Last week we looked at where to find Witches ( which often has a feminine slant)—today Vampires and where to find them—a crimson destination me thinks  (and many of the famous ones were men) .

The picture above is of Leap Castle of County Offaly , Ireland http://leapcastle.net/

Depending on what you read this castle was built by the O’Bannons anywhere from the late 13th to sometime in the 16th century.   Legend has it that it got its name from a contest between two O’Bannon brothers (the builders) in a contest for the inheritance of lands, money and of course this keep—which involved leaping from a site of considerable height–the survivor taking all.

It stands today a burnt ruin with a history of violence, death and destruction and according to Dr Bob Curran in A FIELD GUIDE TO THE CREATURES THAT STALK THE NIGHT:  VAMPIRES    a Tadhg O’Carroll (who were the family that the original clan owed allegiance to and who eventually ended with possession of said site)  was walled up in a chapel here for (surprise) killing his brother and subsisted there by preying on the blood of those who venture inside.

But while I found many murders—one a Feargahunn O’Carrol was rumored to have murdered a guest at the dinner table while his steward killed the man’s servant at the same time—I found no one by the name of Tadhg nor anyone walled in the Chapel—which was called the Bloody Chapel as there was a murder there where one occupant killed his brother who was a Father (as in priest) due to the fact that he insulted him by starting mass before he arrived) and that priest is said to haunt the place to this day….oh and there were bodies there  39 mercenaries  (all O’Neals), once they had completed their tasks were invited back to the castle and, again at dinner, were killed and their bodies thrown into the oubliette (a small room on the north east corner of the chapel) and in case you have your doubts  at a much later date while work was being done on the site, the skeletons were found and removed.

So while you might not go there to see Vampires if you’re into ghosts and violent places with many dark deeds this one is a great destination.  But then it’s hard to find a castle that has stood this long that doesn’t have more than its share of deaths, evil deeds, feuding relatives and the like.

according to a Vampire Friendly web site:

http://www.vampirewebsite.net/countries/cities/dublin/
Saturdays, 9:30pm to 2:30am
Is a good time for vampires and/or people who want to mingle with them to go to:

33-34 O’Connell Street.

basement bar

‘Frazers’,

Dublin, Ireland 

But alas the club that had one review (no mention of vampires) on Yelp which was 5 stars—is no longer operating.

But Dublin was seriously involved in the genre:  ” BRAM STOKER and Sheridan Le Fanu would be first and second on your list. Stoker, creator of the world’s most important male vampire (Dracula) was born in Clontarf.   Le Fanu, creator of the pre-eminent female vampire (Carmilla), was born on Dominick Street.”   Check out this Dublin site for more:  https://dublin.ie/living/articles/supernatural-dublin-vampire-capital-of-the-world/   

The Castle Dracula Experience  (click on Welcome for their main site)

Welcome

Castle Dracula is Dublin’s  Unique Irish Attraction….for everyone to enjoy a Heart-thumping Experience with the… Characters from Dracula while learning about Irish writer Bram Stoker, who wrote Dracula & was born beside Castle Dracula in Dublin. Brave Visitors journey through the Castle Tunnels, over Spinning Bridges to the Vampire Courtyard, up to Dracula’s Lair and down to the ‘World’s Only Graveyard Theatre’ for a Show where they promise not to bite, unless…. (Strictly 14+)   Tickets: €15 Student (ID Required) / €25 Standard / VIP Tickets €50 – VIP Tickets includes VIP Seating, Refreshments, ‘Bram Stoker & ‘Dracula Book’ signed by Castle Dracula Cast, ‘Romping through Dracula’ Book, Castle Dracula Note Pad & Blood Syringe Pen’    Located in Clontarf across the road from where Bram Stoker was born in Dublin, just behind Westwood Fitness Club on the Clontarf Road, beside Clontarf Dart Train Station.  We meet the Audience in Westwood Club Reception at 7.30pm and take the Audience through to Castle Dracula at 7.45pm, the Castle Dracula Experience is the building behind Westwood.

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 in the 1960’s one of London’s most famous cemeteries was pronounce a haven for a vampire by the head of the British Occult Society http://britishoccultsociety.blogspot.com/ Sean Manchester who proclaimed that there was a vampire in Highgate Cemetery.  Seemed there’d been some strange “sightings” and Mr. Manchester proclaimed that there was a vampire controlling minds  and causing all this.  Of course the media was on it and reports of a tall stranger with glowing eyes became common.

By 1970 Manchester had decided to do an exorcisms and trooped off to the cemetery followed by hundreds of young people and the media (of course) on Friday 13th–you can’t say he didn’t cover his bases.  While Manchester is said, by some, to never have done the exorcisms, I do know that he claimed to have destroyed the vampire https://www.mysteriumtours.com/the-highgate-vampire-part-1/.  It depend on which side you look at it but in the more main stream it went down in history as a case of media sensation and in National Geographic’s coverage https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/10/vampires-europe-new-england-halloween-history/   “legend tripping” where people (especially young ones) go to haunted scary places to show how brave they are.

