Live from Ireland blog - Sept. 2-12
Dec 1st, 2011, 07:05 PM
#41
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The next installment is up!
Here's a link if the old one is acting up. If you need to catch up on past installments, use the category drop down on the right side of the page and select 'Ireland'.
http://maggiemphoto.wordpress.com/20...nty-tipperary/
Here's a link if the old one is acting up. If you need to catch up on past installments, use the category drop down on the right side of the page and select 'Ireland'.
http://maggiemphoto.wordpress.com/20...nty-tipperary/
Dec 3rd, 2011, 11:16 AM
#44
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Maggie, loved the next installment! You mentioned the openings in the towers around the towers and it must be a guy thing to know. Not necessarily, but then medieval history is one of my passions. And there is a name for the holes where they dumped boiling oil, etc. on the enemy--machicolations. Save that little piece of trivia and casually pull it out of your hat the next time castles are a topic of conversation.
Dec 4th, 2011, 07:34 PM
#45
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Yes!! They told us that word and I stared at the computer doing the "it started with an "m"..." thing when I was writing but I never got around to googling it! The tour was awesome, even for someone with zero base knowledge of castles and medieval history.
Jan 4th, 2012, 08:49 AM
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Hi All - While I've been chronicling our Ireland adventures on my blog, I also wanted to share some other information here that might bore my regular blog readers but be of use to those actually planning trips. This was our first trip to Europe, so we had questions about every little thing. But everything turned out just fine and relatively stress free. So here come the dirty details...in abundance.
Planning - We planned for, um, a really long time. But I'm glad we did that. Our strategy was to start by ingesting all of the information we could get our hands on, then listing out every single thing we were interested in seeing/doing/visiting. This resulted in an itinerary of about 30 days. Then we started narrowing things down - first we nixed "duplicate" attractions and experiences. You can only see so many castles or chill on so many beaches. We compared apples to apples, then picked the best. From there, we took a look at the map, pegged our prospective destinations and eliminated any that were out of the way of the others so that we could reduce travel times. After that, it was just lots of reading, advice gathering and brutal narrowing down.
Flights - We flew Chicago to Shannon with a stop in Newark on Continental. We certainly would have paid a higher price for a direct flight, but there were none that worked with our travel dates out of Chicago. I'll never connect in Newark again. Not long before our flight I found several articles about it being the worst airport for flight delays. En route, our pilot even made a joke about it. Awesome. True to form, our 2 hour connection time turned into 5.5 hours of sitting. We were very glad we flew into Shannon though, as it was smaller and quieter than Dublin so was an easier place to arrive after a full day and night of travel. We flew home from Dublin, direct, on Aer Lingus. The Dublin airport was quick and easy - through security, brief stop at the duty free for several bottles of booze, then through US pre-clearance. Our only complaint was the complete and utter lack of food after pre-clearance. The signs warned there was "limited catering options". Would have been more appropriate to say "2 choices of nasty packaged sandwiches only beyond this point." If you're traveling over a meal-time, arrive early so you can eat before going through Pre-Clearance. Flight home was easy and we much preferred Aer Lingus to Continental. We booked our flights about 6 months in advance and paid $2000 for both of us, including travel insurance.
Luggage - I stressed a lot about what and how to pack. I wanted to be prepared for unpredictable weather, but I didn't want to be loaded down with luggage either. We ended up with one large suitcase plus a very large duffel bag which flew to Ireland nearly empty and returned to the States busting at the seams. (We also used 1 carry on, plus a tote bag and ruck sack as personal items.) For clothing, I felt like we were right on. 3 pairs of jeans/khakis for during the day, plus 2 for the evenings worked perfectly. 3 fleece zip ups and 5 long sleeve t-shirts each, along with lightweight but very warm and waterproof Neoprene jackets, were rotated for during the day and were just right. We also took thin, knit gloves and were glad to have them. Stocking caps or wool caps were great for the days with light rain or lots of wind. For the evenings, we each took 5 shirts and rotated - nothing too dressy was needed and I was comfortable in cute tops layered with cardigans or a casual jacket and Zac was good with a selection of casual button down shirts. Waterproof shoes strong enough for hiking and able to handle climbing slippery rocks were a must.
