The Road to Diamond, Day 336: The Bright Lights

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on November 10, 2025 in Assistance, collaborating, Historical, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

October 29. 2025- The longest journey I have ever undertaken, across the largest number of countries, would be meaningless, but for the people I met along the way, who made Europe in general feel like a giant Home Base and certain places feel as homey as Prescott, Oley or Grapevine.

Above all the rest was my Nynashamn family: Sarah, Matias and their children. First Camp was my lodging, and it is salubrious, the perfect blend of forest and sea. My heart’s home, though, was that little apartment on a hill, Home Base #4.

Not far behind were Boris, in Split, with his hospitality and knowledge of the Dalmatian coast and its antiquity; Adis, in Sarajevo and Srebrenica, bringing the struggles of the Bosnian people into stark relief, without vilifying the present Serbian people who live among them; Lisa, Pupak and Alan, in Findhorn, giving me Home Base # 5, with the energy and spirit of the northeastern Scottish coast, mixed with a sense of mysticism; Sian, in Fishguard & Goodwick, going out of her way to make sure I felt welcome; Badi, in Reykjavik, taking time form his schedule to welcome me to the Icelandic Baha’i Center; Sasha, in Vienna, guiding me around the Baha’i National Center and the volunteers at the Baha’i House of Worship, Langenhain. My gratitude also to the Baha’i friends of Dublin, for including me in the Twin Holy Day celebrations and to Carmel, who came from Derry and met me in mid-town Dublin, albeit for a short while.

People I met randomly, along the way, also stay in my heart: The concierge at START Hostel, Keflavik, who did my laundry on short notice and summoned a taxi driver, to guide me around Thingvellir (Junction of two tectonic plates) and the geysers that are continuously spewing forth, not far from there; the driver himself, with his deep knowledge of the Reykjanes Peninsula; servers who made me feel like family, at Gray Cat, Bao Bites, Reykjavik Fish (Reykjavik) Take Off Bistro(Keflavik); Brod & Salt; Grain Cafe, Meno Male, Mahalo and La Solo (Stockholm); Espresso House, and Taco Bar(Nynashamn); Wisby Hof, Cafe Amalia and Visby Ost (Visby); The Rib House (Helsingor); Mr. Pho (Copenhagen); St. Christopher’s Cafe (Berlin);Pryztanek Pierogarnia (Krakow); Chata na Zaborskiej (Oswiecim); Konoba Fratelli (Split); Restaurant Sebilj (Sarajevo); Station Bar and Cafe (Ljubljana); Stadtalm Naturfreund Restaurant (Salzburg); Eden Hotel Restaurant (Munich); Joe Molese Burgers and Sandwiches (Heidelberg); Main Kai (Frankfurt am Main); Hotel Strasbourg Dining Room (Strasbourg); The Coffee Shop (Metz); JOST Hostel Italian Cafe (Le Havre); IBIS Hotel Breakfast Bar (Portsmouth, UK); Cote French Cafe (Salisbury, UK); Rose and Crown Inn Dining Room (Goodwick, UK); Coast Hotel Dining Room (Rosslare, Ireland); La Rendezvous and Ne Zha (Dublin); NUVA and Burgers & Beers (Edinburgh); The Captain’s Table (Findhorn); The Pheasant Inn and The Flying Egg (Harlington). There were also the homeless couple on the train from Newhaven to Portsmouth, the tourist office clerk in Budapest,the souvenir vendor in Heidelberg and the admission clerk at Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin, who showed particular concern fro my well-being.

HI Loft (Reykjavik); First Camp (Nynashamn); Hotel Skandia (Helsingor); Generator Hostel (Copenhagen); St. Christopher’s Hostel (Berlin); Villa Centro (Oswiecim); Red Radisson (Vienna); Stadtalm Naturfreund (Salzburg); Alora Heart of Zagreb and Mickey Mouse Apartment (Zagreb); Hotel Pax (Split); Guest House Yildiz (Sarajevo); Lotte Backpackers Hostel (Heidelberg); Hotel Strasbourg Montagne Verte(Strasbourg); Hotel Escurial (Metz); Rose and Crown (Fishguard & Goodwick); Home from Home (Rosslare) and Argyle Backpackers Hostel (Edinburgh) were standout lodging facilities. While I had no substandard experience anywhere, those are places I would recommend to the adventurous soul.