But even without a vampire the by ways of this huge and historic cemetery is well worth a visit  https://highgatecemetery.org/

London even has a Vampries of London Meet Up Group:  https://www.meetup.com/vampires-of-london/messages/boards/thread/9324582

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and of course the True Blood vampires of Natchez,  Mississippi https://www.visitnatchez.org/ that Rozzoli called Trailer Trash vampires

and even Rhode Island had a vampire–Nellie Vaugh (a teenager of 19) who now rests  in West Greenwich.  But this one is thought to be just a case of mistaken identity—but she should get points for her tombstone that says “I am waiting and watching for you.”   https://www.eastgreenwichri.com/195/About-East-Greenwich

Endless Night Vampire Ball

Continue reading Passion is one great force that unleashes creativity, because if you’re passionate about something, then you’re more willing to take risks. Yo-Yo Ma →

It’s Thursday—so it must be memory day and today’s memory is the continuance of accounts of a trip to Washington DC on 8/10/1974….we take up where we left off with me in a car driving along (now I-95) and making comments on signs etc along the way:  so here we go back a few years (ha ha):

“Explore St. Augustine”

Ah, now there’s a city –classic, so old, full of tourist attractions and yet above it all.  It has seen too many things to be impressed by the minor invasions of a few, for the most part non-violent tourists.  Lovely, very lovely.  https://www.visitstaugustine.com/

Travel trailers get bigger every minute.  The large life style of American camping.

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By-Passing Jacksonville (https://www.britannica.com/place/Jacksonville-Florida).  I know very little about this city:  It is the largest land area of any city in Florida and it was named for Andrew Jackson, once Florida’s governor, revered (by white man–left that out) but hated by the red man.

Florida land of gigantically wide rivers and in the background the few towers of Jacksonville  (https://www.escapehere.com/destination/11-things-to-see-and-do-in-jacksonville-florida/?streamview=all ) .  The water seems of slated fish and resembles a wrinkled sheet only gently stirred by the breeze.

Older FLorida houses have two story verandas–even the poor ones–but now they lean as if hoping that soon someone will let them rest and stop their usesless fight with gravity.  Florida has a lot of poorer neighborhoods.

Took 295 which isn’t finished—should have read the signs.  Oh well.  Now look for 301 to right the wrong.

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Baldwin, Florida  (https://florida.hometownlocator.com/nearby/places-of-interest,n,baldwin,lat,30.3077754974,lon,-81.9736633301.cfm)

“Off season”, “Closed”, an open Western Auto, streets lined with … tinsel from last Christmas…  Its main dependence on a log mill?  ….dead trees lying about…

Bryceville, Florida    https://local.aarp.org/bryceville-fl/things-to-do/ 

Hardly a town at all, houses hiding behind trees…Rural places..holding families, lives hopes.

Callahan, Florida         https://www.facebook.com/places/Things-to-do-in-Callahan-Florida/109343945752037/

Picture a traffic jam in a small town–road blocked by a funeral….

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Back on the right route.

Georgia scrub trees and minor swamps.  The lakes green as the shores or Ireland.

Off 95.–then on again–off again–game of an unfinished highway.  Now the souvenirs and pecans.

End construction???

Trucks full of logs and watermelon on the ground.  Trucks full of tirrs and peaches ripe from the trees.

The urban poor aren’t any better off—they just have more room to spread out the symbols of their poverty.

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There seems to be a paint shortage—houses set peeling in a few cases, but in most they have so long forgotten paint that if it remains it is only an occasional lighter gray spot.

The land has changed from trees to the flat sand of the coast with its few stunted tree things.

Brunswick, Georgia   https://www.goldenisles.com/discover/historic-brunswick/?gclid=CjwKCAjwtYXmBRAOEiwAYsyl3Ge46WtmO_gzxn1GN92G1GjLPE7Z67RwMuyjz55TbzNi2oueAFxlsRoC_2YQAvD_BwE

A port city and something in the part we’re in smells bad.  We’re getting 21.4 MPG.  Brunswick appears to be quite a large town complete with Drug Squad.

It has begun to rain and a distant thunder can be heard.

We travel past plantation houses, and slums, trees and burning dumps.

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Midway Georgia    https://www.vacasa.com/usa/Georgia/Midway/Attractions/

Midway has a quaint old church, the kind that has a thousand window (maybe a few less) and a nice museum in a colonial style building.  https://www.themidwaymuseum.org/

We’ve ran into rain again, but we missed most of the last storm.

Richmond Hill, Georgia    https://www.exploregeorgia.org/city/richmond-hill

The cornfields seem a great improvement on the houses.

Savannah, Ga     http://www.savannah.com/activities/

We always manage the worse part of every town.  I’ve seen worse slums but this is the biggest junk yard I’ve ever see.  I’ve also never seen a split log house.  Old towns, viaducts, housing developments, gigantic toll bridges, freighters at dock.  But the view from the bridge was well worth the 50cents.

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Next week—Tues or Thurs we’ll go on into South Carolina

and check it out tomorrow for any interesting odds, ends and almost rans—if I have any they’ll be on tomorrow

“

Those who know me know I like to keep busy and I enjoy lots of things—-but my 3 H’s are History, Happy Times and HORROR……not necessarily in that order….now you might ask yourself why is she doing this now—it’s not October and also—What does this have to do with activities—-and the longer you hold that activity thoughts the scarier it might be……but…

So I thought I’d do a few weeks on supernatural (read having a potential to be scary and feeding off you buried fears and like that)  and make them into something to do or some place to go—sorta feeding those guilty pleasures as we are so advanced (yeah right) that we couldn’t possibly believe—let along to thing or go places that feed into these silly beliefs of our ancestors/NOW could we?   And besides a lot of these old legends are now great stories and not the least bit scary……just interesting.

and today we’ll deal with Witches and Witchcraft:  According to the Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft:
“Belief in witchcraft is universal, but there is no universal definition of witchcraft.”  So we’re pretty open on this one so away we go.

