Moate Ireland

A couple of years ago Danny began looking into his family history.  He wanted to start a new Facebook group that no one else had thought of and decide to start the 'People Named Moate' group.  While Googling the name 'Moate' he found the small town of Moate, Ireland.  It is located about 50 miles west of Dublin in central Ireland.  Although his family is not from there it is still a pretty cool thing to find a town so far away with your name.



Abandond Moate Train Depot

 In Moate's histroy it was an important market place and Quaker village.  There are still examples of the Quaker houses along Moate Mainstreet.  In 1851 the train station opened in Moate so commercial good could be be brought to and from Dublin.  In 1974 commercial goods stopped passing through and in 1987 so did the passengers, now the train depot sits abandoned. 

This lovely little town really likes it's name and names everything in town after it.  There is the Moate Castle, the Moatete B&B, the Moate Sports store...and so on.

I hope some day to be able to visit Moate and walk the streets and see my name on every building and every sign.

Run a Marathon...In Venice Italy



A small canal in Venice



A year ago, along with my sister-in-law and a friend, I walked the Seattle Marathon.  As we neared mile 17 we all decided that we never needed to do another marathon again in our lifetime!  Then the other day, Hotel Albergo San Samuele where I stayed in 2010, had a Facebook post about the Venice Marathon, I quickly changed my mind and decided I could totally do another marathon if it meant doing it in Venice.

The course begins in the quiet neighborhoods where rich and noble Venetians built their vacation mansions in the 18th century.  Runners then cross the Grand Canal on a pontoon bridge built and put in place especially for the race.  As you close in on the finish line you run past the campanile of St. Mark's Basillica and Gothic facade of Doge Palace in St. Mark's Square.  




Columns of San Marco
and San Theodoro in St. Mark's Square





I would like to think that the scenery would keep me running towards the finish line but I am afraid the scent of fresh baked pastries, velvety smooth cappuccino, and fresh gelato would lure me off course.