March 5, 2020
Ireland is one of the most welcoming places I have ever visited. The people are friendly, the scenery is beyond gorgeous, the food is delicious and the cab drivers are the best! I love Ireland so much that Joe and I decide to go visit again this past October. October is a lovely time to visit as there are not as many tourists there at that time. The weather is much chiller but nothing this former Chicago native couldn’t handle!
We flew into Dublin Airport and from there rented a car and drove to Belfast Ireland. When we arrive at Belfast at 1 pm (there time) we immediately checked into our hotel and had a quick nap. Something that we do is book the hotel room for the day before we arrive so that when we get in we do not have to wait for check-in. One of the best things you can do to help flip your schedule is a trick a Pilot from American Airlines taught us. Immediately come in and take a nap. Once you wake up then go about your day. So when we woke up at 4 pm it was time to go out and see a bit of the town!
BELFAST
This was our first visit to Belfast and we loved it. We visited The Titanic Belfast Exhibit which was amazing to see where the actual ship was built and to know the history and the people of the Titanic. Our tour guide was amazing and lots of bits of information that we truly enjoyed.
They also have some amazing places there to have a lovely meal. One thing the Irish love is roast beef, mashed potatoes, and gravy. It was beyond scrumptious!
Crumlin Road Goal
At one time this was a working prison which men, women, and children! The Courthouse, which is now in ruins and is up for sale, is direct across the street from the jail. When the Court House was operational, the prisoner was led from there in an underneath tunnel which led to the prison. We were able to see the actual tunnel in which they walked, the cells they were kept and the hardest part, in which somewhere hung to their death. The experience was a bit surreal to know you were standing where someone took their last breath. Because our tour guide was exceptional he let us know beforehand where we were going to go and that if anyone wished not to be there they could step out.
Traveling by car was a lot of fun for us and again we were on the road and off to Dingle (6-hour drive) we went. On our first trip to Ireland this was one place I wanted to visit but just couldn’t! Dingle is the most beautiful little town! With the Dingle Bay and the Irish Sea. We came at the perfect time as it was the Food Festival Weekend. We stood in a quaint little Bed and Breakfast named: Cill Bhrac House B&B The hospitality was out of this world! Nicest people ever and highly recommend. Oh and make sure you give their lab Bailey a scratch behind the ears for us if you go!
The food festival was lively. Lots of great food, shopping, and music. Just everything we expected and more. Thank goodness we did a lot of walking to work it all off! Walking by the bay in the morning was peaceful. SO AND SO shop has the most cutest kids stuff and lots of beautiful children’s sweaters where I bought Baby Rivers their first!
THE FOOD:
Murphy’s Pub: One of our favorite places to go! The food was delicious and the atmosphere was relaxed and fun! After walking around dingle we would head back to Murphy’s for an Irish Coffee and dessert!
Kilkenny
This small town was so quaint but lots of hustle and bustle throughout the streets. We stood at the River Court Hotel which had an amazing view of Kilkenny Castle. While we did visit the Castle, I think our favorite thing to do was just walk, talk to locals, and the food. One of our favorite delights was feeding the ducks! The restaurant at the hotel feeds the ducks every day after each service. We didn’t know that when we asked if we could purchase some bread for the ducks. They came out with a 5 gal pail filled with bread (seriously filled to the top) and they would just throw handfuls into the river. The ducks are accustomed to this and quickly swam when they same them approaching the water.
(iPhone Photograph)
Dublin
One of our favorite places to stay is at the International Continental in Dublin. It is located in the heart of Dublin. From there we are just a walk away to some great restaurants or a bus ride to some beautiful places to visit. We visited Christ Catholic Church, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, Kilmainham Gaol (abandon jail) and a favorite Trinity College Library.
(iPhone Photographs)
For the next adventure, it will be Nonna Bear snuggling with Baby Bear Rivers! Where is your next great adventure going to take you? Drop us a comment below and let us know!
The M&S blog is filled with different content for you to enjoy! While we aren’t traveling for fun, we do travel to photograph your special day or moments! Email us to see all that we offer!
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