There are seven weeks of gratitude, in a few long paragraphs. I have taken today off, pretty much, other than going through two boxes of mail and old newspapers (The delivery man and the front office at Gannett don’t seem to communicate much). Two months are left to me, at Home Base Prescott. More about what lies ahead in November, December and beyond, in the next post.

The Road to Diamond, Day 334: Long Train Running

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on November 8, 2025 in Assistance, collaborating, Community, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

October 27, 2025, Harlington, England- “Wonder of wonders! We actually have a train that stopped in York!” The solid lady, nearly out of breath, had just raced across the station in the historic northern English city, after the earlier train that she and her husband were planning to board was canceled. She told me that only the train between Edinburgh and King’s Cross, London has York as one of its stops and not all the time.

I bid mar sin leat to Edinburgh, finding my way easily to Waverley Station from the Victoria Street bus stop. The train to King’s Cross was right on time for departure, with stops at several north English and eastern Midlands cities. There were no stops in the south of Scotland, so our first was at Newcastle-on-Tyne. The only things I knew about the now fairly updated city were that it was not the place to be shipping coals (Tyneside was a major producer of the mineral) and it is the home of Eric Burdon and the Animals, a well-known ’60s band. Newcastle became the only place where I snapped a photo, on this leg of the journey. Here is the River Tyne.

Most of the rest of the trip featured tracks with high berms, factory districts and tunnels. York might have been an exception, but I was engaged in concern for the hapless fellow passengers who were trying to catch their breath. By the time all were settled and happy, the great cathedral had long passed from view.

I have rekindled an appreciation for couples, along this 7-week journey. I find most Europeans along the way are quite happy in their relationships. This has been true across generations. It was nice to see a relationship form on this train, as a Mexican gentleman sat next to a Filipina woman and engaged her in a lengthy conversation. They left the train at King’s Cross, hand in hand.

Once at King’s Cross, I followed instructions and sought the Elizabeth Line. An older couple from the Midlands were headed in that general direction, so I tagged along with them, and got on the line to Reading, which let me off at Hayes-Harlington. From the bus stop, I joined a group of college students who were headed to a hostel, just not to Apple Guest House, my lodging for the night. My trusty locator got me to the front door of Apple, only to have no one answer the door bell, nor was there any message with a numerical code.

Piffle! The only thing to do was go to dinner. So, back I went, backpack, roller case and all, to The Pheasant Inn, just up the street. The host had seen this situation before, and calmly seated me at an inside table, I fetched an N/A and the counter attendant took my meal order. He also gave me the WiFi password, the subtle hint being that now I should call Apple’s contact number and leave a message, at least. Perfect! Within minutes, I had a message that served up the numerical code for the front door. Dinner was excellent and the ambiance of The Pheasant was as welcoming and relaxing as any place I’ve been, these seven weeks.

When I got back to Apple Guest House, the door was open, as a food delivery man, who also lives there, had just returned from a run. I made my way upstairs, and settled in for the last night in Europe. Apple’s rooms are small but comfortable, so I promptly left my initial annoyance in the dust bin.

Tomorrow, a long flight will take me back to the lovely Southwest.

The Road to Diamond, Day 333, Part II: Castle in the Gloaming

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on November 8, 2025 in collaborating, Historical, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

October 26, 2025, Edinburgh- The crowd stood, silently, almost breathless, in front of the great castle gate. It was past sunset and the building was closed, yet the multitude stood in awe. The allure of so many centuries’ legacy cannot be easily explained, but there it was.

I took the train from the small town of Forres, past Elgin (where a couple of disgruntled travelers had gone, after the long bus ride to Inverness yesterday), and through Aberdeen, a surprisingly bustling city-even on a Sunday.

The train ride this time was uncomplicated, and I was back at Waverley around 3:30. Getting to my lodging, Argyle Backpackers, involved a short walk (albeit up the Roxborough Steps) and one bus ride. Along the steps, there is a “greeter”, who offers to help carry one’s bags. I was able to carry my own, but he offers a nice service to those in need.

Argyle is an old building, a bit shopworn, but the warmth of this place and the enthusiasm of its staff would bring me back, in a heartbeat, if I am ever again in Edinburgh.

