Another Mystery - ah, not so much!

While conducting the research for one of our previous blog entries (Conspiracies), we came upon some strange and other worldly markings on the hard packed dirt roads the fabulous Toyota FJ were taking us.

For hours the questions were thus:
Who had created such markings?
Where did they come from?
What did they mean?
How could they be there and no one has mentioned them?



Baffling to say the least.

Thoughts of Nazca came to mind from the trip to Peru years back when J and L, with daughters in tow, wondered if the natives had simply had an itch to scrape lines in the rocky surface so future generations would scratch their heads and ponder - huh? Or was it something more tantalizing from
space aliens that allowed them to have directions from the heavens above so they could land safely in their fire ships?

Conversations occurred. Answers pooh-pooed. More conversations happened and more answers that didn't pan out.

Nothing.

And one had to remember this was in range of Area 51. Anything was possible. What is the government hiding beneath our noses or at least our tire treads?

Suddenly the world awoke and there in front of us was the resolution of our verbal quest.

Yes, these wild burros like to follow each other nose to the other end of the head leaving a solid and distinctive path no matter the surface they traverse.These trails are followed religiously, though we're not sure what religion burros follow, day in and day out, leaving discernible markings.

What a let down for us wanna-be conspiracy hunters. But anyway - the truth was out there.



The burro (the Spanish word for donkey) did not come over from Europe until 1495 when Christopher Columbus brought a handful (rather large hand) to Hispaniola from whence they were transported here and there across the ever expanding empire until finally these beasts of burden ended up crossing the Rio Grande in 1598 with explorer Juan de Onate. They were then used for many purposes and some escaped (like all enslaved animals ultimately do) and bred in the wild. Thus populations of wild burros (and horses too) roaming the deserts of Nevada and other states in the southwest is not uncommon.

Really - that was the solution to another possible conspiracy? Sadly yes, and that's no manure.

Caisleann Bhun Raithe

Beautiful Ruins

Another Castle Stop!

Stealing a peek

Castle walls

We had seen so many castles in the Irish countryside that even the dauntless explorers, J and L, had to think three or four times before stopping by one of Ireland's premier tourist attractions. Thousand year old structures in the middle of the rolling green hills we had crawled through on hands and knees, clambered to parapets over broken stone circular stairwells, and even walked through an underground mud pit to flash a light into what was once a dungeon.

Looking down the upstaircase

Why would we want to pay 15 Euros to follow lines of visitors traipsing through a restored 15th century castle by the 7th Viscount Gort in 1956? But, then again why wouldn't we?

So, as we drove along the N19 road between Limerick and Ennis a stop in the center of Bunratty Village looked like a good idea.

Ratty River, Shannon Estuary

One of the better decisions, and there were a lot of them, during our summer trip to the green island. A chance to wander the grounds of an area reported to be one of the first Viking settlement/trader camps in the County Clare. According to local legend the settlement was destroyed by Brian Boru in 977 CE. With this story though no evidence of the settlement has been found but then again there is always tomorrow and  a possible bonanza archaeological dig.




We'll stick with the local tradition for now, much more romantic and deadly.

Walking through history is a trip not all can take but going from the 21st to the 15th century by simply slipping past a turnstile was well worth it.

Bunratty Castle

The weather was perfect for a pair of travelers making their way from one exhibit to another with the sun making a strong showing every few moments between drops of rain. A lovely summer day in the middle of the Republic of Ireland.




Bunratty Castle (Caisleann Bhun Raithe) is located on a large open air Folk Park covering 26 acres and housing over thirty buildings which contain shops, ancient and more modern structures (the late 19th century showing what life in a small community was like through the centuries.


While walking through the village we came upon a thatched roofed cottage, rather large in comparison to the other ones we had viewed, with a peat fire in the hearth and met a woman in period clothing busily pounding dough on a large wood table.

"I'm making dumplings. The best in all of Ireland."

Ardcroney Church

And indeed they were as we learned while visiting the small pub next door. Though we didn't eat any more during visit to Ireland, so they were indeed the best we had had.


The rain fell softly and warm but did not deter two eager adventurers from exploring the small but delightful Rose Cottage to the Ardcroney Church of Ireland at the far end of the Folk Park.