Misc things we were glad to have - We packed a high-powered flash light and used it frequently when we walked to and from towns. A few disposable ponchos were nice to have also, though we never needed to wear them. An insulated ditty bag was easy to pack and was great for picnic lunches. We also took a beach blanket that folded and zipped up - it took up next to no room in the luggage and was waterproof, perfect for picnics on the beach or in wet grass, we used it a lot.
Money - I'll go ahead a talk freely about our budget because I know I looked for guidance on this and found little; understandable since everyone's idea of "affordable" and "expensive" varies greatly. But I'll share what worked for us.
We budgeted about E90/night for accommodations. Several places fell well under this which allowed us to splurge were it counted, like having a sea view in Dingle. At this rate we were able to book our first choice of places in each location.
For food and drinks we budged E115/day (for 2 people). Breakfast was always included and we broke the rest down to E20 for lunches, E50 for dinner, E30 for evening drinks and E15 for misc things like ice cream. We never went over this and never felt like we were watching our cash either. Our lunches were usually light - sandwiches or soups at a pub or picnic items from the grocery store. We love good food but aren't much for overly fancy so the dinner budget was fine. Left over cash from cheaper days/lunches allowed us to splurge and double that dinner amount on a few occasions.
For attractions/tours/admissions we budged about E320 and arrived at that number by listing out everything we were interested in doing and looking up the fees for those things. Of course we didn't get around to everything and the weather prevented some of the pricier things we'd hoped to do - like deep sea fishing. This is definitely an area that will differ based on travel pace and interested but it was easy enough to arrive at a budget so we knew we wouldn't run of cash.
We weighed a lot of options on how to actually use money in Ireland (cash vs. credit, etc.). Our credit union offered very reasonable rates/fees so we opted to use cash exclusively with the exception of our rental car (credit card, paid in advance) and some excessive shopping (oops). When we arrived in Shannon we used the airport ATM to withdraw all the cash we would need until we reached Dublin. We'd had our ATM withdraw limits increased on our cards, but the machine limited us to E600 for each transaction. No trouble making several transactions at once. The cash lasted until Dublin where we found an ATM and took out the rest. We took a money belt with us and used that to store our credit card and passports. We kept the cash we needed for the day divided between the two of us. The rest was kept in envelopes in our luggage - risky maybe but never felt there was potential for a problem any of the places we stayed. Except in Dublin, where any extra was kept in the money belt.
Gas/Petrol - I used google maps to trace our general route and find our total mileage (750) I bumped it to 900 miles and figured 25mpg to be safe. Gas was running nearly $10/gallon while we were there. Still we only put E100 in the tank the whole time and returned it empty (so were charged the 75E for the first tank). Might have been more economical to return it full, but it was easier to just leave it empty.
Car Rental - Oh the headaches this caused while planning. Despite all the drama on the message boards, in the end this was quite simple. We used Dan Dooley, picked up in Shannon and dropped off in Dublin. We got the extra insurance which reduced our deductible (and the hold on our credit card) to E100 and provided complete coverage (Including tires and glass, contrary to a lot of talk we saw here prior. The only exclusion was lost keys and putting in the wrong fuel.). At pick up, our car was covered in scratches, dings and dents. I took lots of photos and marked everything on the form - the guy giving us the car thought I was crazy. Aside from a few small scratches we returned the car as we received it. At drop off, a guy walked around the car once (quickly), started the car, and declared our hold removed and the car undamaged. It was shockingly simple. We paid about E460 for 8 days with one driver and all the insurance.
Cell Phone - Another planning headache that turned out simple. I have a Blackberry which is global so all we needed was a SIM card. After leaving the Shannon airport we went to Tesco in Ennis (the only thing open because we arrived so early - I hear Skymall in Shannon is simpler - if its open when you arrive). Finding the Tesco was a nightmare, even with step by step directions. Just get yourself into Ennis and then stop and ask someone! Once we found the Tesco, it was simple. We found the SIM cards in the check out lane for E2. Picked that up along with a case of bottled water, a package of cookies and some chips and pretzels. Those items lasted us until Dublin and we were glad to have some snack food with us in the car and a the B&Bs. Once I had the SIM card in I put in the unlock code provided by our cell phone company - worked easily. I then called the customer service number in the info to use our credit card to add minutes. The customer service rep was amazingly friendly and told me they can't use American credit cards for that service. No problem - popped back into Tesco (we we're still in the parking lot) and purchased a E10 voucher from the customer service desk. Followed directions on the voucher and within minutes was able to dial home to the States to let everyone know we'd arrived safely. The E10 was plenty for the trip and allowed us to call the States quiet a few times, makes call to B&Bs, dinner reservations, etc.