Argyle Backpackers Hostel, Edinburgh New Town

After check-in, though, I felt the clock ticking, if I had any hope of visiting Royal Mile-and Edinburgh Castle, so back on the bus I went.

The Mile was already enveloped in gloaming, but no matter. Several enthusiastic crowds, of all ages, were in the streets, and looking down from the castle walls.

View from Edinburgh Castle (above and below)

Edinburgh Castle-banners and high watch tower

72nd Highlanders Memorial-honouring those who died in the Afghan Campaigns of 1878-80.

Celtic Cross, at Castle Esplanade. This honours Scottish cavalrymen who died in the Boer War.

Once down from the Castle, I headed to Burgers and Beers-for a burger and an N/A. The staff and a few of us patrons, offered encouragement to a fellow visitor who was having a medical issue. Her uncle showed up a few minutes later, and took charge of the situation. The place was, all in all, lively, with families flowing through to the back restaurant and a few of us just enjoying the atmosphere in the front. Afterward, I resumed my walkabout of Royal Mile.

Seeing the founder of capitalism was enough for one night, so I headed back to the warmth and comfort of Argyle, spending the rest of the evening with other hostelers, from Italy and Spain. The sounds of Spanish guitar are ever soothing.

The Road to Diamond, Day 333, Part I: Round Houses in the Mist

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on November 7, 2025 in animal and plant life, collaborating, Community, Education, Hiking and Nature, Historical, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

October 26, 2025, Edinburgh- We had a fine Scottish breakfast, on this misty morning. Again, there was no haggis-and nary a bit of porridge. Scrambled eggs, a small bit of bacon and grilled tomatoes filled the bill, along with Alan’s fresh-baked bread and plum jam-plus cheese.

Lisa then took me on a tour of Findhorn’s round houses and small gardens. Here is a look at some of these.

Round home, Findhorn Eco Village. Lisa said this house is presently unoccupied.

Wishing Stone, Findhorn Eco Village. Here is a good place for meditation, on a fine day. (Above and below)

This round house is near my lodging of last night.

Inside Meditation Round House. The similarity of this and another such house with Indigenous American round houses is remarkable.

Another sacred space and standing stone, an ARK (Area of Restorative Kindness) above and below

This is the sort of place where one goes for restoration. Thankfully, I need not board a plane to find such a space. There are ARKs of this sort, just about anywhere one might go in the world, and we have our share in the Southwest U.S. I will return here again, if it be the Divine Will, yet in the meantime, it makes me all the more appreciative of sacred spaces closer to Home Base.

I bid farewell to Lisa, Alan and Pupak- and boarded a train bound for Edinburgh, via Aberdeen. The magic was not done with me yet.

The Road to Diamond, Day 329, Part II: A Sacred Triangle

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on November 3, 2025 in children, collaborating, Community, Historical, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

October 22, 2025, Dublin- In any given new city, my wont is to wander a bit, usually towards a spire, dome or other prominent landmark-and sometimes off to a nearby spot that captures my attention.

After leaving Peace Park, that meant heading towards St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Knowing that it had closed to visitors for the day, I still wanted to get a sense of the exterior and the ambiance of the cathedral close. This was the deanery of one of 17th-18th Century Ireland’s most fascinating thinkers: Jonathan Swift. His satire was brought to me, early on. I treasured reading “Gulliver’s Travels”, when I was nine. I discussed “A Modest Proposal” with a cousin, when I was twelve. His admirers were the original “Swifties”.

The seat of the Church of Ireland was the second point in what turned out to be a triangular route. Here are some scenes of the exterior and of St. Patrick’s Park.

Main fountain, St. Patrick’s Park, Dublin

North face, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin (above and below)

Bridge between Towers, St. Patrick’s Cathedral

West face (front) of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Dublin

I will return here some day and look into the interior of the great cathedral. For now, my quest turned a bit westward in Wood Quay, and past 18th Century row houses near St. Patrick’s Close.

Row houses of Davies Place, Dublin (above and below). There was an election scheduled for Friday, thus the signs for Polling Place.

St. Nicholas Church, Francis Street, Dublin. This little gem is tucked away, behind a secure gate.

Church of St. Augustine and St. John (aka John’s Lane Church, Dublin. It is a Catholic Church, with the highest steeple in Ireland.