King Arthur was taken for healiing of his wounds was the Vale of Avalon, the Apple Vale (apples being regarded as holy or magical from early times, in almost every country they were grown), which seems originally to have been meant to be Paradise, though by some later  writers  it was equated with Glastonbury

Check out Glastonbury—its a great place to visit full of legends, ruins and tors…..https://glastonbury.uk/

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During the Middle Ages person executed as witches, at least according to my research, were in most cases were the wise women of the village—those that knew herb crafts and the like –healers, persons who were thus more visible and open to being the scapegoat for anything and everything that went wrong.     There are all manner of books about Witches and so your group could do an informal book club thing,  have a get together with a few friends who need something new to discuss or just your own knowledge on the subject.  There are so many book and sites given non-fiction on the subject and fictions has all manner of thing what ever your tastes—in fact taking three—i.e. history of, a presentation as evil witches and another as good could make for a well balanced discussion of the genre:  Check this site (Entertainment) for a wide variety of books on the subject:  https://ew.com/books/witches-book-list/?slide=5783824#5783824

According to several sources Germany (there was technically no Germany during this time, but the states that would eventually form the country were a top site of the execution of these person designated as magic workers and devil followers.).   Scotland was another place that over-reacted to this scare—heavily fueled by James VI (I’s of England) who thought that his life as well as  his family’s lives had been endangered by witchcraft.  Edinburgh’s Royal Mile has a well (http://www.royal-mile.com/history/witches-well.html) in memory of those burned there and across the street is the Witchery (https://www.thewitchery.com/) a wonderful Victorian-styled restaurant.

In addition to these two there are 7 more places in the city that you might be interested in:  Check them out at this witches’ site:  https://witchoflupinehollow.com/2018/01/16/9-witchy-places-visit-edinburgh-scotland/

and the rest of the city is well worth a prolonged visit  https://edinburgh.org/

Of course the USA has its own witches site:  Salem—a group of PIlgrims (a member of a group of Protestants that arose in the 16th century within the Church of England, demanding the simplification of doctrine and worship,and greater strictness in religious discipline: during part of the 17th century the Puritans became a powerful political party.  Dictionaryonline.com) in the city of Salem executed 20 “Witches” (unlike Europe that burned their witches the new world preferred hanging, and pressing—putting them under boards on which they put rocks until the life was crushed out of them–the executions occurred from June to Sept. 1692, 20 persons were actively executed and 4 others died in prison as direct result of witchcraft prosecution with another 13 deaths in prison that may have been related.   Salem has long been connected to these events and deaths and has remained a site for the interested as well as more recently for the practicing Witch.    https://thingstodoinsalem.com/

Bishops in England are not known for their affinity with birds.  In Chichester it is said that when the Bishop is about to die a heron perches on the Cathedral.

A History of Chichester Cathedral

and check out the whole district while you’re at it:  https://www.visitchichester.org/

and in Salisbury the death is predicted by two large white birds (like albatrosses, but not ) that fly thru the air w/o moving their wings….there have even been two more recent deaths with these predictors one in 1855 and more recently 1905,   For more about the cathedral:  https://www.salisburycathedral.org.uk/  

And other interesting things in Salisbury:  https://www.visitwiltshire.co.uk/salisbury

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You can enjoy witches with the Bard—-

Macbeth (The Modern Shakespeare: The Original Play with a Modern Translation) Kindle Edition

which you can purchase and while away a few hrs. with toil and trouble.

Or how about a Hocus Pocus Party-—that Crazy witches story:   A curious youngster moves to Salem, where he struggles to fit in before awakening a trio of diabolical witches that were executed in the 17th century  with Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Najimy   

You can just get together and watch the crazy doings on this romp—get the girls over (and any guys who will set thru)  You can have fun drinks:  i.e. Bloody maries—or white wine with a bit of black food coloring and so on—-:    Make fun food or do witchy themes for the food—best idea have everyone bring a dish with a witch theme  to share during the watch.

Of course you will need other movies —-there’s one I saw OMG the Babysitter’s a Witch that looks cute.    Or you can pick up some really bad ones—like from the fifty’s that are so bad they’re fun to watch—to mingle with the others and give you a bench days.

kick it up a notch with a costume (nothing too hard as this is a binge day—) maybe a contest on which can do the best Lounging Witch–or causal Witch’s Day costume and of course a prize—maybe a copy of one of the witch movies

Oh and other movies you could do a day around—or include in your witch binge….these are just my choices:

 Malificent-–Angelina’s bit for the Witches

1942—movie:  I Married a Witch

Stardust

Bell Book and Candle

and my favorite with Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock

Practical Magic

How about visiting a grave?  One of someone that is known for being scary—for the older generation and the old movie buffs how about Bela Lugosi.…..known for playing Dracula and in fact buried in his Dracula cape—and supposedly at the expense (at least legend says–of Frank Sinatra– who is buried at Desert Memorial Park Cemetery in Chaderal CIty, CA) as Lugosi was bankrupted in August 1956 when just a few months after marrying his 5th wife he passed on (without the help of a stake, but it was reportedly his heart).  He is buried at Holy Cross (what else?) Cemetery in Culver CIty, Ca.  Sharon Tate who was murdered by an even scarier group of people is also buried here. along with 28 other famous stars.  Check it out:  https://www.seeing-stars.com/Buried2/HolyCross.shtml

and what else there is to do in the city as well:  https://www.culvercity.org/enjoy/things-to-do

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In New York State you can visit

The Witches Brew  Coffee House

                                                                                         

Thought I’d add a few more entries….depending on my free time—I work but not every day—I will do my usual offerings on Monday—which means anything and everything that comes into the excuse I have for a brain—a strange collection of fantasy, magic and occasionally even a bit of intelligence.  This particular one will be my goal to do weekly…..additional ones will depend on work and other activities will consist as following:

Tues. or Thurs will be my memories day—tales of past adventures and the like…trips to Ireland, DC.  from old entries as I went about my way and….that kind of thing—try it you might even like it a little bit.

