Category: Ireland & England

Day 23 – The 10 Coolest Places I’ve Visited
Germany · Ireland & England · My Thoughts · Scotland · Spain · Travel

Day 23 – The 10 Coolest Places I’ve Visited

Larada Horner-MillerLeave a comment
Passports & travel stuff - coolest

In the last fourteen years since Lin and I have married, we have visited the coolest places all over the world. Here they are!

Santorini, Greece

Nestled on the top of a mountainous plateau, this town spoke to my heart. We didn’t ride the mules up to Santorini, but we walked down among them. The views were amazing and it felt like a magical city.

Rome, Italy

While we were in Rome, Lin became my tour guide because he’s so good with maps. I clocked 27,000 steps in one day as he took me from one historic sight to another. To end the day, we did a gastronomical tour that required still more walking, but it was amazing. We savored the food and the fun with the guide.

Naples, Italy

We visited Naples twice on a cruise, but we didn’t see much of the city, but we went out to two major sights I will never forget: Pompeii and Herculean. Unbelievable history at its best! So, I always connect them with Naples.

Munich, Germany

The day we visited Munich, our tour guide spoke several times of places Hitler spoke at or had been at, and it resonated with my soul. I had read about the horrors of the Hitler regime, but to hear his name connected with buildings I saw as we drove by shocked me. The tour guide emphatically warned against the Neo-Nazi groups of today.

Edinburgh, Scotland

The castle on the hill overlooking the city stands out in my mind as I think of Edinburgh—so majestic, so regal. After touring the castle, we had a delightful time walking the Royal Mile, shopping and enjoying the culture. A young man adopted us and helped Lin buy a kilt and all its accessories there!

Dublin, Ireland

I booked our accommodations there and wanted an inexpensive place. We ended up in a hostel with spartan accommodations that met our needs. I had to leave my driver’s license as collateral for a blow dryer, but it was right across the street from the Guiness Storehouse, so that worked out well when we did the tour.

London, England

We saw “Les Misérables” in a theater on the West Side of London and my husband said he would never go to a theater in the states again—it was so outstanding!

Once again, Lin’s mastering of maps helped us use the subway there like experts!

Barcelona, Spain

The brilliance of Antonio Gaudí’s artwork graces so much of Barcelona, but my favorite is the Sagrada Familia. When we toured it, the structure and creativity overwhelmed me. I remember the light radiating through the stained glass windows and just walking around in a circle to capture it all.

Seville, Spain

As we watched a Flamenco dance troupe perform, I had to pinch myself. The beauty and stylistic nature of Flamenco dancing has always captivated me, but to actually be in Seville watching it was surreal! The skirts, the clicking of the castanets and the soulful music filled the air. Again it was magical and the coolest!

Óbidos, Portugal

We had an extra day in Lisbon because of an unexpected delay, so we went to Óbidos on a tour. This walled city felt like a step back in time. We enjoyed shopping and sampling goodies throughout the town and didn’t want to leave.

Finally,

Wow! As I identified these ten coolest places I’ve visited, I realized I could add to this list probably ten more. Our world offers such great places to visit! Make sure you visit one or all of these!

Lin & Larada at Red River, New Mexico - coolest
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A Historic Week: The Queen & 9/11
Ireland & England · Memories · My Thoughts · Patriotism

A Historic Week: The Queen & 9/11

Larada Horner-MillerLeave a comment
Remembering 9/11, A historic week
Remembering 9/11
Remembering Queen Elizabeth II, A Historic Week
Remembering Queen Elizabeth II

Two major historic events happened this last week: the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday, September 8, 2022 and the 21st anniversary of 9/11, the day when 2996 died at the hands of an international terrorist’s attack on the World Trade Center in New York City. Both events happened miles away, but touched my life deeply.

I will never forget where I was for both.

