Venice with the Kids

There are few cities more perfect for a romantic breakaway than Venice. But does it have the X Factor for families? I recently took my husband, ten year old daughter Nicole and teenage son Mark, to find out.

If you are coming from the airport then your taxi or bus will more than likely stop at the Piazzale Roma. It can be a bit of a maze if you don't know where you are going as the usual modes of transport are not an option. The Vaporetti (water busses) are fun and easy to use once you've found your bearings. We decided to go for the decadent option of a water taxi to take us to our hotel. It wasn't cheap at €60 as there were four of us, but it could take up to ten passengers, which makes it a reasonable option for a group. The taxis are limited to travel on the main canals only which made the journey longer and an adventure in itself. Sitting under the cloudless Italian sky, on plush cream leather seats, we understood why George Clooney chose this city for his wedding!  

We felt like rockstars on arrival at the Boscolo Venezia hotel. The brightly striped red and white mooring posts, mark the entrance of this fine hotel which was once the French Palace. Boscolo Venezia is housed in the beautiful old mansion Palazzo Rizzo-Patarol in the residential Cannaregio district. When Venice was at the height of its power, this was the only area planted with small crops, which is why Boscolo Venezia is the only luxury hotel in Venice to have a private garden overlooking the lagoon.

Our suite was perfect for families and decorated with oriental carpets and 18th century cabinets: some of the rooms overlook the lush garden but we had a perfect view of the canal to watch the gondolas glide by. Rich in marble, Venetian stucco and chandeliers our hotel was a cultural experience in itself.

The Boscolo Venezia provides a free water taxi to take guests to St Marks Square several times a day - it also offers a tour of the Murano glass factories across the lagoon on Murano Island and all free of charge. This made a fascinating excursion for the children who got to see firsthand how the famous glass is blown and shaped.

While the usual draw of St Marks Square is a must for visitors to Venice, after we peeked in to see the awesome interior of St Mark's Cathedral and Nicole had her photograph taken on one of the famous lions outside, the kids asked to go back to the quieter district where our hotel was situated. We battled our way past the crowds at the Rialto Bridge and a sense of calm settled on us in the windier streets.

Prices fell considerably in the bars and restaurants the further we travelled from St Marks. Once we were settled back in the residential quarter, we took time to wander through the Jewish Ghetto which had an interesting range of shops and low budget eateries. Getting lost in Venice is a wonderful way to put in the afternoon and there is always the attraction of finding new Gelaterias along the way to savour wonderful Italian ice-cream.

A water fountain providing free drinking water from a sculpted cast-iron-spout proved a great novelty and was only a few steps away from our hotel. The city promotes drinking tap water rather than using plastic bottles because of waste disposal issues.

We only had to stroll a few metres away from our hotel to find the church of Madonna del Orto which houses an original Tintoretto and allowed me to indulge in a little bit of culture without queuing or expensive entrance charges. A good alternative to churches is the natural history museum and it's only a twenty minute walk from St Marks. For kids that are agreeable to visiting art galleries the Peggy Guggenheim museum is filled with modern masterpieces that my crew loved.

There is a beauty about Venice at night that is special and we truly felt like cognescenti as we sat in a small Trattoria on the Rio Tera Lista di Spagna and ate pasta. We were provided with free wifi which is always a big hit with my kids, but watching the locals buy from the colourful fruit and vegetable stalls was more interesting for the adults.

If your kids are still in strollers then Venice may not be a good city break for you, as crowds, steps and bridges can make it difficult to get around. But if you can keep up with your kids, it's a great city to explore with a camera and give them a visual feast for their eyes that will stay with them forever.

Published in the Herald newspaper December 2014

Fact box
For more information see http://venezia.boscolohotels.com/  

Prices start at 182 Euros per night. Boscolo Venezia is part of Marriott International Autograph Collection.

Buy your ticket for the guggenheim museum at this site http://www.guggenheim-venice.it/

Home on the Range

Like many of a certain age, my father is a massive fan of the Wild West. I can remember as a child having to watch The Magnificent Seven and A Fistful of dollars over and over on TV, and Jim Reeves tunes were constantly played on the cassette in his car. So my father was the perfect candidate to accompany me on my first adventure to Oklahoma – the state that was, and still is the gateway to the West.