Finally Fridays I’ll to to pick up odds and ends of items that have came to mind but don’t fit on Mon or Tues/Thurs (either or) I hope that makes a bit of sense.

So today is memories.

8/10/1974

It’s a beautiful morning for traveling, but then most days are in Florida.  Some times you want it to rain just to break up the sunshine.   “V” has been sick–I picked up some stuff (over the counter stuff–probably a cold “V” has been gone—Divorce–many years ago and this detail has skipped my mind), so hopefully he’ll feel better soon.

This should be an interesting trip to D.C.  lots of action there now, what with the new president and all.  (Ford had JUST became President:  Nixon who was the 37th president from 1/20/69 had resigned the day (8/9/1974) before I wrote this…he was the first and to date only president to EVER resign)

Orlando is quite a pleasant city when you escape the new growth, never ending rows of quickie food stands,, topless bars and over priced gasoline emporiums.  But any tourist attraction–be it ever so humble, seems to be surrounded by these commercial leeches.  I guess they’re part of our culture–can you imagine excavating this some time in the distant future and finding a Kentucky Fried Chicken store—or even better yet Disney Wold?

I could see it all now–the acclaim of find a great temple complex devoted to the worship of a mouse–the year of the rat would be interpreted  as the year of the mouse and there would be definite conclusions that a large portion of the world’s people was once devoted to this one religion–imagine

Points of Interest  around Florida:

Eatonville in Central Florida is recognized as the oldest community founded by black settlers in the US.  Originally part of Maitland in 1880s, in 1882 Maitland Mayor Josiah C. Eaton sold much of the land that became Eatonvile to a black businessman Joseph E. Clarke that and some additional land from a Mr. Lawrence who donated 12 acres to Clarke (it was Lawrence who suggested the area be named after Mayor Eaton), was subdivided by Clark and sold in lots to black families, many of who worked as farm hands, grove workers, or housekeepers in nearby Maitland, WInter Park or Orlando.

Check out what there is to do in Eatonville

https://www.visitflorida.com/en-us/cities/eatonville.html

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To be continued next Tues or Thurs—Will continue on with the first Day.

Check tomorrow for Odds and ends.

OMG

https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-pty-pty_maps&hsimp=yhs-pty_maps&hspart=pty&p=notre+dame+catedral+burning#id=1&vid=ebc53bca88817ebf4ac3c40ecfe8e604&action=view

Click above to see the pictures—I just saw that the ancient cathedral is on fire as we speak and it’s steeple has collapsed and its stain glass windows are dying as well…..So sad

And I’m back–another Pleasant Valley Monday Maybe  (yeah I saw the Monkess back in the day—but in my defense my mother made me take my younger sister—though in truth they didn’t put on a bad show).    So did anybody make to any monasteries since my last episode?  If anybody does or has or has intimate knowledge in the past (including reincarnation) tell us about it on our comments section.

Today thought I’d do some odds and ins out and about that you might find interesting.  Most if not all will be in Florida—but hey would love you to come to this state and see something in addition to the amusement parks.  For those of you who live in Florida it is a great reference how you and your friends and/or family can get away, have that adventure and make it home in time to see the newest episode of Game of Thrones—as I think adventures come in all forms and venues…..

Oh and that writing to me idea—if there’s something you’re looking for or something you have found and would like to share write and tell me….i love hearing from somebody beside my own inner adventure which as you know can be a bit strange at time.

The Florida Strawberry Festival is an 11-day  (in March so you got almost a year to plan) community event celebrating the strawberry harvest of Eastern Hillsborough County. Each year, over 500,000 visitors enjoy the festival’s headline entertainment, youth livestock shows, rides, exhibits of commerce and, of course, its strawberry shortcake.

https://flstrawberryfestival.com/history/

                                                                                  Here’s the history and access to lots more information….and yes been there done that

and a great time doing it.

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Cedar Key is on the West (Gulf) Coast of the state of (yeah) Florida.  The area started out as the Western terminal of David Levy Yulee rail road which he ran from Fernandina Beach (north of Jacksonville) to this western island before the Civil War.    OK so even most people are saying “Never heard of it.”  But the town/island north of Tampa did quite well for about 20 years and in 1880 it had hit 2,000 occupants and had become a major producer of pencil slats Thus keeping a nice batch of saw mills busy and alas eventually decimating the cedar tree population.  with this it declined into rustic decay which some feel is what gave the city much of its charm today.

And in the place of all those trees, we now have a forest of tourists, who come here for a day, a weekend or more, making the island charmingly busy.

Things that might interest you in Cedar Key:

a.  Great Sea food many of the restaurants right on the Gulf with great views

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g34126-c33-Cedar_Key_Florida.html

b.  Bring your boat or charter one and you can rent boats as well as kayaks and cruise the coves that are so abundant here

c.  Go to the beaches (at low tide) to collect shells.

d.    Don’t have a boat—there’s the City Pier for fishing

e.  want a leisurely time—walk or a bit more spirited one–rent (or bring your own) bike and explore the island  (There a walking tour booklet that can be purchased at the Cedar Key Historical Society   https://cedarkeyhistory.org/ )

and the Historical building (built in 1871) is at State Road 24 and 2nd Street.

f.  and don’t forget the Historical Society’s museum:

Cedar Key Historical Museum

g.  And of course there’s shopping to do and people watching to prefect.