Interior, Great Hall

Four hours and four tired legs later J and L had witnessed all the park had to offer including the magnificent castle.

Narrow and steep stone spiral staircases on all four corners of the interior allowed visitors to truly experience what life must have been like five centuries earlier in County Clare.

The Library,
a writer's favorite

Cold, wet, smelly (with peat burning all day and night), smelly (bathing usually was not a daily occurrence), often times hungry depending on a good or bad growing season. And was cold and wet mentioned already?

As we departed from our trip into the past both of us were glad to get into the comfort of our rented 21st century vehicle and heading to our hotel instead of having to live the reality of bunking down for the night inside an airy thatched roofed home.

J and L, Researching and Exploring in Ireland

Romantic? Maybe but still cold and wet most of the times. Or perhaps, that is what it makes it so charming.

A Nevada night in San Diego

John and Zlata

The evening was clear, warm and beautiful with the sun setting to the west of San Diego Bay and both J and L felt very fortunate to be standing on the deck of the fifty foot motor yacht, Bay Watch. We were there at the invitation of Johnny Nevada, the producer, director, and voice of the Talk of San Diego to discuss the recent release of the novel Hunted. Johnny's show was both live radio and a cable show shown on three different cable networks in greater San Diego, the radio broadcast being one of the favorites in the city by the bay.

After being ushered aboard by a dapperly dressed Captain Bill, who is owner and operator of Bay Watch Cruises located on Shelter Island at the Silver Gate Yacht Club we were given a tour of the three story luxury yacht and were duly impressed. Three staterooms, one for each story was our guess, and two heads (that's bathrooms to the landlubbers), a large salon, kitchen, dining area, and overall a great place to live which is exactly what a Captain Bill does when he is not out giving water tours on the bay.

Johnny Nevada, as usual was busy making sure everything was ready for the show that evening, a live radio broadcast as well as television but that didn't mean Nevada was too busy to throw lively jokes, one-liners, and an occasional fun-intended bard toward this writer. Somehow the lovely Laureen seems to escape this good natured hazing by many while the not so lovely John gets broadsided. Since we knew Johnny and now consider him a friend, the real time banter was fun and enjoyable.

It was a great way to relax before sitting down in front of a television camera.



Zlata, John and the illusive Johnny Nevada

Shortly after our arrival the hostess for the show came on board and introductions were once again shuttled back and forth. It was the first night for this newcomer to serve as the host for Johnny's show and she only smiled, sat behind the microphone, tossed her hair, and said she was ready.

Zlata Sushchik (yes, definitely a Russian name) was the 2009 Miss Alaska Teen beauty pageant winner and the competition surely made her ready to sit behind microphones without a bat of an eye or a nervous twinkle for that matter.

To hear John and Zlata, click the link below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqFW0AxOkn0&feature=share&list=PL4CBF129279744325


We learned during the interview, where both J and L were interviewed separately for the audience that Zlata recently announced that she will be running for the upcoming Miss California pageant. She would have our votes after listening to her questions us about the novel, our blogging escapades, how we met, and eventually married, and other topics which showed what a wonderful interviewer she was. And she easily kept up her momentum even with Johnny Nevada shooting jokes at her while on-air. She was a true professional.

As the moon rose over San Diego the show round down with laughter and good feelings for a show well done and from the look on everyone's faces it had been time spent in the company of friends.

Laureen and Zlata chat -- to hear them, click the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JoOAlr51l-A&feature=share&list=PL4CBF129279744325

It was great publicity for Hunted, Bay Watch Cruises, Silver Gate Yacht Club, Zlata Sushchik and her many quests (this is one very determined beautiful young woman who has her eyes and fingers on many different venues), and of course for the Talk of San Diego.


Again, Johnny Nevada was a gentleman (hope this doesn't tarnish his image) and we were glad to have spent a truly gorgeous San Diego evening aboard a yacht with him and his entire crew.

"The Talk of San Diego" Cox Cable Ch 23 - AT&T U-Verse Ch 99 ...

www.thetalkofsandiego.com

A Bay Watch Cruise

www.sandiegoboat.com/

Silver Gate Yacht Club

www.sgyc.org/‎

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