We flew with American Airlines into Chicago O’Hare and had a short stop over before our two-hour commuter flight to Oklahoma. Fly-drive is the best option when travelling through the United States and I thought driving on the right-handside of the road would be off-putting for Dad but the level of excitement in the car was on a par with the first time I took my children to Disneyland. The drive from Will Rogers Airport to Island Guest Ranch in Ames took two hours. With open plains, country towns and mini oil drills to see on route 81 the journey flew by. We arrived at our destination before sunset to be greeted warmly by Jordy White and her father Carl. Island Guest Ranch is a working ranch and the White family have been settled here since the Oklahoma Land-run of the late 1800s. Set on several-thousand-acres, the Cimarron River runs through the ranch, where they keep a large herd of long-horn cattle and are guardians to several wild species.

Staying at Island Guest Ranch means that you are instantly made to feel like part of the family. Jordy’s brother, Rylin, shows guests how to ride and herd cattle and all the guests dine with the family for the three hearty meals of good home-cooking that are served throughout the day. Guest accommodation is in en-suite chalets, close to the swimming pool and a few steps from the lodge-house where we ate.

We woke early on our first morning to freshly made pancakes and bacon with blueberries and strawberries. Rylin was keen to get going and had brought down some horses to the corral for our first adventure. This was my first time to be on a horse since I was ten-years-old and my father hadn’t been on one since the days he spent at home on the farm in his youth. We were made feel confident and comfortable and teamed up with suitably natured horses. I was amazed at how relaxed I felt and we started a trek through the farmland and terrain. “That’s the yellow rose of Texas there,” Rylin informed us, as he pointed to a flowering cactus plant. I realised how these farmers live close to nature and in harmony with it too. Bow-legged, but invigorated after our ride, I retired to the pool for the afternoon and sat in the sunshine reading my book. Our evening’s entertainment involved a trolley ride out to the farm to check up on the cattle and supplement their diet with some feed. I never thought I would enjoy such an experience and I can honestly say that my father was truly in his element.

The Whites offer a wide range of activities from the ranch and will take their guests to Pow Wows, Rodeos, Museums and Country and Western dances. Clay-shooting and paddle-boating are available or you can learn how to lasso your own steer. Jordy suggested we pay a visit to Simpsons Old Time museum in Enid which had my father enthralled. They have the best range of memorabilia from vintage films and music probably on the planet, with film sets that include a saloon, bordello and Jail.

One of the highlights from our stay at the ranch was sitting on the swing chairs at night and looking up at the millions of stars overhead – shooting stars give a private performance night after night to the sound of the wild coyotes howling. There really was no better show in town.

We were sad to leave Ames but there is a lot of the west to see in Oklahoma, so we set off for the town of Duncan on Route 81 which follows the original route the cowmen took on the original Chisolm Trail. Our first port of call was at the Chisolm Trail heritage centre and we got a taste of what it was like for the cowboys and young men that drove the cattle from Texas to Abiline in Kansas on a one-hundred day trek that cost many their lives.

At this time in the late 1800s the plains were flooded with cows and there was a shortage of beef in the east coast. Driving the cattle to meet the train in Kansas was the only way to transport them to market where they would get prices of $30 instead of $3 by staying in the mid-west. The cowboys got 100$ payment or their 100 days work and life was difficult and dangerous. The interactive film is well produced in the museum complete with sound effects and smells.

We packed up a picnic and decided to visit the lookout point used by the cowboys on this trail which is marked with a monument some 20 miles from the museum. Here we sat and absorbed the distance with a trail as far as the eye could see across the prairies. 

This part of the country is rural in every sense of the world and we stopped off at small antique shop in the town of Comanche to find old memorabilia and nicnacs from the old west. It was wonderful to feel that you could find local friendly people gushing with their life-stories and welcoming to strangers.

When we made our way to Oklahoma City and our hotel in mid-town we didn’t expect this warmth to continue but it did. The city has been through a renaissance since the mid-nineties but it has maintained its country feel. We woke to a fun-filled day taking in all the action in Stockyard city. It is difficult to imagine that such a place exists only a short ten-minute drive from the centre of hte city but Stockyard city is where farmers and ranchers gather to sell cattle on a daily basis.

Some of the steers will be taken off to be fattened up in the pastures and others are going for breeding. It was like being on a film set watching the auctioneer rant at pace I couldn’t understand but it was wonderful to watch. The stench was overwhelming but the process brought my father right back to the days when he attended the cattle market as a lad. We dined at the Cattleman's Cafe which has been around since 1910 and was filled with locals going to market. Around the corner was a street with the best range of cowboy clothing and boots so we had to get a Stetson before leaving.

