I’m Judith Ashley, author of The Sacred Women’s
Circle series, romantic fiction that honors spiritual practices that nourish
the soul and celebrate the journey from relationship to romance.
Traveling to other countries and even other parts of
the United States has broadened my view of the world. I’ve been fortunate to
have had the opportunity to travel—not only around the United States but also
to Canada, Mexico, Australia and Europe.
Ireland, Scotland, England, Croatia, Slovenia and
Italy have all been on my itinerary with stops in The Netherlands and
Switzerland.
My first trip outside North America was to Ireland
where I met up with another Judith and we had adventure after adventure as we
drove around the country. Our first night in a bed and breakfast in Clifton, we
walked to a local tavern and had Irish stew and bread. A young couple we met on
holiday bought us our first Guinness after rescuing us from two flat tires as
we traveled around The Ring of Kerry. We stayed at Ashford Castle and I
distinctly remember sipping Irish Coffee and eating the best scones I’d ever
had.
Next was Croatia and Slovenia. I will admit I was
hesitant to try new food combinations when everything around me was so new but
I did—and it was delicious! The food was fresh, vegetables harvested hours
before our meals made all the difference in the world.
I was there during the Balkan War. When Zagreb was
bombed, we were ordered to leave the country. Our group traveled to Bled,
Slovenia to wait until for our return flights. There was a bakery near the
hotel where we stayed that had ‘crème cakes’ and just thinking about them makes
my mouth water. I’ve never had anything like them anywhere else – even with the
same name nothing is ever as delicious as my memory.
 |
| Bled, Slovenia |
What I can tell you is that it was naturally fermented from potatoes grown
organically on the land. No Nitrates!!! Which meant no headache for me!!!
Most recently I traveled to England and Scotland. I
tried haggis and oatcakes in Scotland and fish and chips in London.
If I were to travel abroad again, where would I go? If
I based my decision only on the food, I’d be on a plane to Croatia and
Slovenia.
In Croatia I’d find the village in the mountains.
With a glass of wine in hand, I’d sit and look out over the surrounding land. A
local cheese with homemade bread? I’d return to Bled. I’d be disappointed if the crème
cakes I remember weren't there. But, who knows what else I’d fine?
That’s one of the exciting aspects of travel to
other countries…the exploring whether of historical sites, local customs, or
finding a meal that feeds your soul as well as your body.
3 comments:
Wow, Judith! You are more widely traveled than I knew. You've encountered some incredible food along the way.
What was it like to visit a country in the midst of a war?
My time in Croatia during the Balkan War was intense and life-changing. We were ordered to leave Croatia when Zagreb was bombed. We were in Rijeka which is about 50 miles from Zagreb (think Salem to Portland).
Men we saw at dinner and danced with in the evening had disappeared by breakfast, returning to their units during the night.
The William Glasser Institute had and still has a strong presence in those countries. Ten of us from the US, Canada and Ireland had volunteered to put on a conference for those of our colleagues who could get away for the four days.
When people talk about "being called to" something, I can relate. I asked family and friends to help me pay for my ticket (never did anything like that before or since) because I was going one way or another.
Pictures of me while there? I look like me but not. Younger, more alive - it's hard to describe. So many memories surfaced when writing this post...good ones, wistful ones and wishful ones.
So interesting Judith! I love trying new foods when we travel. When we went to Canada last summer we tried the local German restaurant and were pleasantly surprised with the culinary delight of their pork with homemade stinzel(think dumplings). I don't know what the desert was but it was heavenly. You've traveled a lot, I envy you as I always wanted to go to Scotland and Ireland.
Post a Comment