Driving - See my blog for horror stories about driving. But don't be discouraged - it isn't so bad that it should in any way deter you from visiting Ireland with a car. One tip I would offer is to stick with just one driver - the idea of "everyone wants a try at the left" doesn't seem constructive. By a few days into the trip, my husband was perfectly comfortable with the left, had adjusted to the narrow roads and I was comfortable with my map and learning to decipher the road signs. Seems much better to let each person pick their trade and learn it well. Just keep yelling "Stay left!" and "Yield right!" and all will be well. Regarding directions - we used via Michelin to print maps and step-by-step directions between each of our destinations. The travel times were accurate-ish but the directions were useless. "Right turn on Hickory Lane" isn't very helpful if none of the 30 streets in a town are marked. We eventually tossed our directions and relied completely on a Michelin map of Ireland and a compass. Seriously, take a compass. Once we shifted to this, our driving stress decreased a lot.
Random things I wish I'd known - You have to pay in parking garages before you exit. In St. Louis we're used to taking a ticket and then paying as we drive out of the garage. Learned the hard way in Kilkenny that you need to find the payment booth elsewhere in the garage and validate your ticket before you exit. Wasn't always as easy as it seems.
Tipping is different than in the States, which we did know ahead of time but still weren't comfortable with. A friendly bartender in Dingle explained that tips aren't expected in Ireland for bar service and that a tip tossed down mindlessly as if required can be offensive. He advised that if the service was better than what's expected a tip is appreciated and should be handed to the bartender with a thank you. We followed that idea for the trip and it seemed to work perfectly fine. We still timed regularly and in the same amount that we would at home.
The woven wool blankets at Muckross Weavers, inside the visitor's center at Muckross, were the best we saw our entire trip. Avoca's were beautiful, and in pretty plaid patterns but are better as throws. Get the Muckross ones for a serious blanket. And take some space bags with you to get them home easily.
Accommodations - We fully recommend each place we stayed, if they match what you're looking for. All of our hosts were wonderful as were the locations and rooms.
Daly House - Doolin - Perfect location, perfect host. Beautiful view of the cliffs. Small but very nice room. Will visit again!
Pax House - Dingle - Our favorite place! Wonderful host and staff, beautiful view. Sea View room was extra large with large sitting area and very large bathroom. Large patio with view and lanterns lit every evening. Lots of extra touches. Will visit again, and for as long as possible!
O'Donahbains - Kenmare - A B&B but feels more like a boutique hotel. Was a nice change of pace with little attention from hosts, other guests, etc. (in a nice way!). Pub and restaurant downstairs very, very good and a fun location to be right in the middle of everything.
Lawcus Farm Guest House - Kilkenny area - A breath of fresh air all around. Wonderful hosts, very special property. About a 15 minute (easy) drive to the heart of Kilkenny or a short drive to some nearby villages. Will definitely stay again, for longer. Give yourself at least 2 nights if staying here, you'll be disappointed if you don't.
Harding Hotel - Dublin - Fine enough. Location was great, directly across from Christ Church Cathedral and an easy walk through Temple Bar, onto Grafton St, etc. Room was clean and spacious but kind of run down. Never saw a single other person during our 2 night stay. Worked fine for the low price and we used the room very little - but if you're looking for more than just acceptable and well located...keep looking.
Food - I'll leave the details of every meal to trip advisor and just share our can't be missed places. In Doolin - Murphy's had the best stew of the whole trip. In Dingle - do not miss Out of the Blue - amazing! Murphy's Ice Cream is fantastic. The sea food chowder (everywhere) in this area was fantastic. Outside of Kilkenny and very near Lawcus Farm we really liked Knockdrina Cheese Shop. They served great lunch plates (fish, quiche, etc.) with a variety of salads and cheese sample plates. The Avoca Cafe at Powerscourt was also great for a snazzy lunch sandwich, some great salads and deserts. In Dublin do not pass up Leo Burdock's for fish and chips. It's carry out only, about half a block from Christ Church Cathedral. One order is enough to feed 2 people. Best fish and chips of the entire trip and we had a lot!!
