I will never forget my first “hawk walk.” It was at the Ireland School of Falconry (just outside of Cong, north of Galway), where a great guide showed our tour group how to properly handle birds of prey. For about an hour, we wandered through the enchanting grounds of Ashford Castle, with our guide sporting a Harris hawk on his forearm. After learning about falconry, each person in our group got an opportunity to “fly” the bird—tossing and catching it on his or her arm. With each toss, the glove was rotated to the next person, and the guide tucked a little chicken meat in the padded palm—and the hawk knew just where to return. The experience was both intimate and intense.
Throughout Europe, you’ll find vivid and memorable animal demonstrations and experiences. They run the gamut, from famous festivals like Pamplona’s Running of the Bulls or Siena’s Palio horse race, to routine rituals like sheep shearing or hawk holding. Whether big and raucous or small and personal, I always find these experiences fascinating.
