What an amazing trip. What amazing shades of green. What amazingly kind people. What grace to survive the driving. What amazingly good food! Ate far too many scones, but never enough scones!
Their favorite part: climbing the ruins (all the kids seem to...). A few times it created a bit of stress. Thankfully, we didn't need to utilize the Irish healthcare system! There are ruins everywhere you look. It's amazing how the Irish live surrounded by history in every field and over every hillock, whether prehistoric, Celtic high crosses, or "modern" famine ruins.
Favorite locations: the Dingle Peninsula, Connemara and Kylemore Abbey, and the Valley of Boyne. Things we'd do different: visit the Galway Latin Quarter for the day instead of two nights, and skip the hostel with amazing reviews (Jacob's Inn) upon exhausted arrival in Dublin and splurge for a really nice hotel.
Biggest surprise: the quality of their food! The food is amazing and most locally sourced. Every package of beef in Ireland at the supermarket can be traced back to its farm. They also raise VERY big cows and there's lots of them in every little valley. We found the museum cafes to have amazing food for reasonable prices. No need to leave to find food. Settle in for tea, scones, and lox and when refreshed hit the exhibits again or head out for walking and touring.
Second biggest surprise: we saw lots of sheep, but on the valley floor we were surprised by the number of cows. I guess that explains all the beef for meat pies.
We did survive the driving. Just. Barely. Made. It. You need a car in Ireland to see all the sights, but by 5 p.m. each done I was DONE driving. There's a 50% damage rate to rental cars in Ireland. We beat the odds. Thankful! Enough said!
Best advice for Ireland? Read the Ricks Steve's guidebook before you go and then leave it home, especially for the Dingle Peninsula. Just stop where the mind and body find intrigue. Pack a small cooler bag so you can pack many picnics. Take good hiking shoes because you will want to explore many nooks, crannies, and fairy trails. The local grocery is delicious. Skip the cities and explore the countryside. Stay in old stone farmhouses for super cheap, if you book ahead. Visit Newgrange, Knowth, and Dowth, not to be missed ancient sites. Chase sheep. Walk a beach.
If we ever get to visit again? More time on the Dingle Peninsula and Connemara for sure, and definitely renting the smallest car possible that is both a diesel and automatic, and more scones, many many more scones. The hiking affords you the scones. The scones afford you the hiking. Perfect!
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