The World Through Our Lens
Photography of landscape we have observed during our travels.
It was a glorious sunny afternoon when Bob and I set off to discover Cong Abbey Ruins, which lies close to the main street of Cong in County Mayo. The impressive ruins of the Augustinian Abbey stood proud against a bright blue sky while Bob and I immersed ourselves in the intriguing past of this important historic site. Read more
After our initial exploration of The Burren, Bob and I continued to the peak of the limestone plateau in order to locate Poulnabrone Dolmen . There, 8 kilometres (5 miles) south of Ballyvaughan in County Clare, it rises majestically and sits conspicuously in the middle of a field. Poulnabrone Dolmen, and many others, still stand today as stone sentinels at the gates of our civilization’s history, history that is laid bare on The Burren. Read more
A short distance from Ennistymon brought us to the famed Cliffs of Moher in County Clare, one of the most dramatic stretches of Ireland’s west coast. When first we arrived, a light drizzle dampened our clothing, and a brisk wind swept in off the ocean lending a distinct chill to the air. With our rain ponchos in place, we were ready for anything. Read more
We found the Recumbent Drombeg Stone Circle in a pastoral valley that was very similar to the one where Coppinger’s Court is situated. Read more
Coppingers Court Ruins looks more like a haunted house than a former Grand Stronghold. But it was that pervasive cryptic appeal that had Bob and I veering off R597 in County Cork, in search of its exact location. Read more
It was yet another unseasonably hot day when Bob and I struck out from Glendalough in the direction of Baltinglass, which brought us nearer to the Brownshill Portal Tomb in Ireland. Read more
One of my hopes on our trip to France was to spend a night in a “real” castle like Chateau de la Bourdaisiere. By happenstance we learned about this castle when we came upon a little tourist information booth along a country road in the Loire Valley. It happened to be staffed by an English-speaking young woman. Read more
After spending a few days exploring the streets and life of downtown Paris, Bob and I were anxious to leave the hubbub of the city behind. The Palace of Versailles was our next destination and is actually located in a suburb of Paris. It is a massive complex…800 hectares of gardens, buildings, water fountains and even a man-made lake called the Grand Canal. For both Bob and me, it was a given that we would visit the Palace of Versailles considering its history and what happened there before and during the French Revolution. Read more
Without a doubt, we have all seen endless pictures of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France. Similarly, it is probably one of the most popular sights to be both visited and filmed in Paris. But I have got to tell you that, when Bob and I emerged onto the surface from Le Métro subway stop, the sheer enormity of the Arc de Triomphe and its ownership of the landscape literally brought tears to my eyes. Standing across the street from it, I just stood there amazed, very moved, and in awe. Read more