As if he hadn’t had enough nostalgia we finished our time in Oklahoma City with a visit to the museum of the Cowboy where my father was able to name off every single character and their history much to our guide's amusement. Oklahoma may be off the beaten track but it was the perfect destination for my Dad and I to make special memories.

Published in the Herald newspaper October 2014

for details of package holidays to Oklahoma see:

www.platinumtravel.ie

www.travelksok.co.uk

www.islandguestranch.com

American Airlines at www.aa.com

Oklahoma Red Earth Festival and Route 66

“Will you come to The United States with me, Dad?” I ask my father. I’ve longed for a road trip with him since reading ‘Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance’ and neither of us are getting any younger. “I won’t go to a big city mind!” he says adamantly. I have Oklahoma in mind. “There’s Route 66, Will Rogers, Indian Festivals and of course lots of wide open spaces,” I add. Oklahoma is making a huge impact on the Irish travel scene for nostalgic reasons and its appeal to Baby Boomers.

My plan works and we take a direct flight from Dublin to Chicago on American Airlines. With a short two hour connection we arrive in Will Rogers Airport to balmy temperatures and easily accessible car hire. “That’s a grand airport,” my father comments, as we set off on Meridian Highway for the start of our adventure. Okla-homa is a Choctaw Indian word, meaning ‘Red People’, and one of the most notable features of the Oklahoman landscape is the ‘Red Earth’ – the same earth described in the first chapter of Steinbeck’s Great American novel, ‘The Grapes of Wrath’.

Red Earth is also the name given to a festival held every June in Oklahoma City and rated in the top ten Native American events in the country. It begins with a parade of participants in full regalia through downtown Oklahoma City and passes under the gaze of the impressive Devon tower – the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River. It then circles the Myriad Gardens, home to the beautifully crafted botanic gardens and surrounded by play parks for all the family to enjoy. The festival runs for three days in Remington Park, which more usually hosts horse racing events – a short ten-minute drive from mid-town.

Dad and I potter around the display of paintings and handcrafted products ranging from basketry to hand-crafted instruments. We lose the run of ourselves and buy dream catchers and reed flutes. Out on the paddock, the main stage hosts various dancing and singing competitions, showing the talent of a wide-variety of tribes from across the country. “That’s brilliant stuff,” Dad says as he poses for a photograph with the gorgeous Ms Comanche Nation. Dancers include men, women and children and the Fancy Dances are definitely the highlight.

After an exhilarating day we check in at the Hampton Hotel in Bricktown. This downtown district has seen a complete rejuvenation over the last couple of years, as old warehouses have been pulled down and new amenities erected. It boasts newly built basketball and baseball arenas. The Hotel is only a stone’s throw from Chickasaw Baseball Park – home to the Minor Baseball League team, The OKC Redhawks. Neither of us has a clue what is going on at our first baseball game, but with hotdogs in one hand and large cup of beer in the other we get into the atmosphere and shout for the home side.

Micky Mantles Bar & Restaurant, named after the famous baseball player, is across the road from the grounds and we get chatting to the bar tender and some locals. “Your father’s never met a stranger, I see,” one of them says, and it’s true. Oklahomans have to be the friendliest people in the United States. Some of the best bars and restaurants are just around the corner, including Nonna’s restaurant and Pearls Crab Shack serving Creole cuisine.

Oklahoma City has seen a renaissance since the terrible events in 1995 surrounding the Oklahoma bombing when 168 people lost their lives. It now boasts an array of stylish quarters and we are drawn (excuse the pun) to the Paseo art district. This area is filled with more than its fair share of Art Galleries and craft-shops. We are lucky to be here on the first Friday of the month when Artists provide wine and nibbles all evening long for visitors to come and see newly exhibited work. We dine at The Paseo Grill, a well established restaurant on the strip with a good mix of Euro-American cuisine.

Next day Dad and I hit Route 66. Lined now in part with shopping malls, we get to do some damage to the credit cards. But we experience a taste of the authentic Route 66 diner at Ann’s Chicken Fry House, which has been a favourite of 66 fans for decades. Located on the original route, a pink Cadillac and an old police Pontiac sit out front. Oklahoma is the state with the longest stretch of genuine route 66 still intact. Museums that document the history of this road from its beginning during the depression to its heyday in the 50’s and 60’s are found in the towns of Chandler and Clinton among others.

