Letter from Northern Ireland

11-23-05

Hi Meave,

I didn't like Lithuania at all. I didn't know such a thing was possible.The people are pretty harsh and restrained in public, although they are very helpful if you ask for help, and blush slightly when you compliment their english. They do speak very well, and it’s no wonder Delta airlines and other complanies are opening customer service centers there. People might work like the dickens for $600 a month. Adds up to good business sense, eh? There just seemed to be an atmosphere of fear in the place. LT itself is like a dark fairy tale, and just feels...fearful. This may have something to do with losing a third of their population during the Nazi and Soviet occupations………

I am supposed to go back for 2 days and 3 nights before flying back to the states with Dan (on all the same flights) and I really don't want to. The original idea had been to go back to LT to follow up on whatever dental work needed to be done: to install caps on my teeth that would have been fabricated while I was in Ireland, for instance. But I don't need to go back to the dentist: everything was done with in under 90 minutes (combined) over two visits!

Belfast was a breath of fresh air. Everyone is so incredibly sweet. I saw the Dalai Lama (again) at the big cathedral here. People packed in, and waited outside in the cold for two hours after the doors were closed. Their earnestness was just incredible. The visit has huge significance for them. Belfast, meanwhile is blooming and catching up and looking really good. Everybody is optimistic and happy.

The Zen folks here are very nice. I stayed out late with two very sweet guys my age, visiting the holiday night market and talking till late over hot cocoa and tea. in a minute, I'll collect my bags at the visitor centre (they're holding them for me) and take a taxi to the bus station for a visit to Portrush and Giant's Causeway.

Lots of Love,

D.