táin Bó Cúailnge” or the Cattle Raid of Cooley. In an argument with her then-husband King Ailill over whose wealth was greater, they were almost entirely equal. However, she was found lacking in only one commodity. Ailill owned a bull, the strength and brute of which Maeve’s own could not match. Maeve soon learned of an even more impressive bull in Ulster, but was not granted permission to borrow it. Thus, she gathered an army and launched an invasion on Ulster. Her men were driven out of Ulster by Cúchulainn, but she was successful in capturing the bull. She brought it home to Connacht where it fought and killed Ailill’s bull, and then found its own way back home to Ulster.

Queen Maeve was considered victorious in this feat. However, previous misdeeds would come back to haunt Maeve, most notably, the murder of her sister. Eithne’s son sought revenge on his wicked aunt and is said to have killed her with a slingshot filled with hard cheese.
Her unsavoury reputation thus led her to be buried in County Sligo, far from the royal capital of Connacht in Roscommon. Many believe that this was an attempt to keep her spirit a safe distance from the people she once ruled. Within the tomb Maeve is believed to stand upright in full royal regalia. She has been buried there since neolithic times.

Knocknarea is easily reached by car from Sligo Town. It is located on the Strandhill Peninsula, about 4 km from town. The hill offers a car park and an information sign outlining the significance of the neolithic cairn. Climbing the hill (Approx. 1080 ft.) takes about 45 minutes, and you can expect to be greeted by more than a few bleeting sheep along the way. There isn’t one specific pathway, so be sure to wear a good pair of sneakers or hiking boots to navigate the sometimes rough terrain. The summit of Knocknarea is nothing short of fascinating, offering views of the town and surrounding county. However, it is at this point in the climb that you will realize the slight bump on the top of the mountain was not so slight afterall, as the top of Maeve’s cairn itself stands a sharp 40 ft from this point. Millenia of visitors depositing stones for good luck certainly does add up!

Campers frequent the mountain, which means you are likely to find a few appropriately placed logs or large rocks to relax on and enjoy a packed lunch at this point. Climbing the final 40 feet in this expedition will make you glad you wore your sneakers, as the loosely deposited rocks can make this part of the hike a bit difficult at times. If you were impressed by the mountain’s summit, you will be in awe once you reach the top of Maeve’s cairn. To feel that you are standing on something so large not only physically, but historically as well, brings a sense of reality to Ireland’s wellknown mythical past.

How to get there:
Taxis abound in Sligo, and the charge should be reasonable for a lift to the hill’s carpark (About 10.00 Euro). However, you’ll want to either arrange a time for the taxi driver to pick you up again or make sure to put the cab company’s number in your mobile phone, so you can call them when you’ve finished the trek.

Where to Stay:
Sligo is quickly growing as a tourist destination for all types of travellers, but it has always been a particular gem for student travellers and backpackers. There are a number of Bed & Breakfasts and Youth Hostels located in town, and more information can be found at http://www.sligotourist.com

When to Go:
You won’t have to worry about crowds at Knocknarea, so any sunny summer’s day will suffice. It’s lovely to climb the mountain before noon, enjoy lunch on the summit and continue the rest of the way to the top of the cairn refueled. From there you can take in the beauty of a much-coveted sunny Irish afternoon.

© Jamie L. O’Hanlon 2006

Image : http://www.vincentpeters.nl/