What more could you want in one place—well there actually is more at this end of the road place…check out the Cedar Key site for a Visitor’s Guide, as well as Places to eat, play and stay, not to mention more things to do, a look at the natural areas of the island and of course Festivals, the beach and on and on:  (click here for the more and more:

Cedar Key Florida Chamber of Commerce

check out a ghost town on the west coast south of Cedar key:  http://ghosttowns.com/states/fl/bayport.html

You can also swim at nearby Pine Island and from “Bayport south on County Road 595 you’ll come to Hernando Beach Park with a long fishing pier and dreamy salt marsh vista….on the east side a dip into Jenkins’s Creek swimming whole…and there’s a small sand beach.”  Orlando Sentinel

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and now the east coast:

Ormond Beach is to the north of Daytona Beach near the confluence of the Tomoka and Halifax rivers and it’s believed that some of the early settlers were actually persons shipwrecked here.  Those the first noted settlers were Franciscan friars, who established missions in the area around 1587.  It still belonged to Spain in 1804 when some English colonist living in the Bahamas (English sympathizers that had fled the colonies after the British lost the war were given land in those island to settle on—see particularly the Abacos) were offered land grants here.

If you like Auto racing you’ll want to check out the beach here as this is where the whole racing thing started in Florida.  The hard packed beaches were used in 1902 by R.E. Olds and Alexander WInton to stage the first race here.  This then became a Winter Speed Carnival –a yearly event attracting fans from across the country.    And most stayed at the massive Ormond Hotel.    Of course Daytona Race Track is just a few miles away—but what you might not know is that there is a museum here dedicated to the

Birth Place Of Speed Museum

https://www.ormondbeach.org/87/Birthplace-of-Speed

160 E. Granada Ave (route 40) 32176

a memorial that celebrates the early years of racing when the race was bounded by the sea rather than the infield.  Many pictures of early cars as well as the men who drove and kept them moving. There are replicas of early cars including the Stanley Steamer that was doing 197 mph in 1907 when it crashed and burned.  Here you’ll see Olds, Vanderbilt, Curtiss, Oldfield, Campbell, De Palma and Duesenberg. and don’t forget John D. Rockefeller who lived just down the street.

And while you can’t see it now since the Ormond Garage caught fire and burned n 1976,  “one of auto history’s most important landmarks” is gone there is a historic marker, in front of SunTrust Bank, built on its ashes on East Granada Boulevard for those who enjoy seeing where things once were.

Tomoka State Park  (https://www.visitflorida.com/en-us/listing.a0t4000000A9Y91AAF.html )here with camping, scenic drive, store, boating ramp, museum, sculpture of legendary chief Tomokie, as well as lots of wild life, saltwater fishing, boat ramp, snack bar and restaurant might interest you as well

• 

  1973 Allman Brothers Band Brothers and Sisters 33 1/3 Vinyl LP

  $10.85

  https://www.etsy.com/listing/647171073/1973-allman-brothers-band-brothers-and?ref=shop_home_active_95

   

   

If you’re into another kind of history Ormond has:

The Casements

http://www.thecasements.net/

25 Riverside Dr.

This sprawling mansion was once Rockefeller’s house, it was built by an Episcopal minister (Harwood Huntington) in 1900 it is 3 stories and 80 rooms with most of its windows overlooking the Halifax River on the west or the Atlantic on the east.   It became the Rockefeller house in 1918 when Huntington moved to California and John D. bought it.  Rockefeller had previously wintered at the now gone Ormond Hotel (which was still in existence when I first came to Florida in the 70’s) for his health—and that building was just across SR 40 from this house.  Once he had it he made it his own extending some rooms, having the wide galleries enclosed and putting up a wrought iron fence.  His five sons spent time here in the winter with their father and finally in 1937 Rockefeller died here at age 98.

In 1941 it became a woman’s junior college with the addition of a concrete block dorm.  Then a decade later it was a retirement home and by the early 70’s it was empty, damaged and going to be destroyed when it was placed on the National Register of Historical Places which inspired the city to save it as a community center.  Today it has been repaired and refurbished but it is no longer the grand home that the millionaire had with its stained glass, velvet curtains, grand gardens  which ran down to the water’s edge and were filled with gold fish ponds and transected with paths.  But still I’m glad they saved it.

The Ormand Hotel is another story—-

the grounds are now boring condos.  Flagler bought it in 1890 for $112,000  It had been built by James Price, of Kentucky and John Anderson of Maine (early settlers) in the late 1880s for tourists even though the strip of land it was on had no bridges to the main land and the nearest railroad was over 50 miles away.  But the bridges and railroad came showing that the saying If you build it actually does work some time.

Flagler added elevators and even reconstructed the railroad bridge so that wealthy guest could put their railroad cars up to the hotel’s entrance.  There was crystal and haute decor everywhere with spacious lobbies and grand ball rooms filled with exotic plants.  You could sail, fish, there was even a seven-hole golf course and of course a medieval tournament where grown men could dress in armor and joust on the lawns during a week dedicated to such activities.  And it was the place where those who raced on Ormand Beach came to indulge in the good life.  Here the Fords, Astors, Vanderbilts and other Titans mixed with assorted European counts and other assorted nobility. and thus it was named the “Millionaire’s Colony.”