St. Audoen’s Church. This is the third point on the triangular route I took today. It was built in the late Twelfth Century and named for St. Ouen, a Norman French cleric. St. Audoen’s also served as the west gate to Dublin and was the last gate still intact in the 20th Century. Today, it serves Polish Catholics.

West Wall of Dublin, near St. Audoen’s Church (Above and below)

St. Audoen’s Church, behind linden trees

The Singing Hollow, St. Audoen’s Park, Dublin. Anyone who puts their head in the hollow and makes a noise, will hear it amplified.

Child’s drawing of a medieval nun, St. Audoen’s Park

Walking back towards Temple Bar, I passed Dublin City Hall. Of course, all business was finished for the day, but it still stood in stately pose.

Molly Malone stood selling cockles and mussels, by Dublin Castle.

Statue of maiden selling wares, near Dublin Castle

It was a tad late, so I found Tapped, a small pub that serves a small variety of comfort food sandwiches, and whose main line is, of course, beer. I stuck with my N/A beverage and got decent service from the lone young lady who was zipping around the floor and taking the best care she could of the sizable crowd of rowdies. Cajun Chicken took care of my appetite.

Tomorrow will be another very full day-Birth of Baha’ullah celebration at the National Gallery of Ireland, a visit to Dublinia- a museum of city history, focused on the Vikings and a reunion with an old Baha’i friend from our Phoenix years.

The Road to Diamond, Day 329, Part I: The Cat, The Rat and The Cathedral

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on November 2, 2025 in Community, Historical, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

October 22, 2025, Dublin- The story is as old as mammals themselves: A pest is pursued by its primary predator, and tries to escape into a safe haven. The only problem is, the hiding place is big enough for the pursuer as well. In the end, neither got out.

Christ Church Cathedral is one of three major houses of worship in Dublin. It was the only one of the three that I was able to enter and wander its two accessible floors. Time and the flow only allow for a little on any given day. St. Patrick’s Cathedral and St. Audoen’s Church offered glimpses of their exteriors and closes. The interiors will wait for another time.

I spent last night in the company of fellow Baha’is, at our Faith’s National Centre, in Ballsbridge on the near South Side. We celebrated the Birth of al-Bab which, as readers may remember, occurs back-to-back with the celebration of the Birth of Baha’ullah. It is these Holy Days which give me the reason to stay in one place for 2-3 days, and what finer place is there than the capital of the Irish Republic, with its spirit of independent investigation and expression of truth.

Christ Church Cathedral lies almost due west of stately Dublin Castle, the old seat of the British Viceroys. These two were the focus of today’s walkabout, once I set out from Abigail’s Hostel, a bit north of them in Temple Bar, across from the River Liffey. This is the heart of Dublin and, despite their association with colonialism and the Reformation, Castle and Cathedral are reflective of the fierceness of Irish spirit.

I began at the Castle, and its adjacent Chapel.

The Presidents of Ireland have their portraits hung here, as did the Viceroys of the British regime before them. Thus has the Irish nation made use of a building that was once the symbol of subjugation.

The first Irish President I remember from childhood was Eamon de Valera. He was one of the few remaining heroes of the Easter Rising (1916) and was also a celebrated figure among the Irish of eastern Massachusetts, New York, Chicago and elsewhere in North America.

Eamon de Valera, President of Ireland from 1959-1973.

Mary Robinson, first female President of Ireland (1990-97)

After going through the crown rooms of the Castle, it was time to go to the Cathedral. A short five minute walk found me at the entrance to Christ Church, seat of the Church of Ireland.

Nave, Christ Church Cathedral (above and below)

Nave and transept, Christ Church Cathedral

Tiled floor, Nave of Christ Church Cathedral

Tiled floor of the south chapel, Christ Church Cathedral

Altar and sanctuary, South Chapel, Christ Church Cathedral

A scene from the Crypt, Christ Church Cathedral (above and below)

This brings us to the titular cat and rat. The two were found, mummified, inside the great organ. They are now framed and placed next to the Crypt toilets.

Once I left the Crypt, lighter figures greeted me.

With that, my attentions were drawn to the exterior and close of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, about which more in the next post.

The Road to Diamond, Day 328: An Ancient Surprise

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on November 1, 2025 in collaborating, Community, Historical, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

October 21, 2025, Dublin- The two ladies, ecstatic at seeing one another after an apparently long time, began excitedly chatting as the bus left Rosslare, for central Wexford. They were mirrors of my mother, and two of her three sisters.

