In – Part 1 – I talked about north vs south Ireland and the history of Ireland In – Part 2 – I discuss the people, best time to visit, planning a road trip and what to do in Belfast and Derry.
Dromagorteen stone circle
From – Derry – we drove up to – Donegal – to see the most northern part of Ireland and then we cut back across Ireland to the southern capital, and the biggest city in Ireland – Dublin. You need as much time in Dublin as you can spare. Lots to see and lots to do. A city walk is a must. A visit the the Guinness brewery – another must. Temple Bar area, a stroll along the River Liffey, the book of Kells at Trinity College and St Stephens Green are also on the list. You will fill every day you allocate to your time in Dublin. For more on what to do in
Dublin follow – this link.
We left Dublin and cut back west taking in the – Curragh – where we saw horses galloping across the plains. We spent the next few nights in Galway, the third largest city in the south. While based in – Galway – we took a ferry to the – Aran Islands, drove through Connemara area and along the beautiful coastline looking out for – killer sheep. Claddagh Bay is the place to buy a – Claddagh ring – which is an Irish token of friendship and love.
Harp players at Bunratty Castle
From Galway we drove south via county Limerick and stayed at a guest house near – Bunratty Castle. I was determined to experience a medieval banquet at Bunratty despite the steep price. Bunratty has a park that you can explore before heading into the old castle. Inside it’s decorated in 15th century furnishings and lit by candles.
Staff, dressed in 15th century outfits, ply you with mead and bread then escort you to tables where you enjoy a 4-course meal. The staff take breaks from feeding you to sing ballads, dance and play the harp. Some of the lyrics were quite racy. It’s all tongue in cheek and lots of fun. I was more than happy with my vegetarian meal.
English Market Cork
From Bunratty we went south taking in the – Cliffs of Moher – which, much like Giants causeway, attract millions of visitors a year. Most of these places are a bit of a walk from the car park, and you have to pay to get to a viewing point. We took our lunch break there. It’s also possible to see the cliffs by boat, but we had lots to do and see, so that wasn’t an option.
Next we made our way toward county Kerry. We drove the – Ring of Kerry in an anti-clockwise direction. They say that tour buses do the trip counter clockwise, so to avoid being stuck behind slow, scene blocking buses, cars should travel clockwise. You decide. It’s hard to find words to describe how unbelievably beautiful the towns and bays in Kerry are.
Leprechaun crossing in Kerry
We missed out on Newgrange stone circle outside Dublin but our hosts at – Druid Cottage – in Kenmare pointed out a few in the region. I have a particular interest in both stone circles and Celtic mysticism. Druids have always fascinated me. The same guesthouse had a book about the Romans accounts of druids. Druids never kept records. Their craft was passed on by learning rhymes and comitting their lyrics to memory. I was horrified to learn Druids would disembowel humans and ‘read’ their entrails to predict the future.
Temple Bar area in Dublin
Next on the agenda was – Cork, the second largest city in the south. We loved Cork too. The English Market is an absolute must. Cork has a lovely atmosphere and great foodie scene. We went strolling along the River Lee and got lost simply walking around. We also did a drive out to Blarney Castle. No way in hell was I going to hang unside down off that top of the castle to kiss the – Blarney Stone – so sadly, I did not acquire the gift of the gab. Try to allow two days in Cork if you can.
After Cork we went via – Waterford – up toward Rosslare where we spent our last night. I wouldn’t visit Rosslare but we had to be close to it as we took the ferry early the next morning. The ferry arrived in Fishguard in Wales and that was the end of our Irish holiday.
Connemara
This is a mantra for me by now, but no matter how much time you budget for a holiday, it’s never enough. We thought two weeks would be ample. But no. The thing is once you get going, you pick up on places you never knew about and hadn’t planned to see. It’s not like we could pop back. It’s now or never. Before we knew it, we were cramming it all in. By the time our holiday was over, we were shattered and needed a holiday to get over our holiday.
But it was worth it.
If you are looking for videos on Ireland find a link here to – Ireland on video.