Rockefeller occupied a specially built wing on the second floor.  It is said by some that was after a fight with Flagler, a partner in Standard Oil, that he left the hotel and bought the adjoining mansion.    But he, along with the rest of the rich and famous, had left the area by the end of the 20’s and the hotel struggled and became everything from a night club to a hotel management school and then a retirement home for ministers and the like barely keeping financially afloat.   Now it is gone replaced by the condos I mention previously.  With only the name of the Blvd (Granada) to remind us of the wonderful past and the rich and famous, the beauties and their beaus and don’t forget the robber barons came to race and joust in the warmth of the Eastern Central Florida coast.

continuation of title quote:

In its simplest definition, it is basically a place where nuns, monks, clerics live a more communal lifestyle. By virtue of the power vested in the Holy Church in Rome, a monastery becomes an abbey in the same way as how a child grows to become a man or a woman. Monasteries are therefore the places where people can live a monastic kind of life.

The abbey is a bigger community of either monks or nuns. If dwelt by monks, the abbey is usually led by an abbot (the father) whereas if it is the case of the latter then it is lead by an abbess (the major superior). Technically speaking, abbeys need to have at least 12 religious dwellers unlike the monastery.

Difference Between Abbey and Monastery | Difference Between http://www.differencebetween.net/miscellaneous/religion-miscellaneous/difference-between-abbey-and-monastery/#ixzz5kX09vtED

Germany’s Ettal Abbey

https://www.thespeedyturtle.com/germany/ettal-abbey-germany.shtml

The sprawling structure of Ettal Abbey resembles a castle more than an abbey, and visitors flock to the 14th-century building to see its jaw-dropping baroque interior. Around 50 monks call this monastery home, and run an independent economic unit with things they produce or manage, including a brewery, liqueur shop, hotel, and publishing house.

Benediktinerabtei Ettal, Kaiser-Ludwig-Platz 1, 82488 Ettal, Germany, +49 (0)8822 740

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  Fitz and Floyd Trinket Oval Box in Wrapped Present with Flowers Design in Porcelain

  $26.00

• https://www.etsy.com/listing/696213939/fitz-and-floyd-trinket-oval-box-in?ref=shop_home_active_9

While Scotland may not be a place you think of monasteries (or in this case Abbeys—but you know all about that now) it is a place of great and long histories and one of those histories is of the Roman Catholic Church.   The country is a roughed one and it is full of ruins as well as ancient buildings.  A land of wars between its clans as well as all manor of raiding and invading neighbors, the most note among these is the country that sets south of the Scottland:  England.   And of course they have a border—a land and line that changed back and forth over time and is soaked by the blood of the many disputes and the lost lives of both sides.   I feel particularly akin to all this as my maternal grandmother’s people were Scotts (their actual name) and Scotts were noted as a clan that were Revers—Border Raiders who eat and flourished on the booty they took from the English south of the border.

There are still remains of 4 Abbeys along the Scottish Border—They were found in the 12th Century during the reign of David I (David I, (born c. 1082—died May 24, 1153, Carlisle, Cumberland, Eng.), one of the most powerful Scottish kings (reigned from 1124). He admitted into Scotland an Anglo-French (Norman) aristocracy that played a major part in the later history of the kingdom. He also reorganized Scottish Christianity to conform with continental European and English usages and founded many religious communities, mostly for Cistercian monks and Augustinian canons.    https://www.britannica.com/biography/David-I )

Kelso Abbey

https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/kelso-abbey/

This is the largest and was the wealthiest of the four border abbeys (see picture above)–it was founded in 1128 and took 84 years to complete.  Other than the church there is little left of the once-sprawling monastery precinct.  But the ruins of the church is often described as spectacular.  It is said to also be worth a visit to the town (same name) which is a favorite of artists and suppose to be one of the prettiest in Scotland.   https://www.visitkelso.com/

Jedburgh Abbey

https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/jedburgh/jedburghabbey/index.html

This abbey is the closest of the four to England and was established in 1138 though there are fragments dating back to an earlier structure of 19th c Celtic stone work.  There is a visitor’s center illustrating the lives of Augustinian monks (http://www.augustinianmonks.com/welcome/history.html) It was used as lodgings for King Edward I of England in 1296 on one of his many forays north.  (not big on history–this King was the one who fought Wallace and his forces and one–but died near the end of the picture in Brave Heart movie.  He was called The Hammer of the Scots.    https://www.britannica.com/biography/Edward-I-king-of-England

Dryburgh Abbey

https://www.historicenvironment.scot/archives-and-research/publications/publication/?publicationId=7a477b4c-75f7-47b9-af07-a57000ca2ff8

Many of the original building remain in  on the banks of the Tweed River–it is considered the most evocative monastic ruin in Scotland.  Sir Walter Scott is buried here.  https://www.biblio.com/sir-walter-scott/author/1760  Built in the 12 century and having suffered several fires the charter house is said to have plaster and paint going back to it’s origins.

Melrose Abbey

Melrose Abbeyhttps://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/melrose-abbey-p247611

This was once one of the richest abbeys in Scotland.  It is of special note due to Robert the Bruce http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/bruce_robert_the.shtml  \

again for those of you that enjoyed brave heart he is the one who had the father who was dying  and who kept betraying Wallace—but at the end led the army in the final scene against the English.  And what did the Bruce have to do with this Abbey—his heart was buried here.  The Abbey is in ruin but there is a monument to the burial place—check out this site to see what was found there when they did a dig for same:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/bruce_robert_the.shtml

If your surname is Armstrong, Maxwell, Johnston, Graham, Bell, Scott, Nixon, Kerr, Crozier or Robson then your family history, just like the astronaut Neil Armstrong’s, may very well be intertwined with the Border Reivers

The Reiver came from every social class from labourer to peer of the realm. He was a skilled horseman and fine guerrilla soldier, practised in the fine arts of arson, kidnapping and extortion. There was no social stigma attached to reiving, it was simply an accepted way of life.