I know that my grandfather’s family left this part of Ireland for Germany, sometime in the late 15th or early 16th century. That information was passed to me as a child, by my eldest maternal aunt, who looked exactly like the silver-blonde haired woman holding court on the bus. The other two ladies could have been Mom and her closest sister, when they were in their forties. I have long felt a bond with the Irish, and with Celts in general, without really knowing why-until today.

Once in Wexford, I had about an hour to while away, until the train to Dublin was ready to leave. So, with bag and baggage, I walked about Redmond Square and the West Side Cultural District. Here are some scenes from this town that, in an ancient surprise, was likely the ancestral home of the Cooks, who became the Kusch family, once in Germany.

A broader view of Redmond Square, Wexford

The Redmond family brought the train to Wexford and drained marshland, to make the area fit for human habitation.

The “Sheriff Street Bull” of Old Wexford. Ironically, the sculpture by John Behan is titled after Sheriff Street, Dublin, which is where he grew up. There is another replica, I’m told, in Galway, western Ireland. John was fascinated with bulls, which he likened to the Irish male, who felt forced to move away or to return to an uncertain future. That may well have been the case with my Cook forebear, off to Germany to seek his fortune, in the days of the Hanseatic League.

Statue of Irish Wolfhound, Westgate, Wexford

Nicky Rackford, a legendary Irish Hurler, who hailed from Wexford. Hurling is an ancient Gaelic sport, akin in many ways to Gaelic football. It is described more fully here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurling

Ruins of Selskar Abbey, an Augustinian monastery of the 12th Century. (Above and below)

The indomitable Irish women, celebrated in Westgate, Wexford

It was time to board the train, so I left things like the John F. Kennedy Arboretum for another time. I did get a few glimpses of Muir Eirann (Irish Sea) from the train, between Wexford and Dublin.

Irish Lights Building, Dun Laoghire (pronounced dun leary)

At long last, we arrived at Connolly Station.

To my Cook relatives, your song resonates through the centuries. To my Connolly relatives (on my Dad’s side), this station is named for your distant cousin, an Irish national hero-but you knew that.

The Road to Diamond, Day 327: Across an Emerald Sea

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on October 31, 2025 in children, collaborating, Inspiration, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

October 20, 2025, Rosslare, Ireland- It had slipped my mind, the location of Ocean Lab Cafe-a function of “landmark bleed” (my term), where two places that are close to one another while still some distance apart, become adjacent in my mind. So, my friend Sian and I walked to the grocer, looking for the cafe. As we learned, Ocean Lab Cafe is on the berm that is closer to Goodwick Jetty. The grocer is off the street below. I had been to both, yesterday, while a bit tired from the day’s journey-thus, the landmark bleed.

No matter, we sat and enjoyed hot tea, with no crumpets, as it was mid-morning, and I had enjoyed a full Irish breakfast at Rose & Crown, prior to meeting Sian in the foyer of the guest house. We walked a short bit along the beach, both savouring the salt air and very pleasant clear sky. Ocean Lab is a small aquarium and oceanographic education centre for local children. It also offers Welsh products for visitors, so I purchased a box of tea bags and a tin of chai, each produced locally.

Our meeting lasted about two hours, then it was time for me to head towards the ferry to Ireland. Sian drove me as far as the ferry entrance. I then had to walk around a few barriers, to what turned out to be the Fishguard Harbour Train Station. I was the last one through the chute, but no matter-I was still five minutes shy of the gate closing, and that was only to board the bus to the ship. As it happened, we had to go back and pick up all the people who had been inside the priority visitors’ lounge. We ended up leaving well in time.

I decided to do something different this time-put my computer and journal in stowage and turn off my mobile phone. I enjoyed a full lunch, then sat and contemplated St. George’s Channel-the narrows of the Irish Sea, only nodding off for a short time, in mid-voyage. A few small children who were excited to look for whales, and a snoring man, the next table over, were there to break any monotony. The emerald sea was basically rather calm today, and the mood on board rather relaxed. We were in Rosslare in four hours and twenty minutes.

