I have been remiss in not writing about my lovely experience in Ireland sooner. In October, when I went to the Princess Diana clothing exhibit, my nephew and I traveled to Ireland just to see the sights.
Folks, this was an absolutely wonderful trip! We stayed in Dublin and took a couple of day trips. I will give you a bit more detail in a minute, but to sum it all up, I (the lifelong Anglophile) has turned into a Hibernophile (a person who is fond of Ireland and its culture). I am not going to give England the heave-ho, but Ireland now has a special place in my heart. Here’s why….
The people are absolutely, amazingly friendly. Everyone was happy, talkative, helpful and outgoing. Whether it was the cab driver, the waiter, the doorman, everyone was so delighted to offer assistance. They all felt like family (yes, I do have a lot of Irish blood in my veins).
The food was delicious! Everything I ate was tasty. Our hotel was in the middle of a trendy shopping and eating area. We wandered into several restaurants not knowing anything about them and loved them all. The restaurant right across the street was such a wonderful experience. Without a reservation, we had to sit at the bar in the tapas room. It was so entertaining to watch, up close, the food being prepared. And then the food itself was to die for!
The views. The buildings were old and ornate. The vistas were breath taking. The cities were exciting, and the towns were charming.
Things to see and do. There was so much to engage in. We went to an Irish market that was full of fresh foods and locally made items. We went to a cemetery. We visited a beautiful Irish cathedral. We felt the cold slap of a driving rain hit our cheeks as we walked the cliffs of Moher. We (okay so just my nephew) kissed the Blarney Stone!
If you haven’t visited Ireland, I highly recommend that you go. I plan to do a bit of family research and go back. One of our tour guides told us that most likely our family was from the northern part of Ireland. That is one part we have yet to visit!