My father isn’t usually one to drive when he goes on holidays but a car is a must in this state and Dad finds it incredibly easy. “These are brilliant roads!” he says as yet again he insists I take the passenger seat. Ten-minutes outside Oklahoma City, the sense of space becomes overwhelming. Wide open plains, dotted with water pumping windmills and spectres of lone oil drills, roll by. Roads are easy to navigate and in a little over one hour we reach Ponca City. The statue of the Pioneer Woman by Bryant Baker, is one of the landmarks in this town and the story behind Ernest Marland who commissioned this work is enthralling.

Known as E.W., Marland was a millionaire who made his money from coal but lost his fortune in a stock market crash in 1899, only to make another fortune from oil a few years later. The Marland Mansion is worth a visit, but Ernest’s personal life is even more intriguing. After adopting his wife’s niece Lydie at age sixteen, he annulled the adoption twelve years later, so that he could marry her when his first wife died. But he was an inspiring and altruistic leader who was loved by the townsfolk of Ponca. After he lost his second fortune, what is now known as Conoco Oil, he went on to become Oklahoma Governor in Washington DC. When he died in 1941, his young wife Lydie, went missing. The search for her became a national phenomenon. She returned to Ponca City twenty-two years after her disappearance and finished her days living in the chauffer’s cottage on the Marland estate. Her return ensured the rebuilding of the estate as a national monument known affectionately as the Palace on the Prairie.

Outside Ponca City, tall grass prairies stretch for miles and new herds of buffalo have been introduced to roam wild and free. “You know when the white man killed the buffalo he really finished the Indians,” my Dad, reminds me. He’d told me this as a child as I’d sat watching a western on TV and suddenly I’m overwhelmed by the moment and this father and daughter adventure that we are so lucky to experience together. The story of the Ponca chief, Standing Bear is commemorated in the visitor centre just south of the city and en route to a very different Native American story in Chickasaw Country.

A two-and-a-half hour drive brings us to the town of Sulphur, to learn about a tribe who’ve gone from strength to strength over the last sixty years through good management. They have made their fortune from casinos, and filtered the profits into various enterprises that have enriched and secured their culture for generations to come. Blessed with a wonderful location, nestled amongst the Arbuckle Mountains, Chickasaw country is one of the best places to find hidden Oklahoma. The tribe recently rebuilt the famous Artesian Hotel in Sulphur. My father delights in the fact that in its heyday the hotels guests included John Wayne and Grace Kelly. Many came to benefit from the healing properties, allegedly found, in the nearby springs that give the town its name. The Artesian is refurbished to a very high standard and has a spectacular spa and casino. Log cabins and camping facilities are available in the Chickasaw Recreation Area with plenty of fishing and swimming to be enjoyed in the lakes and travertine falls.

Dad and I decide it’s time to live dangerously so we hit Crossbar Ranch. Located high in the Arbuckle Mountains, we’ve a choice of quad biking or zip-lining – the bikes win out. Hiking and swimming are on offer around the corner at the impressive 77ft high Turner Falls. After all that exertion we try a local delicacy at Arbuckle Mountain Pies. Tasting like a giant donut, the pies come with a thick syrupy filing in a variety of fruit flavours. We shouldn’t, but we buy a cherry and blueberry pie each.

We don’t realise that the highlight of our visit is yet to come as we arrive at the Chickasaw Cultural Centre. Located outside the town of Davis, we are met by our guide Francine. She is part Chickasaw, Creek and Cherokee and she not only explains and describes the centre but gives us insight into the history of her own family. Francine’s father has passed on but he crops up so much in conversation it is as if he is walking along beside us. The Chickasaws are one of the five-civilised tribes forced to leave their farmed lands in Tennessee and Alabama in the 1830’s and walk the ‘Trail of Tears’ to resettle in Indian country. It is poignantly portrayed in a statue in the centre of the park – similar to our own famine statue in Dublin.

The pain is clear on the faces of each character and Francine tells how her father passed down the stories of this terrible time. “He’d smoke tobacco while he spoke, and I’d feel the terrible weight in my own feet that my fore-fathers felt as they walked the trail.”  