Historic Week: September 11, 2001

In 2001, it appeared to be a normal Tuesday morning. I had gotten up early for my Quiet Time, showered and ate breakfast. My ex-husband had the news on the TV on in our bedroom. As I blew my hair dry, I heard the newscaster saying what I couldn’t believe. Both of us rushed closer to the TV and became eyewitnesses to an airplane crashing into the first tower of the World Trade Center.

Shocked, we tried to fathom what was going on. A terrorist? An accident? When the second one struck, it solidified the obvious—a terrorist attack.

For my specific description of my experience of that day, see my blog post on September 11, 2019 named, “Where Were You on September 11, 2001?”

Historic Week: Queen Elizabeth II’s Death, September 8, 2022

This past week, on Thursday morning, Lin and I received news alert on our phones that Queen Elizabeth’s health was failing. We shared our concern and went on with our morning. Preparing for lunch, we received the alert she died at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Thousands of miles away from England, this American woman wiped away tears, and you may wonder why. Queen Elizabeth II had become a heroine to me.

Queen Elizabeth II loved horses; me, too! A Historic Week
Queen Elizabeth II loved horses; me, too!

Many years ago, I learned of Queen Elizabeth II’s love of horses which touched my ranch girl’s heart! My ex-husband and I watched Monty Roberts, the famous horse whisperer work with some of her horses.

“In 1989, the Queen Mother was reduced to tears after Roberts managed to tame her wildest horse.” https://montyroberts.com/monty-roberts-honored-privately-by-the-queen-for-service-to-the-royal-family/

“In the early 1990s Roberts toured England at the behest of the Queen to demonstrate his methods.” https://montyroberts.com/monty-roberts-honored-privately-by-the-queen-for-service-to-the-royal-family/ 

Lin and I made our first trip to England to attend my cousin’s wedding in 2017. We extended our time there, spending 10 extra days touring England and then ten more in Ireland. Being there and meeting the people ignited an interest for me in all things English and especially Queen Elizabeth.

Then in 2019, we did a cruise of the British Isles and my interest grew. We stacked up more memorable experiences with lovely Brits and in the Queen’s lovely world.

These trips ignited an interested in Queen Elizabeth, so we watched “The Crown” which filled in many details about her life I didn’t know.

Lin, a history major, remembers watching her coronation on June 2, 1953, as a twelve-year-old boy, mesmerized by the pomp and circumstance. I was born June 27, 1953, so I didn’t see it. As a history buff, Lin followed Queen Elizabeth closely throughout his whole life, probably influencedy that young boy’s exposure to her beginning. He often offered pertinent details about her life that fascinated me.

Since 2017, I’ve kept my eye on the Queen, admiring her as a role model and woman leader. We so desperately need strong women for our young girls.

Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip’s Relationship

When Prince Phillip died on April 6, 2021, I wondered about the Queen’s loss and the enormous hole in her life. Their marriage spanned seventy-three years—I can’t imagine that length of partnership and then that loss.

See an informative presentation named “The Queen and Prince Philip’s royal romance,” which describes their relationship.

After her death, I read any article I could find on the Queen, inspired by the world’s love for her, and one raised an interesting question, “Did she die of a broken heart?” https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/health/article-11195881/Did-Queen-Elizabeth-II-die-broken-heart.html

I do believe people die of a broken heart in the loss of a spouse after a lengthy marriage, and the medical world identifies it as “broken heart syndrome.” What do you think? Is it possible?

I plan to watch her funeral on Monday, September 19, 2022, to honor this amazing woman. It’s Lin’s birthday, so truly it will be a bittersweet day.

Finally,

I honor historic events in my life because of who I am. Today, stop and remember the horror that happened on September 11, 2001 that changes our world. Shed tears for the end of Queen Elizabeth II’s reign and life, and tears of joy, knowing she’s joined her beloved Prince Phillip.

How do you honor key historic events?

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Read, reflect and respond!

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Grab a last drink on the beach with Flippo & enjoy!

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World Explorer—Why I do it!
Costa Rica · Ireland & England · My Thoughts · Scotland · Spain · Travel

World Explorer—Why I do it!

