Left The USA Again!

First let's take a look back at a little story from 2014 and now an update.
We never take group tours just grab a map, pin some places and go. 

Most of June in 2014 my wife and I took a little trip to England yes the County. Like most Texas cattlemen I have not had the opportunity for world wide travel, as there are always cows needing tended to and horses to feed. During my rodeo days the extent of my travels was Texas (13hrs to cross) and Oklahoma, but nothing like what I was about to experience. 
 For those who have been to England or travel the world often this might seem silly to you, but for me it was scratching a lot of first off my list.
During our travels we stayed in a few places from downtown London to spending time in York then in North Yorkshire on an Sheep & Cattle farm. From the people we stayed with and others we met most of them were nice and got a kick our of the Texas accent.
 My wife being a history buff this was mainly a trip to places off the beaten path. We walked threw castles filled with history, some were just ruins and others had been well maintained with people still living in them.
While we walked around them I thought of all the historic events that happened there and the many people over time who walked these same paths. Sure we have history here in the US, but we are a young country in comparison to the ancient times in the United Kingdom. 
We seen a ancient Roman bath house, remains of a Viking Village and plenty of historic locations that make you wonder what it was like in those times. York was a very cool place and is covering an ancient Roman city that they discover more of each time the dig up and replace old buildings.
Toured old Abbey's, Churches, Castles, Battle sites and Museums. 

Dinner at the old haunted Golden Fleece, walked the Shambles and did plenty of people watching. Rode my first subway (tube) ride,train ride, and walked plenty of stairs as most of the places are old with overnight rooms up stairs. Three weeks worth of clothes for two people get heavy fast! The rental car was an experience in itself all switched around in the car then driving on the opposite side of the road. The first few days driving took time to get comfortable in the car, and on the road  the road signs are whole different deal. I'd say the US is big on over posting road signs, well in England most signs are not visible from the road in places. Roads are mainly single lane roads that only the size of the small cars they drive. Long story short after a few days I had the roads down and we toured that county like nobody's business. Places we visited and the things I seen were amazing and in a few years we will be back traveling once again...

*Well here's an update to the story! 

Went back to England again in 2016 then to Ireland in 2018. Guess I can be a world traveler now, and I still get a kick out of that old 2014 story. By the time we returned we did a little digging up of our family history. This turned up the fact that most of my family landed in America not that long ago in the 1700's. We had unknowingly visited their home towns and grave sites during our first trip to the UK. 

During our most recent trip in Ireland once again we visited many of the historic sites and a castle ruin that once belonged to my wife's family.
During many hours of research on ancestry sites we have our history traced back to viking times. If you ever find the time look up your history and you will be surprised! Watch out for tractors! In Ireland it's common to see a tractor hauling cattle or equipment down the highway. There is not a need for a large farm truck and a tractor payment, just the tractor. 

 Visiting Wicklow (Gaol) Prison I learned how many of the Irish ended up in America and it was not by choice. I did wear a straw hat but it ended up in the Irish Whiskey Museum on a tour guide. He was so amazed by a cowboy hat I just had to give to him and if you take the tour you might see it too.

 Legend has it that the first cowboy's in America came from Ireland and the first cattle drives were in Boston before Texas was Texas. That's still up for debate, but the stories do make sense if you follow the time lines.

Cattle ranches in Ireland are set up a bit different but still have the same goal in mind. Dropped by a few cattle marts (sales) to look around and a few ranches to see how the operations run. If your a fan of horse racing or just enjoy horses in general then checkout the Irish National Stud. From the stallion lineup to the facility it's a must see for any horse person.
If you ever get the chance to cross the pond don't pass it up. You can watch the world on TV and the intrawbnet, but nothing beats seeing it in person.
Next on the list is Scotland and in a year or so I can update again! 
                                                                               - Pepper Stewart