That's about all I can think of, but feel free to shoot questions my way! I was a little hesitant to ask questions prior to our trip because everyone seemed so well traveled and cool and in the know. I am none of those things, so feel free to ask me dumb questions, here or on the blog : )
The remaining blog posts are coming soon. I would say "I promise" but I've said that a dozen times and lets face it, my word is crap when it comes to getting these blog posts up!
Planning - We planned for, um, a really long time. But I'm glad we did that. Our strategy was to start by ingesting all of the information we could get our hands on, then listing out every single thing we were interested in seeing/doing/visiting. This resulted in an itinerary of about 30 days. Then we started narrowing things down - first we nixed "duplicate" attractions and experiences. You can only see so many castles or chill on so many beaches. We compared apples to apples, then picked the best. From there, we took a look at the map, pegged our prospective destinations and eliminated any that were out of the way of the others so that we could reduce travel times. After that, it was just lots of reading, advice gathering and brutal narrowing down.
Flights - We flew Chicago to Shannon with a stop in Newark on Continental. We certainly would have paid a higher price for a direct flight, but there were none that worked with our travel dates out of Chicago. I'll never connect in Newark again. Not long before our flight I found several articles about it being the worst airport for flight delays. En route, our pilot even made a joke about it. Awesome. True to form, our 2 hour connection time turned into 5.5 hours of sitting. We were very glad we flew into Shannon though, as it was smaller and quieter than Dublin so was an easier place to arrive after a full day and night of travel. We flew home from Dublin, direct, on Aer Lingus. The Dublin airport was quick and easy - through security, brief stop at the duty free for several bottles of booze, then through US pre-clearance. Our only complaint was the complete and utter lack of food after pre-clearance. The signs warned there was "limited catering options". Would have been more appropriate to say "2 choices of nasty packaged sandwiches only beyond this point." If you're traveling over a meal-time, arrive early so you can eat before going through Pre-Clearance. Flight home was easy and we much preferred Aer Lingus to Continental. We booked our flights about 6 months in advance and paid $2000 for both of us, including travel insurance.
Luggage - I stressed a lot about what and how to pack. I wanted to be prepared for unpredictable weather, but I didn't want to be loaded down with luggage either. We ended up with one large suitcase plus a very large duffel bag which flew to Ireland nearly empty and returned to the States busting at the seams. (We also used 1 carry on, plus a tote bag and ruck sack as personal items.) For clothing, I felt like we were right on. 3 pairs of jeans/khakis for during the day, plus 2 for the evenings worked perfectly. 3 fleece zip ups and 5 long sleeve t-shirts each, along with lightweight but very warm and waterproof Neoprene jackets, were rotated for during the day and were just right. We also took thin, knit gloves and were glad to have them. Stocking caps or wool caps were great for the days with light rain or lots of wind. For the evenings, we each took 5 shirts and rotated - nothing too dressy was needed and I was comfortable in cute tops layered with cardigans or a casual jacket and Zac was good with a selection of casual button down shirts. Waterproof shoes strong enough for hiking and able to handle climbing slippery rocks were a must.
Misc things we were glad to have - We packed a high-powered flash light and used it frequently when we walked to and from towns. A few disposable ponchos were nice to have also, though we never needed to wear them. An insulated ditty bag was easy to pack and was great for picnic lunches. We also took a beach blanket that folded and zipped up - it took up next to no room in the luggage and was waterproof, perfect for picnics on the beach or in wet grass, we used it a lot.
Money - I'll go ahead a talk freely about our budget because I know I looked for guidance on this and found little; understandable since everyone's idea of "affordable" and "expensive" varies greatly. But I'll share what worked for us.
We budgeted about E90/night for accommodations. Several places fell well under this which allowed us to splurge were it counted, like having a sea view in Dingle. At this rate we were able to book our first choice of places in each location.
For food and drinks we budged E115/day (for 2 people). Breakfast was always included and we broke the rest down to E20 for lunches, E50 for dinner, E30 for evening drinks and E15 for misc things like ice cream. We never went over this and never felt like we were watching our cash either. Our lunches were usually light - sandwiches or soups at a pub or picnic items from the grocery store. We love good food but aren't much for overly fancy so the dinner budget was fine. Left over cash from cheaper days/lunches allowed us to splurge and double that dinner amount on a few occasions.