Cliff of Moher
And by clicking – here – you can visit the Travel Archive Page which has more on other destinations.
Last week in – Part 1 – I spoke about north vs south Ireland and the history.
Ireland is a whole lot more than it’s dramas. Irish people are down to earth, yet feisty. They have a wicked sense of humour and something they call – craic. A good sense of fun. Colourful characters abound in Irish history like the canny brewer – Arthur Guinness – who had 21 children. Apparently his dark stout gave him and his wife stamina. Oscar Wilde was a character and half. His quotes are legendary. My favourite is vegetarian writer – George Bernard Shaw – who died at 94 after he fell off his ladder while trimming the trees outside his house.
Guild Hall Derry
Modern Irish celebrities like – Bono – and – Bob Geldof – are equally flamboyant and have a lot to say for themselves. These two Irish men have changed the course of history with their activism. Ireland has a lot to be proud of.
Ireland is full of magic and folklore. We heard it in the songs they sang at Bunratty, saw references to – Druids – magical powers at the stone circles and we saw warnings for us to beware of – Leprechauns.
Queens University Belfast
Ireland is called the Emerald Isle. There is a reason it’s so green. It rains a lot. Make sure you pack an umbrella and a light raincoat. You will use it. The best time to visit is mid season. July and August are when the European schools take their holidays. You may find screaming kids and exasperated parents a bit much. The favorable £ vs € exchange rate means Brits can pop across for an affordable family holiday.
Roads in Ireland are good and in the south road signs are in English and Irish. In the cities, as in most European cities, having a car was a bit of a nuisance but we left our car at the hotel or guesthouse and used public transport.
St Stephens Green Dublin
To plan our road trip, We took a map and kind of carved the country into quarters. We intended to find a base in each quarter and then do road trips radiating out from our base to key areas and attractions. We did a sort of E shape across Ireland but made sure we didn’t back-track and took in as much as possible. Here is a summary of our road trip. I can say – hand of heart – we put a lot of thought into it and I reckon we couldn’t have done it better.
St Mary’s Church in Dublin – now a bar
We hired a car from – Enterprise Car Hire – in Scotland and drove down to Stranraer. From Stranraer we took a ferry to Belfast where we spent a few nights at – Ibis Hotels. Starting in – Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, we did a walking tour of the city taking in the usual things such as museums, important buildings and cathedrals. We saw the Titanic, the – Albert Memorial – or leaning clock tower, the botanical gardens and Queens University.
Look out for – wall murals – in Northern Ireland which have clear Loyalist and Republican themes.
We found well priced and – surprise – vegetarian food near Queens University. And that’s a tip worth mentioning. You are far more likely to find budget friendly, healthy food near universities. Maybe students are more open minded? For more ideas on what to do in Belfast – click here. Allow around two days in Belfast.
Old wall around old city of Derry
We left Belfast and drove north taking in – Giants Causeway – which is described as “40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption”. If unique geology interests you, then you will love it. It’s a busy tourist attraction and requires a bit of walking. Follow – this link – for more on what to see and do in Northern Ireland.
Leaning clock Belfast
Next stop was – Derry. We loved Derry. Derry is the second biggest city in Northern Ireland and one of the oldest cities in Ireland. The old city is walled with ramparts that are still remarkably in tact. A person can easily imagine knights on horseback charging about. Derry is also where ‘The troubles’ began and here you will see wall murals that I mentioned. The Irish people are surprisingly open about their past and happy to talk. It happened not that long ago and many of them have been profoundly affected. Allow two days – if you can – to explore Derry.
Next week in – Part 3 – I give ideas for what to do in Dublin, Galway, Aran Islands, Kerry, Cork and mention the druids.
Hanging backwards off the side of Blarney Castle to kiss the stone
Go to – My Holidays and Trips – at the top of this page to read about other places we have visited. Or just click on – this link.