She guides us through the archives and exhibits that include rattles made from tortoise shells and instruments made from reeds. The native game of stickball reminds Dad of hurling. The large grass mound in the Chickasaw village grounds where they buried their dead bares a remarkable resemblance to Newgrange. We are fascinated with the similarities between our two cultures. Even the spiral symbol in the logo for this special place is identical to the symbols found in Irish stone-age and Celtic artwork. The Native Americans have a tradition and history that is unique, and yet not unlike our own in Ireland. Oklahoma has been a delight and now Dad has the travel bug for more road trips...so we are already considering a trip to Kansas next year!

Factbox

For information and advice on travel around Oklahoma and Kansas from Ireland see www.travelksok.ie

For suggested packages to Oklahoma see www.platinumtravel.ie a fully bonded travel agent tel: 01-8535000

American Airlines flies to Oklahoma from Dublin via Chicago and Charlotte from €652.89 return pp (inc taxes). For more information and to book go towww.aa.com  

To stay in Sulphur see www.artesianhotel.com and www.chickasawretreat.com 

See www.redearth.org and www.chickasawculturalcentre.com for more information about Native American culture.

Perth and the inspiration for a novel

I'm currently writing a novel that was inspired by a journey that I took this summer to Oklahoma and it reminded me that I haven't posted my article about our family trip to Perth in Western Australia in 2012. It seems so long ago now but it was the trip of a lifetime and very close to all our hearts as we were visiting our dears friends who had emigrated. I hope that you enjoy it...

“You’re emigrating to Perth?” I was speechless – after all it is the other side of the world. This was the news my dear friend announced last year. I realised that I was experiencing what many people around the country were feeling as their friends and family shipped out to find a new and better life abroad. On the bright side I had the premise for a new novel – all I had to do now was go there. But this was one trip that I wasn’t getting to take on my own – my husband, 11 year old son and eight year old daughter had never been to Australia and said they were coming too.

With the Emirates one-stop route through Dubai, Perth has never been so accessible for the Irish traveller. The style and service on the luxury airline are reminders of air travel of the past with all the technological advances of the present day. Economy passengers can enjoy private entertainment systems – the kids played computer games and I had the luxury of watching back to back episodes of Downtown Abbey for ten hours from Dubai. My son cleaned the plate after his dish of cannelloni on the flight and asked if he could stay on board a little longer!

The great thing about travelling to a place where you are meeting locals is that you are immediately told of ‘the best places’ to go. I like my luxury and culture, the kids like action – my husband likes his sport so we filled our two week visit with a mix for all.

Something worth considering before taking that trip, Perth is one of the most expensive cities in Australia and open wallet surgery may be in order after your return. A side order of chips in the gastro pub The Rose and Crown, Guildford will set you back 10 dollars at lunchtime and a sirloin steak 39 dollars– that’s the guts of forty euros. Portions however are big and we learned to share mains.

After two days with our friends in the hills of Kalamunda, we took an apartment at a basic apartment complex in South Perth which was close to a busy highway but an excellent location for sightseeing. The Broadwater Apartments had a good swimming pool which was a must for our children as temperatures in February frequently reach the high thirties and forties. However we were right beside the ferry from South Perth to the CBD (Central Business District) which was the most desirable way to commute to the city centre. Cost was less than a dollar each way and a pleasurable trip whether taken in the daytime or as the sun sets with the lights of the city skyscrapers and the famous Bell Tower sparkling ahead.

South Perth hosts the restaurant with the loveliest view from ground level. Cocos is the Aussie equivalent of the Unicorn in Dublin where the media and press people like to hang out for late lunches on a Friday afternoon. As the city lights up the al fresco tables set under large umbrellas are romantic and atmospheric – even with the kids.South Perth is home to the zoo and it was marvellous for the kids to see the variety of marsupials on offer – much more compact and child oriented than its European counterparts, Perth Zoo had a fabulous carousel and interactive play areas as we paraded the grounds. We learned about numbats, Tazmanian devils and our favourite were the Quokkas. These cat sized marsupials resemble mini kangaroos with rat like tails and faces – they are abundant on a small island called Rottnest which is a forty minute ferry ride from Freemantle. Once an aborigine prison and reformatory site, Rottnest Island is now a haven for families and stag parties that invade the island in the summer season.

A subplot thickened at the back of my mind and I told my family Rottnest was our next stop. The ferry wasn’t cheap and the limited accommodation is good but because most trippers stay for only the day sleeping over is pricey too. We stayed at the Rottnest Lodge hotel which is part of the Karma resorts chain. It was weirdly colonial set amongst delightful stores and the famous Rottnest bakery – a pasty from there is a must. Don’t be perturbed as you step out of the hotel pool to find a Quokka basking on your beach bag or sniffing around your cocktail. My daughter loved them so much she wanted to bring one home – even after I explained that they carry over one hundred strains of salmonella poisoning. The kids (and dads) favourite was the inflatable waterpark at the edge of the beach – set amongst the azure waters of the Indian Ocean, I was happy to rest on the powder soft sand and watch.

