21/09/10

The Brown Clan has returned to the UK! A four hour ferry ride yesterday brought us to Cardiff, Wales and today we packed our bags again and headed North, to Bath, England. The day began with a wee look around Cardiff. We viewed the castle from the outside (not wanting to be ripped off something severe by the British Government in order to take a gander at the inside) and the girls did a spot of shopping, as per usual, unfortunately dragging me along for the ride. They say it’s torture for human males as well but at least they can look at things for themselves. Having a considerable amount of fur I don’t find the need for clothes, so it’s particularly tiresome for myself.

After a short while that felt like an eternity, we left the main town and headed to Cardiff Bay, to check out the Dr. Who exhibit at the Red Dragon Centre. I must say, after only a few episodes (accidentally stumbled across during some of the BBC channels finer moments) I’ve become a huge fan! I much prefer the season with David Tenant as the Doctor of course, but I enjoy the stories in the latest shows all the same. It was fantastic to see so many of the friends and enemies The Doctor encounters on his journeys, as well as genuine costumes and props from the set! The gift shop was particularly dangerous, it was all I could do not to walk out of there with a 50£ radio-controlled Dalek. Of course, having no clothes, I also have no suitcase and therefore no way of transporting items larger than myself around with me. It was a right laugh all the same!

Not too far from Bath you will find arguably England’s most famous landmark: Stonehenge. This is where we headed in the late afternoon, the perfect time due to the beautifully photogenic light conditions. Visitors are able to walk the full perimeter of Stonehenge, viewing it from all angles and affected by the light in many different ways. I have to imagine it would be absolutely amazing to spend a full 24 hours there, and see the stones at all times of day. It was incredible enough just to spend 30minutes in their presence.

Whew today was a busy day indeed.

Ever wandering, never lost

-          Moo

18/09/10

We have since entered the independent Republic of Ireland, where I have had my first encounter with the European Currency. It takes a bit of getting used to, let me tell you! Today we drove from Galway (where nought but drinking took place for the Brown Clan) to Cork. Cork is a rather small city, but on the outskirts there is a cute little castle by the name of Blarney. The grounds are quite expansive, but the castle itself is quaint, with narrow, steep and roughly carved staircases leading up to the uppermost barricades, where the famed Blarney Stone can be found.

It is said that whoever kisses the Blarney stone will be blessed with the gift of the gab, and therefore will never find themselves lost for words again. In order to touch ones lips against the stone, one must lie on ones back, dangling over a large gap in the castle floor, and pucker up for the outer wall. Being rarely lost for words myself, I saw no genuine reason to endanger my life, simply in the hope of being able to talk with no end, if I so choose. There are much more important things in life. If by kissing the stone I were to gain the gift of, say, teleportation, then surely I’d be the first to reach the top of the castle. As it is, I don’t have much need in my life for the gift of sparkling conversation.

After inching our way down the stairs back onto solid ground, we explored the sprawling, lush green surroundings of the castle. Within the grounds is a large and impressive manor house, which unfortunately is only open to view in the middle of summer. It was very handsome indeed from the outside and I was particularly taken with a charming tower room with a window. I can imagine sitting upon a comfortable seat at that window, looking over the grounds and wiling away the hours with pen in hoof. I would dearly love to delve into the world of fictional narratives and poetry, but as of now I’m far too busy living my own exciting life to imagine up a new one! Perhaps when I am settled in Sydney and life has a few more mundane moments to fill I will explore some more creative endeavours. For now my blog is more than enough to keep me occupied on quiet nights.

Ever wandering, never lost

-Moo

15/09/10

Today I bade farewell to my home country for the first time in my wee life. The destination was Belfast, Northern Ireland. Particularly exciting was that not only was I going to visit Ireland for the first time, but it was to be my first trip on a boat! The day was stormy and the water treacherous, which made the ride less than comfortable to say the least. Nevertheless we got through it without incident and landed safe and relieved on dry land.

With only one night in Belfast we needed to make the most of it. One of the recommended ways of doing this is by participating in a black cab tour of the key sites relating to the tumultuous past of this city. Most should know that Belfast has been torn in half by ongoing war, both physical and internal, between the two main faiths of Ireland: Protestant and Catholic. A wall now divides the town in two, separating each in an attempt at peace. But how can one truly achieve peace without unity?

Our first stop was in the protestant section of town, where murals have been painted at the end of several rows of houses. Most of them have anti-Catholicism themes. One mural depicts the lone sniper, whose gun appears to point directly at you, no matter where you stand. British flags are displayed with pride here. This contrasts of course with the Catholics, who gave birth to the IRA in their desperation to remain independent from England. On their side, Irish flags are seen, and it is said that The Troubles of Belfast officially began with the first time a Catholic dared let it fly.

The wall dividing the two halves however is adorned with non-political street art pieces. It is the only place in Belfast where you can legally graffiti, and is covered with names and messages from the most famous to the entirely anonymous. The Brown Clan made their mark, but none of us wrote anything especially ground breaking. With so many before us, in a place with such history, it’s hard not to be lost for words.

With my sheltered early life, I found it all more than eye-opening. This afternoon I retreated within myself for some deep pondering. I cannot make head nor tail of human nature sometimes. War, religion, racism, prejudice; they’re all foreign concepts to me. We Highland cattle are just not wired to be spiteful in any way. As fascinating and most often lovely as I find the human race to be, sometimes I wish they could be more like their four-legged friends. Until they are at peace with themselves and their own identities, how can they hope to accept what’s different?

Ever wandering, never lost

-Moo