India is a 3 part blog. Last week in – Part 2 – I spoke of food, shopping and the Golden Triangle and the week before in – Part 1 – I spoke about north vs south, climate, the people
Holy cows roaming the streets
One of the things I found quite a head twister was going into temples and seeing carvings and pictures of karma sutra activities around me. My Western upbringing doesn’t allow me to think of sex and religious space mixing together. Yet, despite graphic images of people in flagrante delicto in holy places, Indians are surprisingly conservative. We had to cover our shoulders and heads when we entered a temple. Woman are advised to cover up when out and about anyway. And flashing the soles of the feet is offensive as is using the left had to point or touch anything. Apparently the left hand is used for toilet functions and is considered unclean. It’s quite hard to remember to keep one’s feet flat and the left hand inactive.
These Sikhs let me take a pic and then got really angry
We also visited Karni Mata Temple where the devotees worship rats. The temple was full of rats and they have free reign of the place. Read more here. Most temples require that you remove your shoes. I just couldn’t do it. The thought of stepping in rat droppings and having rats all over my feet was not for me. Apparently the group saw an albino rat which is supposed to be highly auspicious so sadly I missed out.
Here’s another thing I wasn’t expecting. I knew cows were considered holy in India but I somehow thought they would be in sanctuaries. Not so. They roam the streets eating grass on the side of the road or rummaging through garbage piles all the while leaving cow dung behind. Often the cows were in ill health as were dogs that roam the streets.
Going for a camel ride in the Thar Desert
I thoroughly enjoyed a visit to a Jain temple. We had a platter of delicious vegetarian food prepared by their devotees. Jain people only eat during daylight. They wear white clothes that have not been stitched. I found the sheer amount of religions and practices in India mind boggling. As we went from temple to temple, we were
Locals come to chat and make friends
Porters with traditonal turba
allowed to partake in some of the ceremonies. Usually for a fee. In fact even taking photos of most places involved a fee. There was a camera tax at most entrances.
People hang around when you’re taking photos and actually ask you to take a picture of them, then promptly demand money. My pics were photo bombed all the time.
And then there are those who absolutely do not want you taking their photo. I very nearly got lynched by two Sikh blokes who looked fabulous complete with fancy swords. I had no idea they would take exception to a photo. I was saved by the swift intervention of our tour guide.
Another highlight for me was sleeping in a tented camp in the Thar Desert. The owner of this place was quite charismatic and regaled us with tales of his visitors and famous friends. Our group took an obligatory camel ride out into the desert. The staff and owners at some of the places we stayed were so much fun. Indian people are warm, friendly, proud of their country and love to interact. Men shared stories and anecdotes while the ladies ensured we were well fed. Gender roles are traditional.
Covering our heads to go into Golden Temple
There is so much to do and see that a list of absolute must-sees is impossible. Ideally you want to see both north and south India to get a full idea of what India is like. Trying out curries and taking in temples or ashrams should be high on anyone’s list as they are unique to India. Visiting the markets and taking a rickshaw ride there and back are also easily done and add authenticity to your trip. For more ideas check out – Lonely Planet Guide.
The educated people and those from higher castes all spoke perfect English. The poorer people and lower castes could not. The caste system although abolished is still heavily entrenched in the minds of people. You see untouchables living on the streets. I found it so hard that these people accept this as their lot and see death as the only way out. Read more – here
Tented accommodation in the Thar Desert
India is a riot to the senses. Whether it’s the people themselves in bright twisted turbans and rich beaded saris, or their spicy foods and sticky sweets, loud bustling cities filled buskers and traders or hypnotic dancers and prayer rituals. You can’t help but be mesmerised by such a deep culture that binds it’s people together in layers of abject poverty and regal opulence.
Go to – My Holidays and Trips – at the top of this page to read about other places we have visited. Or just click on – this link.
This blog is written in 3 parts. Last week in – Part 1 – I talked about north vs south India, the climate and the people.
I want to talk about the things I loved about India. Firstly the food. There are apparently more vegetarians in India alone than the rest of the world combined. Forty percent of the population is vegetarian. You saw the population figures in the last post. That’s a lot of vegetarians. India is heaven for vegetarians.
