So, St. Patrick's Day festivities and the music "When Irish Eyes are Smiling" have stolen your heart away and got you thinking: Maybe it's time to book that Ireland dream vacation. Well, there is much to see and do in Ireland, but to really experience all that Ireland has to offer, don't just commit yourself to the biggest cities.
"Get out of the cities and see the countryside," says Neil Coleman, who grew up in central New York, and spent 10 days vacationing in Ireland in 1999, and who now frequently travels to Dublin for business.
Worth seeing, according to Coleman, the Giants Causeway _ "these rock formations outside of Ballycastle are really amazing." (For you Led Zeppelin fans, this is where they took the picture that appears on the cover of Zeppelin's "Houses of the Holy.")
What else? "The Mourne Mountains," he said. "There's good hiking in the northeast of the country. From here, you can see the Mourne Wall built during the Irish potato famine (of 1854). Dingle Peninsula was really amazing, too. It's very desolate, but a beautiful place if the weather is good."
And speaking of weather, that's one thing Coleman (or anybody who has ever traveled to Ireland) recommends: be prepared for changeable weather. If you think weather forecasters have a difficult time here, wait until you get to Ireland.
It can be sunny one moment followed by torrential rain, followed just as quickly to a return of sunny skies. Although snow is not common in Ireland, you could have blizzard-like conditions in one village, while the next village a couple miles down the road hasn't seen one snowflake.
So, pack appropriate clothes. A raincoat is essential, as well as some warm sweaters, even if you're traveling during the summer months.
Ireland sounded "exciting" to Coleman, but the realization that it would be his first time in a foreign country, the fact that English was the primary language also seemed important, he said. He soon discovered that English wasn't spoken everywhere.
"We traveled to Slieve League," he said. "If you are up for an adventure, check this out. But it was very difficult to get to. All the road signs are in Gaelic."
Although English is, indeed, the primary language and is spoken by nearly everybody, Gaelic (known colloquially as Irish) is actually the first official language in Ireland. There are still some Gaeltacht regions where Gaelic is widely spoken, particularly along the west coast. Most roads, though, are in English.
You have choices when it comes to transportation, and your choice may depend on where you want to go. The national train service connects all major towns and cities in the country, but it's expensive. Bus service tends to be more popular (and cheaper) and it will get you to more rural destinations. You can also rent a car, though you generally need to be older than 25.
"We rented a car, which was interesting since the roads are very narrow over there with no shoulders," Coleman said. "Delivery trucks drive like bats out of hell and appear as if they are intent on destroying you when they're coming toward you. Driving in Dublin is difficult and nerve-racking."
One piece of advice: Remember that in Ireland they drive on the left side of the road.
When it comes to the local cuisine, be sure to start at least one of your days over there with a traditional full Irish breakfast _ a greasy but extremely appetizing combination of bacon, sausages, eggs and black-and-white pudding that will probably keep you going for the entire day. Other favorites among locals and tourists: the traditional potato cake (known as boxty), Irish stew, and smoked salmon with traditional brown bread.
And of course, what Irish meal wouldn't be complete without some genuine Irish beer. If you think you've already tasted Guinness in this country, wait until you taste it in Ireland. The Guinness sold outside of Ireland is not the same at all.
"The Guinness is really amazing in Dublin," Coleman said. "I was never a fan of Guinness before going to Ireland. It is now a favorite."
Other traditional drinks include Murphy's (a sweet stout brewed in Cork), Kilkenny Beer, Smithwicks ale and Harp lager. You can also choose various Irish liqueurs and whiskeys, which are popular throughout the world: Baileys, Sheridans, Irish Mist, Jameson, Paddys and Powers.
Coleman made his own travel arrangements, staying mostly in hotels and bed-and-breakfasts. The one place that really stands out was the Bushmills Inn, he said.
But if the idea of making your own travel arrangements intimidates you, help in planning your trip is but a mouse click away. Visit www.myguideireland.com or www.authenticireland.com. You can make your own travel plans on these websites or have a travel agent assist you in finding the best deals.
Keep in mind, too, that your dollar is not going to go as far in Ireland. Two-thousand American dollars is worth about $1,305 euros (the standard currency in Ireland). The best place to exchange any foreign cash when in Ireland is at the exchange bureaux located in the various banks. All major credit cars and Eurocard are widely accepted, and if you have the PIN, you can obtain cash advances from ATMs or banks.
Quite a few restaurants and hotels in Ireland now add a service charge of between 12 and 15 percent to your bill. So don't feel obligated to tip unless you feel the service merits something extra. An additional 5 percent is usually sufficient. When the service charge is not included, a 10-to-15-percent tip is adequate.
There is much to see and do in Ireland. The Ring of Kerry is a beautiful peninsula that stretches from Killorgien to Killarney and is one of the most-visited regions in the country. The Cliffs of Moher, in the Karst region, stand some 700 feet above the coastline. Careful you don't get dizzy standing at the edge.
Galway City is considered the country's party capital. After dark, the city comes to life with traditional music. The Blarney Stone, situated five miles north of Cork city, is home to Blarney Castle. On the top story is the world-famous Blarney Stone, said to give the "gift of gab" to all who kiss it.
Newgrange, in Meath, is one of the world's finest examples of a Neolithic Passage Tomb and is even older than the pyramids of Egypt. If you're a fan of the poetry of W.B. Yeats, you'll want to visit Yeats County, a mélange of mountain, lake and coastal scenery that brings you rural Ireland at its best. And when the weather cooperates (yes, it will from time to time), visit the Aran Islands, three islands 15 miles west of the Galway/Clare Coast; the islands are known for their sheer raw beauty.
"Ireland has changed greatly in the past 10 years," Coleman said. "An economic resurgence has brought back many Irish who left. The Irish are the friendliest people on Earth. When sitting in a bar buy someone a beer and say, hello.'"
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