Larada Horner-Miller3 Comments
World traveler

World exploring and its wonders! Souvenirs, pictures, reminisces of fun-filled travels remind me daily of my experiences in this big beautiful world. Because of the pandemic, we canceled our travel plans for later in 2020 and have nothing planned for 2021. So today, I wondered why I love to travel so much. The packing and planning put many people off, but I enjoy every part of a trip.

I grew up in a small rural ranching community fifty miles from the nearest doctor and grocery store. I lived in a small town though, but the world out there seemed so big and unattainable, beyond the prairies and canyons of southeastern Colorado. Granddad Horner subscribed to the National Geographic magazine, and I thumbed through each issue, mesmerized by that world out there and its mysteries. I blushed at the foreign women’s bare chests, yet yearned to see that world.

Granddad and Grandma Horner took annual vacations touring the United States, and I relished their slide show of pictures from places I dreamed about in the United States—the Grand Canyon, Bullhead City and so much more.

My dad, a high school graduate and world thinker, read voraciously and kept educated about world matters so much so I gave him a globe for Christmas one year so he could find that faraway country he’d read about.

Little girl pointing at a world globe
Little girl holding index finger on Earth globe

So, I inherited a large worldview, bigger than Colorado, bigger than the United States. My first husband and I discovered Mexico: Mazatlán and the Yucatan peninsula in the 70s, when tourist hadn’t discovered both areas yet. When I saw my first Mayan Indian ruin, I felt captivated by the mystery, and I was hooked.

After we divorced, I traveled with a girlfriend back to the Yucatan peninsula to see many more Mayan Indian ruins and then on to Tikal in Guatemala, the Mecca of Mayan Indian ruins to me.

Then in 1999, Mom and I took our first European trip to do an Eastern Europe tour, basically to find her lost grandfather who had immigrated into the United States, but we had no record of his entrance here. That trip opened me up to a larger world—the wonders of eastern Europe with so many historical sites and cities.

In Berlin, we looked in a phone book for Mom’s granddad’s last name, Ulbig, and found several names listed. Neither of us spoke enough German to call any of our possible relatives. So, we tore that page out of the phone book, and that became Mom’s favorite souvenir of our trip. I cried during our tour of Auschwitz, the infamous concentration camp, a horrible example of man’s inhumanity against man. I will never forget that sight.

In 2001, my third husband and I drove the Can-American highway in our RV to Alaska. What an adventure that was! We saw Denali, Alaska’s tallest mountain, usually shrouded in clouds. We took a small airplane ride up to a glacier and walked around on it, surrounded by absolute white.

During our years together, we toured the United States in an RV, dancing and sightseeing all over the United States. We went up the west coast in 2003, promoting a national festival. We traveled to the Midwest and east—so many adventures.

In 2007, I joined the cruising world doing an inside passage tour to Alaska on a square dance cruise. I feel in love with cruising.

My present husband and I love to travel and see the world. We have taken several cruises—what a relaxing vacation they are. On one, we went through the Panama Canal and marveled at that amazing engineering feat.

In 2017, we traveled to England and Ireland. Lin drove in both countries and we had a delightful time. In Ireland, we saw the Cliffs of Moher, enjoyed dancing in Irish pubs and enjoyed staying in bed and breakfasts. While visiting England, we based ourselves in London, alternating between a tour one day and a free day the next. In London, we visited the British Museum, realizing we could have spend days there. We saw Stonehenge on a tour but were so rushed; I didn’t buy one souvenir there. We saw a Broadway play, Les Misérables, on the West End, and Lin vowed never to attend a play in the USA again since the production was so outstanding.