We ate sumptuously at Aristos restaurant – garlic mussels to die for and scampi and fish that melted in our mouths. The kids had a large playground right beside the deck where we ate and as night fell the trees lit up with tiny white fairy lights that mingled with the perfect starry sky above our heads.

Next morning we woke like the famous five would have on Kirrin Island – we were ready for adventure. We hired bicycles and got a map and started our trek to Porcupine Bay where the snorkelling is extra special – it didn’t disappoint and rounded off our visit to the island perfectly.

But we had to get back to the mainland and our ferry dropped us at Fremantle, home of the fabulous markets revamped in the seventies and now hosting over 150 unique stalls. The kids devoured the ice-cream because it was another scorcher – the summers have become hotter and longer in Perth which did limit what we could do with comfort.

We stayed in Fremantle for a couple of days where Cicerellos fish and chip shop has been part of the harbour since 1903 and such a landmark I decided it had to go into a scene in my book. We weren’t disappointed and took a ride on the ferris wheel afterwards. The Gallery Suites on High Street are not cheap but offer excellent accommodation with swimming pool, hot tub and a central location in Fremantle. We stayed there two nights because I was ready for a bit of culture and history in the midst of all this swimming and action adventure. Fremantle prison tour takes the best part of two hours and we were shown the inmates accommodation in great detail. There was an exhibition of art by current inmates in the gallery and I found it incredibly spooky – my guide later informed that certain parts of the prison are allegedly haunted which didn’t make me feel any better. But you could pick up a fine piece of art for anything from sixty bucks and the aborigine art was particularly well executed, if you will pardon the expression.

North of Perth the waters around Scarborough can be treacherous but the beach is raked everyday and the sand white and grainy. We passed the exclusive shire of Peppermint Grove on our way there and with such a wonderful name I stole it for the title of my novel. Close by is Cottesloe Beach, the home of the iconic Indiana Tearooms which was the setting for actor, Heath Legers memorial service. Not as pricey as I expected either but you do have to book in advance and the view won’t disappoint. We settled for a takeaway from the chipper downstairs and ate them on the grass with the countless local families who do this as part of the lifestyle in Perth.

You can’t leave Perth without having a picnic in Kings Park. The kids adored the distractions around the Anzac memorial and any evening in summer you will find hundreds of families enjoy a picnic around the garden of remembrance lit by the eternal flame for Australian soldiers who have died in the world wars.

We were packing in a lot but there was more and a lunch at the Swan Valley was an adult indulgence but the kids behaved impeccably. You can sample the local wines and pick your favourite to accompany lunch. The vineyards hold host to rock concerts and events in the summer.

Our friends insisted we had to the action north of the coastline and the purpose-built Hillary’s, Boat Harbour. Filled with delicious shops and restaurants it hosts a waterpark and sheltered beach and the award wining number one bar in Australia. One of the best attractions is the Aquarium where the kids were able touch pet turtles, urchins and baby sharks.

Our friends hosted barbeques (aka barbies) and insisted we couldn’t go home without seeing Lake Leschenaultia. We were glad they did because as we drove through Kalamunda National Park we saw our first kangaroo hopping around in the wild. The excitement was palpable and waiting for us at the lake was an abundance of unusual birds, reptiles and marsupials living as nature intended. But the two weeks had flown and we were just about ready for home when my daughter admitted that she missed Pennys – you don’t go to Perth for the shopping or fashion. This didn’t bother my son and husband however, who had to be dragged kicking and screaming on to our Emirates Boeing 777 as we left our dear friends behind. The bittersweet taste of emigration had certainly given me food for thought and the theme and setting for my book. And the best part of all was revisiting the special time that we spent with our friends as I wrote it.

My fifth novel, 5 Peppermint Grove, set in Perth, Western Australia is available in all good bookshops and published by Poolbeg Press. It's also available as an ebook on amazon.co.uk

The Dylan Thomas Centenary Year is the perfect time to visit Wales!