The History of the Border Reivers

by Ben Johnson

https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/The-Border-Reivers/

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  Darrell Waltrip 9×7 Card with Actual Signature Auto Parts American Racing

  $26.00

  https://www.etsy.com/listing/682279708/darrell-waltrip-9×7-card-with-actual?ref=shop_home_active_13&cns=1

   

Of course in the USA we also have monasteries:

The Monastery of the Holy Spirit

https://www.trappist.net/

Located just 35 minutes outside of Metro Atlanta in scenic Conyers, Georgia.   In 1944, twenty one Trappist monks left Gethsemani Abbey in Kentucky and embarked on a journey similar to those originating in early Christianity. The trip led them to the wilderness of rural Georgia where they founded the Monastery of the Holy Spirit    https://www.trappist.net/about/history

Where you can:  stop by for the day or participate in a retreat https://www.trappist.net/plan-your-visit/retreats, and immerse yourself in the monastic culture.  https://www.trappist.net/plan-your-visit  

and an Abbey Garden Center that provides a wide variety of unusual items for the gardening, bonsai or outdoor activity enthusiast.   https://www.trappist.net/abbey-garden-center

They also have a bakery  where you can get fudges, fruitcake and biscotti, as well as Southern-style fruitcake.  There’s a stain glass studio https://www.trappist.net/abbey-trades/stained-glass

Welcome to St. Leo Benedictine Abbey.  https://saintleoabbey.org/  We are located in Central Florida, a small Community of monks that follows the Rule of Saint Benedict

Our guesthouse is located just off beautiful Lake Jovita. For a donation of $75 per person, you can enjoy a quiet, spiritual get away from a sometimes hectic world. We also have rooms for double occupancy at a donation of $95 per night. Lodging includes meals that you will share in the same dining room with our monastic community. We have a private study, kitchen with microwave and refrigerator and a screened back porch with a lake view.

For guesthouse reservations or adult/youth retreats feel free to contact Dianna via e-mail at stleoabbeybusiness@gmail.com

I recently read:  “m’s annual Singles in America survey of more than 5,000 unpartnered Americans, I could almost feel her nodding over the phone. “The data is that people are having less sex,” she said, with a hint of mischief. “I’m a Baby Boomer, and apparently in my day we were having a lot more sex than they are today!” She went on to explain that the survey has been probing the intimate details of people’s lives for eight years now. “Every year the whole Match company is rather staggered at how little sex Americans are having—including the Millennials.”  Atlantic.

So based on this I thought that it might be fun to look at some new ideas for an appropriate vacation idea—and I came up with today’s offerings.

Oh the Pictures are from The Renaissance Building  in Mt Dora (FL).   It’s on the main (street level floor) and is called:  Fresh by Loft and offers smoothies, Acai Bowls, Vegan desserts, Frozen Desserts, Frozen Lemonade and Nitro Infused Cold brew coffee 

Phone: (352) 720-5168

• Address: 411 N Donnelly St,   32757

https://www.mountdora.com/business.php?id=236797

The monastery St. Gabriel is established in 397 AD and is situated in Tur Abdin, Souteastern of Turkey, the Upper – Aramnahrin, in the indigenous Aramean land “Paddan-Aram”. Tur Abdin means “mountains of the servants of the Lord” and is a part of the Biblical Paddan-Aram, the Indigenous land of the Aramean nation.

https://www.aramnahrin.org/English/Turks_Kurds_Aramean_monastery_St_Gabriel_28_2_2009.htm

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  Ruby Red Depression Glass 8 Places–16 pieces Vintage Cups and Saucers

  $145.59

  https://www.etsy.com/listing/647065348/ruby-red-depression-glass-8-places-16?ref=shop_home_active_2

   

   

Monasteries have always been intended as places of retreat, quiet—places to contemplate and pray,

Monasteries evolved from hermits seeking seclusion, where they could become more holy and closer to God

An Example of a still isolated monastery can be visited on the Scottish Island  of Ionia  (https://www.isle-of-iona.net/ )

and is of course Iona Abbey

https://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/iona-abbey-and-nunnery-p245521

It’s thought that the world famous Book of Kells was made here, along with other great works of art. Iona’s Abbey Museum houses Scotland’s finest collection of early medieval carved stones and crosses.

The Iona Community, formed in 1938, has revived the abbey’s long tradition of work, worship and teaching.

https://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/iona-abbey-and-nunnery-p245521

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  1990 Safari Limited Gorilla Figurine About 5 inches High

  $10.00

  https://www.etsy.com/listing/647623980/1990-safari-limited-gorilla-figurine?ref=shop_home_active_9

   

St, Benedict and his order in the early 6th c. with their rule based on prayer and work was one of the early developers of Western monasticism and by the 12th century they had like a lot of the order that had been able to accumulate a vast wealth in property and goods.

Not all orders resided in the far away vales and islands of the world, some orders like the Dominicans and Franciscans shunned protective walls and hidden locations and placed their monasteries within the inner cities to administer to the poor and lost.  The Dominicans eventually would become noted for their involvement with the inquisition against heretics and deviants.