In January 2020, we went to Costa Rica with my husband, Lin’s ex-wife who is Costa Rican. The group was small, only twelve! She knew everyone in the group; we knew her, her husband and one other couple. Lin had told me repeatedly he wanted me to see Costa Rica. We had stopped at a Costa Rican port on one of our cruises, but his ex-wife shuddered when he told her where. She said it wasn’t a great example of Costa Rica. On our tour with her, we saw animals galore, ate delicious food and saw many gorgeous sites. I saw a quetzal bird in the jungle, a bird I had heard about thirty years before on the Yucatan peninsula.

At the end of February 2020, we went to Spain with twelve square dance friends and fell in love with Spain. We saw several major Spanish cities, starting in Barcelona and ending up in Madrid. We traveled through Don Quixote land, and I could see him mounted on his trusty stead, Rocinante, a long side his trusty companion, Sancho Panza.

So why do I enjoy traveling so much? I love seeing that world Granddad and Dad introduced me to so many years ago. When I stand at a site like Strafford-on-the Avon, Shakespeare’s home, I can’t believe this little country girl is there. The tour guide hugged me there as I cried. She remarked, “I wish all people responded like you.”

In my travels, the big world has shrunk, because I now know people in Scotland, Ireland and England. We sat and chatted, and I realized we have the same hopes and dreams—we’re really all the same.

In March of this year, Lin got a little cabin fever and had received several brochures promoting cruises next year. So, we signed up for two cruises in 2022 and one for 2023. The first one next year is a Transatlantic cruise going from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to Barcelona, Spain. Our next one goes through the Mediterranean. And in 2023, we travel to Japan.

In conclusion, I travel to discover what’s out there—my dad used to look at a side dirt road going up over a hill and out of view. He always commented, “I wonder where that goes!” Obviously, I inherited his wanderlust, but he never traveled outside the United States, so I do it for him.

Do you like to travel? What is your favorite travel memory? Why do you travel? (Scroll down below to make a comment!)

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What’s Your Passion?
Dancing · Ireland & England · My Thoughts · Spain · square dance · Writing

What’s Your Passion?

Larada Horner-MillerLeave a comment

Passion—that activity that motivates me! It energizes me, animates my spirit and lights a fire in my soul. Does it have to be just one? No I have several passions!

During this depressing pandemic, I’ve been denied participation in my deepest passion: dancing, square dancing, round dancing and any other type of dancing there is.

So, what did I do? I’ve reacquainted myself with some of my other passions. Some might call them hobbies, but I like the word passion better because it resounds with emotion.

My personal list of passions/hobbies are:

  • Writing
  • Reading
  • Knitting
  • Sunbathing

Let’s look at each one.

My passion: Writing

Writing

Yes, I am a writer and have continued my weekly blogs during this crazy time. I featured many poems I wrote about the pandemic, and the poetry writing fed my soul. It provided me a means to process the insanity that hit initially with the shelter-in-place and the cancellation of so many dance events.

Also, I finished my current writing project, Just Another Square Dance Caller: Authorized Biography of Marshall Flippo. The cancellation of events provided me extra time to add some novelties to the book.

Words and ideas flicker in my mind and must be recorded—definitely a passion for me!

My Passion: Reading

Reading

My husband, Lin, reads a lot, but I’ve felt too busy the last couple years to read during the day and limited my reading to bed time.

In our home, we have an extensive library, so at the beginning of the pandemic, he picked up Shadowlands, the heart-wrenching story of C. S. Lewis and his wife, Joy Goodman. He always shares about his current book with me, and that interested me. I have been a C. S. Lewis fan for years.

So, when he finished Shadowlands, he jumped into the legendary Chronicles of Narnia by Lewis and read the whole set. After doing some research on the Internet, he came up with a different reading order and read them chronologically instead of using the numbering system they used when they published the set.

Here’s the suggestion:

My Passion: Chronicles of Narnia

Chronological Order

  • The Magician’s Nephew
  • The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
  • The Horse and His Boy
  • Prince Caspian
  • The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
  • The Silver Chair
  • The Last Battle
The Narnian Order of Things

At that time, I was finishing up some books we bought on our trip to Spain in late February and early March. Also, I’m a long-time Jodi Picoult fan and wanted to finish leaving time, a fascinating novel with a shocking ending. I had, also, downloaded an e-book off of Kindle on a special, The Victory Garden, so I had that to read. What a delightful read!