 

The words, ‘Do not go gentle into that good night,’ used to send shivers down my spine and throw me right back to my school days. But I’ll never forget that it was Dylan Thomas who wrote the poem or that it was about the death of his father. I recently set off on an Odyssey to discover more about the man and the myth in South Wales. The town of Swansea, where Dylan was born, has also given us Tom Jones and Shirley Bassey. It is set up for a revival, and the old docks that once were filled with coal ships now offer an eclectic mix of restaurants and bars.

I started at the Dylan Thomas Centre which is a small but accessible museum set in the Old Guild Hall. It holds a host of letters and information about Dylan and his life in Wales, London and where he met his tragic end in the infamous Chelsea Hotel in New York. It is an interesting place to get a picture of the poet’s life and hear his recorded work on the interactive displays. I was especially intrigued by the beautiful illustration of his play for voices, ‘Under Milk Wood’, which was recently re-recorded by famous Welsh stars, including Charlotte Church, Sir Tom and Cerys Matthews.

5 Cwmdonkin Drive is the home where Dylan was born and lived for much of his life. It has been carefully and authentically restored by the Haden’s who make it available for rent on a Bed and Breakfast basis and it would be a wonderful treat to send a fan of the poet here for an overnight break. The Thomas’ Maid was alive until a few years ago and she was able to describe the décor of the house from Dylan’s time in great detail, so it is a genuine trip into the past. Dylan’s tiny bedroom looks as if he stepped outside for a moment. It is complete with images of him and his first girlfriend and authors who inspired him, including our own Joyce and Yeats.

Cwmdonkin Park is close by the house, and it is here that the young Dylan ran in the open spaces and here that recitals will be happening all this year to commemorate the poet – especially during this the centenary of his birth.

Don’t leave Swansea without taking a trip out to the Mumbles – a suburb set at the mouth of the sea where there are a host of beautiful restaurants and bars which Thomas and the people of Swansea went to enjoy their leisure time. I dined in ‘Patricks With Rooms’ and was blown away by the presentation and cuisine which included Laver bread (a substance similar to seaweed and mentioned in Under Milk Wood).

It is impossible to make a pilgrimage to Dylan Thomas country without visiting the small town of Laugharne, pronounced Larne. The scenic route to take from Swansea is via the Gower Peninsula. The Gower is criss-crossed with winding roads and ditches filled with wild-garlic and bluebells. Along the way you can see Llanstefan and the landscape that inspired his poems, such as ‘Fern Hill’. The town of Laugharne has long been credited as the inspiration for Dylan’s ‘Under Milk Wood,’ and if you visit Brown’s Hotel Bar on a Saturday night you may be able to spot a few of the characters who appear to be alive and well and enjoying the local brew at the counter.    

I dined later in The Cors Restaurant, a quirky eatery with delicious cuisine. Set among exquisite gardens, The Cors also offers accommodation and is well worth a visit if in the locality. An interesting pilgrimage linked closely to Dylan’s ‘Poem in October’ traces the route he took on the morning of his thirtieth birthday. Bob Stevens is the creator of this excursion and it is a delightful way to follow the steps that Thomas walked himself. But you mustn't leave laughaurne without visiting the Boathouse where Dylan and his tempestuous wife Caitlin lived towards the end of his life. The actual shed where he worked is reconstructed and set in a magnificent horseshoe cove.

 The Boathouse at the water’s edge is now a visitor's centre and tea rooms and must be seen. Dylan Thomas is laid to rest in the grounds of St Martin’s church – only a short stroll from Brown’s Hotel. His grave is marked by a brightly painted white cross. Even if you are not a fan of poetry the fabulous Bluestone Park Resort is close by and a wonderful base for families who are looking for a fun and adventurous place to stay. It might be nice to combine a visit to Laugharne and bring a little culture into a family holiday.

I returned to Cardiff to catch my flight home with my head full of poetry but there was still so much to see and do. Cardiff Castle is a remarkable museum with some of the finest examples of decor from the Arts and Crafts Victorian movement. Created at a time in the nineteenth century when the owner, The Marquis of Bute, was the richest man in the world. Just outside the castle is the main shopping street and a covered market with quaint shops and boutiques.

Whether you decide to fly into Cardiff or take the ferry from Rosslare, Wales is only a stone’s throw across the pond and well worth a visit this summer.

www.visitwales.com

www.dylanthomasbirthdaywalk.co.uk

www.thecors.co.uk

For information on upcoming events to celebrate the centenary of Dylan Thomas see www.dylanthomas.com

www.bluestonewales.com