For attractions/tours/admissions we budged about E320 and arrived at that number by listing out everything we were interested in doing and looking up the fees for those things. Of course we didn't get around to everything and the weather prevented some of the pricier things we'd hoped to do - like deep sea fishing. This is definitely an area that will differ based on travel pace and interested but it was easy enough to arrive at a budget so we knew we wouldn't run of cash.
We weighed a lot of options on how to actually use money in Ireland (cash vs. credit, etc.). Our credit union offered very reasonable rates/fees so we opted to use cash exclusively with the exception of our rental car (credit card, paid in advance) and some excessive shopping (oops). When we arrived in Shannon we used the airport ATM to withdraw all the cash we would need until we reached Dublin. We'd had our ATM withdraw limits increased on our cards, but the machine limited us to E600 for each transaction. No trouble making several transactions at once. The cash lasted until Dublin where we found an ATM and took out the rest. We took a money belt with us and used that to store our credit card and passports. We kept the cash we needed for the day divided between the two of us. The rest was kept in envelopes in our luggage - risky maybe but never felt there was potential for a problem any of the places we stayed. Except in Dublin, where any extra was kept in the money belt.
Gas/Petrol - I used google maps to trace our general route and find our total mileage (750) I bumped it to 900 miles and figured 25mpg to be safe. Gas was running nearly $10/gallon while we were there. Still we only put E100 in the tank the whole time and returned it empty (so were charged the 75E for the first tank). Might have been more economical to return it full, but it was easier to just leave it empty.
Car Rental - Oh the headaches this caused while planning. Despite all the drama on the message boards, in the end this was quite simple. We used Dan Dooley, picked up in Shannon and dropped off in Dublin. We got the extra insurance which reduced our deductible (and the hold on our credit card) to E100 and provided complete coverage (Including tires and glass, contrary to a lot of talk we saw here prior. The only exclusion was lost keys and putting in the wrong fuel.). At pick up, our car was covered in scratches, dings and dents. I took lots of photos and marked everything on the form - the guy giving us the car thought I was crazy. Aside from a few small scratches we returned the car as we received it. At drop off, a guy walked around the car once (quickly), started the car, and declared our hold removed and the car undamaged. It was shockingly simple. We paid about E460 for 8 days with one driver and all the insurance.
Cell Phone - Another planning headache that turned out simple. I have a Blackberry which is global so all we needed was a SIM card. After leaving the Shannon airport we went to Tesco in Ennis (the only thing open because we arrived so early - I hear Skymall in Shannon is simpler - if its open when you arrive). Finding the Tesco was a nightmare, even with step by step directions. Just get yourself into Ennis and then stop and ask someone! Once we found the Tesco, it was simple. We found the SIM cards in the check out lane for E2. Picked that up along with a case of bottled water, a package of cookies and some chips and pretzels. Those items lasted us until Dublin and we were glad to have some snack food with us in the car and a the B&Bs. Once I had the SIM card in I put in the unlock code provided by our cell phone company - worked easily. I then called the customer service number in the info to use our credit card to add minutes. The customer service rep was amazingly friendly and told me they can't use American credit cards for that service. No problem - popped back into Tesco (we we're still in the parking lot) and purchased a E10 voucher from the customer service desk. Followed directions on the voucher and within minutes was able to dial home to the States to let everyone know we'd arrived safely. The E10 was plenty for the trip and allowed us to call the States quiet a few times, makes call to B&Bs, dinner reservations, etc.
Driving - See my blog for horror stories about driving. But don't be discouraged - it isn't so bad that it should in any way deter you from visiting Ireland with a car. One tip I would offer is to stick with just one driver - the idea of "everyone wants a try at the left" doesn't seem constructive. By a few days into the trip, my husband was perfectly comfortable with the left, had adjusted to the narrow roads and I was comfortable with my map and learning to decipher the road signs. Seems much better to let each person pick their trade and learn it well. Just keep yelling "Stay left!" and "Yield right!" and all will be well. Regarding directions - we used via Michelin to print maps and step-by-step directions between each of our destinations. The travel times were accurate-ish but the directions were useless. "Right turn on Hickory Lane" isn't very helpful if none of the 30 streets in a town are marked. We eventually tossed our directions and relied completely on a Michelin map of Ireland and a compass. Seriously, take a compass. Once we shifted to this, our driving stress decreased a lot.