After finishing them, I decided I wanted to end the summer with C. S. Lewis, so I started with Shadowland. I wept through the end of that book. Then I started the Chronicles of Narnia, following Lin’s suggested reading order.

What a treat! Originally, I read the Chronicles of Narnia about forty years ago, so with my memory, it has been like reading them for the first time. Right now, I’ve finished The Magician’s Nephew and The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Currently, I’m reading The Horse and His Boy.

So once again, reading has taken a major place in my day, a long neglected passion with my hectic life prior to the pandemic!

My Passion: Knitting

Knitting

I’ve been a knitter since I was ten years old, and I’ve knitted hundreds of items: sweaters, afghans, dresses, socks, vests, dish clothes and more. I love doing it while we watch TV, and it is a true passion of mine!

So, during this time, I’ve knitted a special baby afghan for a baby born in May, but the majority of my knitting now has been dish clothes. In fact, I’m starting my 17th today. It’s a simple pattern, and I can do it without watching my hands or thinking much. In fact, some people consider knitting a type of meditation, and I would agree with that.

The one knitting project I’ve avoided during this time is a complicated sweater for myself. I’ve made that pattern three other time, but it demands concentration. Every time I look at that knitting bag, I shiver because I want to finish it, but I don’t want to have count every stitch right now—maybe it’s the result of the pandemic and the stress. I don’t know, but I know I will finish it eventually.

And I have many future projects to look forward to because on our travels over the past few years, I’ve bought yarn as a souvenir at various places. From Ireland, I purchased enough beige wool to make an Aran sweater.

On our cruise of the British Isles last summer, I bought smaller amounts at different stops to make a scarf or something small.

I love the rhythmic movement and sound of the needles and the product at the end.

Sunbathing

Sunbathing

For my whole adult life, I have been a sun worshipper, spending countless hours in the sun trying to get a tan. My frequent travel companion during the 80’s and 90’s would scold me for laying in the sun on our trips to Mexico and South America. The crazy part is she would sit in the shade and I’d be full out in the sun, and she always came home with a better tan than me! Probably has to do with my red-haired fair-skinned father!

Often, I burned and took extreme chances with the way I sunbathed: spraying water on myself, using baby oil, and staying out way too long!

In 2001, my ex-husband was diagnosed with melanoma and had surgery. At about the same time, one of my best friends had a reoccurrence of melanoma after twenty years. Shortly, after this, I ended my sunbathing. I finally realized I was flirting with danger for sure.

This summer, my husband has gotten a gorgeous tan working in his garden and showed me the sensible way to get a tan: no long exposure, gradual increase in exposure and thoughtful consideration of how long he was in the sun.

 So, with book in hand, I started sunbathing again. I have used 50 level protection suntan lotion and started out slow and gradually increased my time to thirty minutes on each side—that’s it! I won’t go beyond that.

The sun’s warmth does something to my spirit. Laying outside in Lin’s gorgeous garden, I have time to appreciate the numerous flowers blooming and all the time he’s dedicated to it. (Gardening is his passion!) I have a dedicated reading time, and I’m getting a tan, all at the same time.

When this coronavirus pandemic has subsided, and we dance again, my passion for dancing will be ignited. Until then, these others bless me deeply. Passion, fervor, enthusiasm—we need it in our lives to feed our hearts, our souls and our spirits! How about you? What are your passions?

~HAVE YOU ORDERED A PERSONALLY AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF THE FLIPPO BIOGRAPHY?   AVAILABLE NOW! Go to the homepage on my website and pay for it there: https://www.laradasbooks.com

ALL FOUR E-BOOK FORMATS OF FLIPPO’S BIOGRAPHY AVAILABLE NOW.

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