Wednesday 27 September 2017

A Taste of Ireland

Greetings! One of the items on my Fall fun list is to travel to Ireland in October. This will be my first visit to Ireland. Like any first experience, what's exciting for me is the anticipation of what's going to be my first impression of the country, what I'll actually experience, and how my days are going to unfold until I return home.


So I've been doing some planning for my trip, and now that I've booked the essential flights, accommodation, and train tickets, I'm day dreaming about my four main stops in Ireland:

A) Dublin: I imagine that the city centre is compact, walkable, and that her history and architecture will enchant me. I also imagine visiting Trinity College library (the Hogwarts library!), the National Gallery to view some of the finest arts for free, Dublin Castle, and Guinness Storehouse where I learn how to pull a pint of Guinness and drink it, too. Maybe I'll take a picture of the Molly Malone statue. Maybe I'll get to visit Howth peninsula, a possible day trip from Dublin, and in my day dream, a picturesque place.

B) Cork: I imagine taking the train from Dublin to Cork and I'll get a good view of the Irish country side. I imagine to explore Cork city, the English Market, one of the oldest markets (1788), and maybe a visit to the Blarney Castle. I read that Cork is a friendly city. I hope to experience that friendliness here and throughout Ireland. I dream to have enough time and good weather to take a day tour from Cork to visit the famous Cliffs of Moher and/ or the Burren.

C) Killarney: I imagine taking the train from Cork to Killarney and again I'll get a good view of the Irish countryside. I dream of hiking in Killarney national park, seeing the famous Ring of Kerry without too many tourists (LOL), and visiting Ross Castle. I dream to have enough time and good weather to explore Dingle peninsula for some of Europe's most spectacular scenery, and/ or Slea Head, Europe's most westerly point, I can almost touch America.

D) Dublin again: I imagine that I'll return by train from Killarney to Dublin, and end this unforgettable trip at one of Dublin's many pubs before flying home the next day.

It is fun to dream, explore, and discover. Our ability to imagine is a gift!

What fun destination did you dream about recently? If you have been to Ireland, please share your experience.

16 comments:

  1. We did a similar loop on our trip, expect Dublin-Galway-Killarney-Kilkenny-Dublin.
    I would highly recommend Galway if you can weave it in !
    A beautiful country with beautiful people. We would love to return and stay a lot longer.

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    1. Thank you, TTA, for stopping by and sharing your experience. I'll try to add Galway to my itinerary.

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  2. Oh that sounds like a wonderful trip. I'd love to go to Ireland ... and Scotland ... and Wales ... and the UK ... and France ... and Europe really! lol I haven't travelled much but one day. I imagine Ireland will be green and beautiful. Look forward to seeing your photos! #TeamLovinLife

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    1. Oh keep your travel dreams alive, Min. You'll make it happen one day. Thanks for stopping by.

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  3. Sometimes I reckon the pre-planning/dreaming is half the fun! I'd be including the pint of guinness as well! I look forward to the photos...

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    1. The dreaming is always fun for me, Jo. Will take pictures and share after my trip.

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  4. Southern Island is a delight. Your itinerary is well planned and these places are definitely worth a visit, but don't forget to see the Dingle Peninsula, the Ring of Kerry and the Cliffs of Mohr. These are all amazing places. #TeamLovinLife

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    1. Thank you, Kathy, for your comment and advice. I've also read your post on your trip to Ireland. I'm really looking forward to visiting the sights mentioned.

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  5. How exciting! I've always wanted to visit Ireland. I'm a huge fan of Irish chick lit. Bit sad but true...

    SSG xxx

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    1. Thanks, SSG, for stopping by. It seems Ireland is on many people's list of places to visit. I look forward to exploring the country.

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  6. Oh what a fabulous trip Natalie and I can't wait to read about it. Ireland has been on my list for so long and I dream about visiting by reading Maeve Binchy books! :) Have a wonderful time!
    Sue from Sizzling Towards 60 & Beyond

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    1. Thank you, Sue. I'm leaving for Ireland next week, and feeling excited now. We'll share our travel stories :)

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  7. I keep saying that the only place I really want to travel to is Italy. But... I must confess to having a little yearning to visit some sleepy UK seaside villages. Like I see in the TV show 'Escape to the Country' and I often refer to the show Ballykissangel, which I know was Irish, so a sleepy Irish seaside town would be great!

    Happy travels! #teamlovinlife

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    1. Italy is a fine choice, Deborah. From what I've read, the area around Killarney is very scenic so I'm looking forward to exploring there.

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  8. My favorite memory in Ireland, aside from the incredibly friendly people, is sitting in a bar night after night in Dublin, pretending to drink Guinness (ha!) and listening to wonderful musicians play like I'd never heard before. Enjoy everything!

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    1. Thanks for sharing your lovely experience, Tamara! I'm day dreaming even more now.

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