Irish customs and immigration checked the two American passports separately, but were a pleasant, jovial pair, thanking us for our cooperation. The rest of the bus riders faced a canine unit inspection, which turned up a couple of cans of English ale, and thankfully no drugs. We were let loose within ninety minutes. My transition from Europort to Home from Home Guest House did, however, entail a workaround past the usual tut-tutting from Spectrum, that I could not call my host without being connected to WiFi, and there was no connection at the port. A kind fellow passenger, who lives in Wexford, called my host and got directions. I found the bus that serves Rosslare, rode as far as Coast Hotel and voila, my host, Gemma, was waiting for me as I got off the bus.
“You’d never find the place, in this darkness”, she said, and we walked the five minutes to the apartment house. I was given a cozy and warm introduction to Irish lodging facilities, with the requisite bath tub (in the British Isles, a mere shower stall is frowned upon, though some hoteliers have little choice.) Gemma excused herself, and I headed back to Coast Hotel, for a dinner of fish and chips. The meal was more than ample, and I felt another nice day had passed.

The Road to Diamond, Day 325, Part II: Robe and Town in Salisbury

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on October 29, 2025 in Assistance, Community, Historical, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

October 18, 2025, Salisbury, England- I arrived at Victoria Lodge, on Salisbury’s north side, a little after 3. The kindly, proper host’s intel said that the last bus to Stonehenge would leave the train station at 4. She was going by the summer schedule, which ended on September 30.
I thanked her, and realized that the afternoon was meant for Salisbury Cathedral, a place that was set aside for special study by my Art History professor, in 1973.

The Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary was originally at a site now called Old Sarum, as was the community of Salisbury. Old Sarum is now an English Heritage property, a recognized and well-preserved historical site. The community moved two miles south, to its present location, in the early 13th Century (1220) and the new cathedral was completed by 1330. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salisbury_Cathedral

I walked about the Cathedral Close (area outside the church) first, then took in the magnificence of the use of light, which so enthralled Dr. Eichholz, back in the 1970s, that we spent nearly two weeks on various aspects of Salisbury Cathedral.

“Walking Madonna”, by Dame Elisabeth Frink, north lawn of Salisbury Cathedral

Stained glass of North Side, Salisbury Cathedral

Transept, Salisbury Cathedral (above and below)

Chancel, with choir in practice, Salisbury Cathedral

Bumping Stone, Salisbury Cathedral-at which a new initiate into the choristry has his or her head bumped on the stone seven times, whilst the chorus sings.

Stained glass, above Baptismal Font, Salisbury Cathedral

Explanation of Magna Carta, Chapter House, Salisbury Cathedral. The original was brought to Salisbury by Elias of Dereham, who had been at Runnymede, in 1215, and was now supervisor of the initial construction of the Cathedral.

The docent in Chapter House explained the course of the Magna Carta’s being first signed by King John, then repudiated by him, with the connivance of Pope Innocent IV. It was this papal duplicity that set the wheels in motion for the English Reformation, which took place 300 years later.

River Avon, with Cathedral spire in background.

River Avon, serving as a canal, center Salisbury

The center of Salisbury was packed with visitors, and many dining venues were expected to be packed. I had an early dinner at Cote, a French-style cafe, then walked back to Victoria Lodge, the day having been more than full-even without Stonehenge.

The Road to Diamond, Day 324: Part I- Le Havre’s New Legacy

Posted by Sagittarian Seeker on October 25, 2025 in Community, Historical, Inspiration, Matters of Faith, Personal Values, Social, Spiritual, Striving, Travel

October 17, 2025, Portsmouth, England- The earnest young man, a maintenance worker for the City of Dieppe, told me that the route to the ferry terminal was “not long” and was “visible straightaway from around the corner to the left.” I followed his directions, met a couple who were out walking on a delightful Friday afternoon and got more complete directions. Twenty-five minutes later, I walked into the Ferry Terminal.

Taking on the road involves just this sort of time allowance, and patience with people whose own understanding of routes and systems is not as complete as they fancy it to be. It also involves workarounds for spotty WiFi and being a quicker study for technological innovations than has ever been the case. That alone, to me, is a cure for dementia. (Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. I just know how it feels to be adapting to a savvier world.)

The day started with a fine breakfast at JOST Hostel. Before checking out, I did a walkabout to Le Havre’s waterfront and back. Here are some scenes: