“The vainest, most slap-happy and irreverent of men, in the presence of redwoods, goes under a spell of wonder and respect.” —John Steinbeck
I think I know what Mr. Steinbeck meant with the above quote. I felt that sense of wonder and respect when I walked through the town of Westport, County Mayo in 2001. It hit me unexpectedly as I set foot in the house where my grandmother was born. A draíochta (Irish for magical) feeling came over me. Travel has a way of touching us deeply.