Random things I wish I'd known - You have to pay in parking garages before you exit. In St. Louis we're used to taking a ticket and then paying as we drive out of the garage. Learned the hard way in Kilkenny that you need to find the payment booth elsewhere in the garage and validate your ticket before you exit. Wasn't always as easy as it seems.
Tipping is different than in the States, which we did know ahead of time but still weren't comfortable with. A friendly bartender in Dingle explained that tips aren't expected in Ireland for bar service and that a tip tossed down mindlessly as if required can be offensive. He advised that if the service was better than what's expected a tip is appreciated and should be handed to the bartender with a thank you. We followed that idea for the trip and it seemed to work perfectly fine. We still timed regularly and in the same amount that we would at home.
The woven wool blankets at Muckross Weavers, inside the visitor's center at Muckross, were the best we saw our entire trip. Avoca's were beautiful, and in pretty plaid patterns but are better as throws. Get the Muckross ones for a serious blanket. And take some space bags with you to get them home easily.
Accommodations - We fully recommend each place we stayed, if they match what you're looking for. All of our hosts were wonderful as were the locations and rooms.
Daly House - Doolin - Perfect location, perfect host. Beautiful view of the cliffs. Small but very nice room. Will visit again!
Pax House - Dingle - Our favorite place! Wonderful host and staff, beautiful view. Sea View room was extra large with large sitting area and very large bathroom. Large patio with view and lanterns lit every evening. Lots of extra touches. Will visit again, and for as long as possible!
O'Donahbains - Kenmare - A B&B but feels more like a boutique hotel. Was a nice change of pace with little attention from hosts, other guests, etc. (in a nice way!). Pub and restaurant downstairs very, very good and a fun location to be right in the middle of everything.
Lawcus Farm Guest House - Kilkenny area - A breath of fresh air all around. Wonderful hosts, very special property. About a 15 minute (easy) drive to the heart of Kilkenny or a short drive to some nearby villages. Will definitely stay again, for longer. Give yourself at least 2 nights if staying here, you'll be disappointed if you don't.
Harding Hotel - Dublin - Fine enough. Location was great, directly across from Christ Church Cathedral and an easy walk through Temple Bar, onto Grafton St, etc. Room was clean and spacious but kind of run down. Never saw a single other person during our 2 night stay. Worked fine for the low price and we used the room very little - but if you're looking for more than just acceptable and well located...keep looking.
Food - I'll leave the details of every meal to trip advisor and just share our can't be missed places. In Doolin - Murphy's had the best stew of the whole trip. In Dingle - do not miss Out of the Blue - amazing! Murphy's Ice Cream is fantastic. The sea food chowder (everywhere) in this area was fantastic. Outside of Kilkenny and very near Lawcus Farm we really liked Knockdrina Cheese Shop. They served great lunch plates (fish, quiche, etc.) with a variety of salads and cheese sample plates. The Avoca Cafe at Powerscourt was also great for a snazzy lunch sandwich, some great salads and deserts. In Dublin do not pass up Leo Burdock's for fish and chips. It's carry out only, about half a block from Christ Church Cathedral. One order is enough to feed 2 people. Best fish and chips of the entire trip and we had a lot!!
That's about all I can think of, but feel free to shoot questions my way! I was a little hesitant to ask questions prior to our trip because everyone seemed so well traveled and cool and in the know. I am none of those things, so feel free to ask me dumb questions, here or on the blog : )
The remaining blog posts are coming soon. I would say "I promise" but I've said that a dozen times and lets face it, my word is crap when it comes to getting these blog posts up!
Jan 5th, 2012, 06:47 AM
#50
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Thank you, thank you, thank you for continuing on. I love it!
re your comments about the tour group at Smithwicks: I wonder if there is something about traveling in a "herd" that brings out the obnoxious. And not just Americans. When I have run into tour groups of other nationalities (I won't name names), I notice they are often less than pleasant, but meeting people individually is a much more positive experience.
Thanks for planning to raise polite and thoughtful children. Wish I could be3 teaching in your school district.
