I've been lucky enough to travel fairly
thoroughly across the United States and much of Europe. I've been to beautiful
islands in several seas, breathtaking cliffs on coasts across the world,
canyons and mountain ranges and deserts in the center of countries, and
immersed within both tropical and sub-arctic rainforests. It's always been
fairly simple to convince myself that these forms of nature developed, well,
naturally, over thousands to millions to billions of years of specific causes
and effects related to geology, physics, chemistry, and biology. I'm not so
sure here. Ireland is different. I believe Ireland was painted.
This whole island gives the impression that
it was carefully conceived of and designed by a collection of the most creative
artists from across the planet, men and women who had seen the beauties of
other worlds and wanted to colocate them in a place that's actually easy to
overlook. The little things that pop up every day (today I noticed a beautiful
bridge for the first time; I've passed within twenty feet of it probably over
one hundred times by now) are what make Ireland different. In a clever and
unique artistic touch, they also decided to cloak and unveil it with startling,
drenching regularity in order to remind their audience that their experiences
with beauty are not meant to be taken for granted (pray for rain). Everything
about this island whispers—never screams—that it was designed deliberately,
thoughtfully.
My favorite exhibits—including in my
definition of art culinary experiences, pub decor, music (of course!), and many
other of life's greatest pleasures—are simple yet masterful. That last phrase
is perhaps the best description of this nation, both its people and its
countryside, that I can conjure. There is no attitude here other than
friendliness. The honesty, down-to-earthness, and lack of pretense in the
conversations, the pubs, the food & drink, and the landscapes themselves
(yes, even the land is down-to-earth; I'd bet you'd agree if you saw it) make
this place the marvel that it is.
Ironic how many words it took for me to
describe such simple beauty...
Written July, 2012
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