Tilting, a village on the island of Fogo and about 300 miles from St. John’s, the capital of Newfoundland, was recently nominated as an Irish Heritage site. This is largely due to the efforts of a small but determined group of residents who are trying to halt the steady process of decay by restoring old houses and fishing stages before new technologies engulf what’s left of the … [Read more...] about Tilting Towards Ireland
Travel
The Postman Only Brings Once
In this modern age there isn't a lot of practical difference between traveling to a foreign country and moving to live in one. Both acts entail a degree of psychic upheaval, which is, after all, the point. They both require a certain level of packing, and in either case you have to make some arrangements for the mail. The main difference as I see it is that if you want to … [Read more...] about The Postman Only Brings Once
A Day in Capitan Sarmiento
The alarm clock rang. My consciousness slowly roused. 5:30, the illuminated digital figures hazily proclaimed. I steadily regained my faculties after what amounted to about four hours sleep. What in God's name was I doing getting up at this unearthly time? I was supposed to be on vacation. Forty-five minutes later, following a tepid shower and a breakfast consisting of coffee … [Read more...] about A Day in Capitan Sarmiento
Into Africa, Seeing and Believing
We're juggling with numbers here. Every five seconds someone in the world loses his/her sight; a child goes blind every minute. That amounts to seven million cases a year. Add that to 45 million people already blind and another 135 million with limited vision. Patricia Hallahan, regional director with Sight Savers International, confesses she's not very good at figures but … [Read more...] about Into Africa, Seeing and Believing
The Irish Loop
A few years ago, Newfoundland tourism officials decided to give names to roads around some peninsulas to help travelers plan trips by calling attention to a region's most significant feature. Along the Southern Shore (as it was always, and still is, known to residents) of Newfoundland's Avalon Peninsula, there was no question what it would be called: Irish Loop Drive. The … [Read more...] about The Irish Loop