You can view a late Gothic Monastery

Mosteiro de Santa Maria da Vitória

Batalha Monastery of Our Lady of Victory

Batalha, LEIRIA, Portugal

https://www.visitportugal.com/en/content/mosteiro-da-batalha

The Monastery of Santa Maria da Vitória, widely known as Batalha Monastery, is a majestic building, declared World Heritage by the UNESCO. Combining Manueline and Gothic styles, it was built in the 14th century to carry out the promise D. João I did to the Virgin in case they won the Castilians in the Battle of Aljubarrota, in 1385.

https://www.portugaltravel.org/batalha-monastery

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  The BEACH BOYS Late 60’s early 70’s Program Excellent Condition

  $90.05

  https://www.etsy.com/listing/248253941/the-beach-boys-late-60s-early-70s?ref=shop_home_active_38

   

The Catholic Church was not the only church to have Monks and Monasteries.  The Orthodox churches had them as well.  For instance the Greek Orthodox Church in the 6th century developed them in many areas with large communities in Greece as well as Bulgaria, Serbia and Romania.

And of course Christians were not the only ones to have monks, several Eastern countries had extensive establishment including Hindu, Buddhists, Jain, and Islamic monasteries.

Berkeley Ca, has its own Buddhist Monastery which might interest you

Berkeley Buddhist Monastery

http://www.berkeleymonastery.org/

Weekly Classes (to name a few) at Berkeley

Traditional Taoist and Yogic contemplative techniques to cultivate integration of body, mind and spirit, and to foster blissful clarity and healing. The time spent practicing these simple and remarkably effective techniques will be returned and multiplied by your growing ability to overcome challenges, live fully–even in the face of uncertainty–and experience balance and well being. For additional info, please check the site or email ameliab@berkeley.edu

Wednesday Meditation Class with Steven Tainer:  CLASS RESTARTS JAN 1, 2019 Instructor: Steven Tainer

Weekly readings and teachings on the ‘Buddha Mind,’ with applications in both formal meditation practice and ordinary life issues. Brief refresher lessons in traditional Buddhist mind training will also be built into each class to highlight the Buddha Mind presence.

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  Solid Wood Wine Bottle Rack for Table Top or Wall Hang

  $35.60

  https://www.etsy.com/listing/548496862/solid-wood-wine-bottle-rack-for-table?ref=shop_home_active_45&cns=1

   

The monasteries developed differently in different areas where they resided.  In Ireland for instance a character of many of the monasteries is a tall free standing tower with its door access high enough require a ladder for access.  This is due to a group of unwelcome  visitors–the raiding Vikings (who settled extensively in Ireland and even found the city of Dublin).  An excellent example of this is

Glendalough

Home

in county Wicklow—the reported site of St. Kevin’s hermitage—it is built between lakes in a lush valley and is a large area covered by church,  burial area and much more—it originally was the habitat of more than a thousand persons.

Lindsafarne

https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryMagazine/DestinationsUK/Lindisfarne/

on the north eastern coast of England was actually credited as the first recorded Viking raid.  Originally settled by monks—the island was given to them by an Anglo-Saxon King who wished them to introduce Christianity to his people.  They did so and in the process produced a wonderful gospel which can now be seen at the British Library in London.  https://www.bl.uk/collection-items/lindisfarne-gospels   

When the Normans conquered England the island was given over to the Benedictine Monks (called Black Monks for the color they wore) in 1082.  Today the Island still contains the ruins of their monestary—the earlier monk’s monastery is gone,  but there is a wonderful ancient parish church there.  Oh and Lindisfarne

is an island at high tide, but can be reached by road at low

With changing times and religious beliefs monasteries lived, died or changed all over Europe.  In England these changes came in the name of the reformation, but as is often the case with human kind were more to with making the powerful richer, in this case Henry VIII who used the orders obvious inconsistencies:  Claiming to live in poverty while holding outrageous riches made them an easy target for the crafty king who was pulling away from the church not because of religious differences but so he could become it’s head and grant himself a divorce from his first wife Catherine to marry his current flame (who was followed by 4 more) Anne.   He started with the smallest and worked his way up—he sold some, gave others to people he owed favors or monies…..keeping some in tact to be come homes  Fonde Abbey for example https://www.fordeabbey.co.uk/  

or in many cases he destroyed them all together to a just have the land.   If course one of the most famous:  Westminster Abbey  https://www.westminster-abbey.org/

which was left in tact–with its shrines and other trappings removed—probably because of it’s burial site of his father and mother the first of a rather short line of  the Tudors.

and for an active (one of the few) Benedictine Monasteries check out Buckfast Abbey  in Devon   https://www.buckfast.org.uk/

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  BEATLES SCRAPBOOK from th 1960s

  $115.00

  https://www.etsy.com/listing/248105255/beatles-scrapbook-from-th-1960s?ref=shop_home_active_53

   

And that’s it for today—stay tuned as I’ll have a part two with more monestary facts and things to do and like that….

The tower of Glendalough is considered by scholars to be the most finely constructed and beautiful tower in all Ireland. Situated in the cleft of a steep and thickly forested valley, the 30 meter tall tower is built of mica schist with a granite doorway. Glendalough was an ancient gathering place of pre-Christian hermits and the first Christian monastery was established by St. Kevin who lived in the enchanted valley from 498-618 AD. Clustered about the base of the tower are remains of a 1200 year old cathedral and the first functioning university in the western world. Nearby the tower is the healing cross of St. Kevin. A local legend states that if one encircles the cross with one’s arms and makes a wish concerned with healing, that wish will be fulfilled according to the depth of one’s love of God.

https://sacredsites.com/europe/ireland/tower_of_cashel.html’

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  Vintage Standard Size China Tea Pot with Removable Tea Holder

  $26.69

  https://www.etsy.com/listing/599423744/vintage-standard-size-china-tea-pot-with?ref=shop_home_active_77

   

Seen with a friend on 4th St. Mt. Dora, Fl

why don’t you stop by this town in Lake Co.

and see what you might glimpse.