I was laughing about your bundles and packing for "home". On one of my trips to Ireland many years ago, I happened on a toy store in a small town and they carried Legoes. My nephews were mad about Legos and there were some sets that I had not seen at "home", so I bought four sets. On my last night I realized I would never fit those boxes into my suitcase. What had I been thinking!? I went down to the local hardware store and picked up brown paper and string, wrapped the boxes, tied them individually and together, and showed up at the airport with what my friend referred to as "the peasant look". All went well. When I got back to Logan, I wondered what would happen if they made me undo all that string at customs. I lucked out. (thirty years ago, things were a lot more lenient, I think.)
Anyway, thanks so much for sharing and I am looking forward to the Dublin section.
re your comments about the tour group at Smithwicks: I wonder if there is something about traveling in a "herd" that brings out the obnoxious. And not just Americans. When I have run into tour groups of other nationalities (I won't name names), I notice they are often less than pleasant, but meeting people individually is a much more positive experience.
Thanks for planning to raise polite and thoughtful children. Wish I could be3 teaching in your school district.
I was laughing about your bundles and packing for "home". On one of my trips to Ireland many years ago, I happened on a toy store in a small town and they carried Legoes. My nephews were mad about Legos and there were some sets that I had not seen at "home", so I bought four sets. On my last night I realized I would never fit those boxes into my suitcase. What had I been thinking!? I went down to the local hardware store and picked up brown paper and string, wrapped the boxes, tied them individually and together, and showed up at the airport with what my friend referred to as "the peasant look". All went well. When I got back to Logan, I wondered what would happen if they made me undo all that string at customs. I lucked out. (thirty years ago, things were a lot more lenient, I think.)
Anyway, thanks so much for sharing and I am looking forward to the Dublin section.
Jan 5th, 2012, 07:21 AM
#51
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Interesting point about the herd mentality, I think there's definitely something to that. Maybe people just start functioning as part of their smaller group and behave by what's acceptable within that group, as opposed to the larger group around them.
...maybe I should remind myself to be aware of that when out and about with friends
Love the lego story!! You're so right, do that now and you'd be proving your legos presented no danger to fellow passengers.
...maybe I should remind myself to be aware of that when out and about with friends
Love the lego story!! You're so right, do that now and you'd be proving your legos presented no danger to fellow passengers.
Feb 9th, 2012, 07:17 PM
#52
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Just a heads up - added Day 8 this week. Day 9/10, the final post, is set to go up this weekend! Here's the link to the latest:
http://www.maggiemedemaphotoblog.com...oad-to-dublin/
http://www.maggiemedemaphotoblog.com...oad-to-dublin/
Mar 29th, 2012, 09:13 AM
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I wish you had saved that Taxi cabs card, I would have gone off with him in a heartbeat. I love Irish history. Best time ever was when I asked a couple in a Cork bar where Michael Collins was killed and they looked at us and said you really want to know? They picked us up at 9am and we had the best day ever in Ireland. I learned so much that day from Eamon and Pat. They took us to the spot he was assassinated and to his home the black and tans burned to the ground. We went through a deserted castle and drank a lot. I have loved the history so much and last trip I was sitting in a bar in Dublin when this man, his nephew and girlfriend started talking to us. He was telling us his Grandmother use to own the bar and her name was Kitty Kiernan not knowing I had any clue who he was talking about. Whoa, we learned a ton from him and his nephew who was her great great grandson. He was really amazed we knew more than Julia Roberts had played her in the movie. We took A plant of heather to her grave at Glasnevin the following week. We stayed at the Harding in 2000. I loved it but we have been staying more by St Stephens last trips. Is it still nice?
Mar 30th, 2012, 06:10 AM
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Just saw the part about the Harding. That was my first time having a bathroom where the water from the shower just ran into the center of the floor where the drain was. The bathroom was like one huge shower. Great for a handicapped person though. I loved it being across from Christ Church and we always eat Leo Burdock's fish and chips, yummm.
Apr 8th, 2012, 12:54 PM
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Maggie,
I absolutely loved your blog - the photos and the stories. Please let us know when you complete the last one about Dublin. If you already have, can you post the link?
We've been to many of the same places and your stories are 100% on the mark. I laughed outloud several times and I had to stop and read the passage to my husband who also laughed.
I absolutely loved your blog - the photos and the stories. Please let us know when you complete the last one about Dublin. If you already have, can you post the link?
We've been to many of the same places and your stories are 100% on the mark. I laughed outloud several times and I had to stop and read the passage to my husband who also laughed.