Raj Ghat for Ghandi
As it happens I love curry and I got to eat curry for breakfast, lunch and supper. As you do in India. Most Indian menus have a tiny section with ‘non-vegetarian’ food. It’s normally the other way round in Western countries. I’ve never had it so good. One word of warning. Do not under any circumstances eat street food. Our tour guide told us exactly where we could and couldn’t eat. After three weeks, I got brave and tried a place he hadn’t suggested and I got – Delhi Belly. I won’t elaborate but you do NOT want this to happen to you.
The face says it all – Greenie about to tuck into a curry
The same applies to bottled water that the locals sell on the streets. We were told it’s not always clean pure water so don’t even think about buying it. Indian curries come with lots of accompaniments and trying out various vegetables and masala (spice) combinations was great fun. Not to missed either is Masala Chai (spiced tea), Lassi (smoothie) and Indian. They have so many sweets to choose from and are unlike anything in the west.
One little piece of advice. Indians eat their curries fire hot. If you get asked how you like your curry, there is a big difference between an English hot curry and an Indian hot curry. Start with a mild curry and work up to your preferred heat from there.
Heritage accommodation
India is a shoppers paradise. Pack light because you are sure to do quite a bit of shopping. You can’t help it. Prices are good and you find things unlike anything anywhere else. I bought embroidered pashminas, Kerela towels (great for traveling), hand-made leather shoes, gorgeous fabrics, jewelery made with silver and semi precious stones, books and cotton bohemian style clothing. There are also table cloths, bed linen, teas, hand carved wooden items, cloth bags and much, much more. If I could have, I would have bought more.
Visiting a local villager to taste chickpea dumplings
The best prices are to be found on the streets at the markets. Locals will try and push their prices up on seeing you are a foreigner so first walk around going from stall to stall. Check prices between vendors. It won’t take long before sellers run after you dropping their prices and hustling, trying to score a sale. If it all gets too much, and it can, it’s easier to shop at the tourist shops. Prices are higher but you still get good deals and you will be safe from over pushy traders. One thing I can promise, if the street traders spot a buyer, they will hound and harass you, even after you have bought bags of goods, they will go on and on trying to sell to you. If you can tough it out you will get excellent bargains.
I visited – The Golden Triangle – which is where most new visitors to India go and India’s most popular destination. The triangle is between Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. Our tour took in lots of temples and historical places. Key attractions in the big cities such as the Taj Mahal and Raj Ghat are included but we also got to stay in places like the Venice of the east – Udaipur.
Venice of the East – Udaipur
Our accommodation at night was mostly in old palaces, castles and forts. India has an affirmative action policy whereby people from lower castes are being given opportunities to move up the ladder. Royal and land owning families are exempt from these programmes. As a result many are turning their land, palaces and castles into tourist accommodation to make a living. We took turns to sleep in the royal quarters which are historical rooms decorated in heritage style. Accommodation on the tour was interesting and varied. Our tour guide told us he was a prince. His father was apparently a Maharajah and his mum a Maharani.
Local ladies washing clothes in the lake
Breakfast was included. Sometimes our evening meal plus entertainment by local musicians and dancers was in-house. Or we went out to a restaurant for our evening meal. I like a glass of wine with my supper but in India I took to drinking one of their local beers – Kingfisher with our meals.
Next week in the final – Part 3 – I will be discussing temples, holy animals, castes
Go to – My Holidays and Trips – at the top of this page to read about other places we have visited. Or just click on – this link.
A fortnight ago in – Part 1 – I spoke about Greece pre and post Euro and planning your trip. Last week in – Part 2 – I looked at vegetarian food and wine, scooter hire and getting about.
The sailing conditions for this holiday were either so-so or non existent. My husband was nervous of the Meltemi winds but we were lucky. We had to do a fair amount of motoring. Once we tied up at night we either went out to eat, have a drink, or we self catered on the boat.
Moored for lunch at Kokkinokastro
One memory I have is late at night, tied up in a little place called Steni Vala. The tavernas were closing up so I could hear bottles and plates clinking as the waiters tidied up. People were walking past the boats with their dogs chatting softly. The sound of the water splashing against the side of the boat and the creaking of the mast combined with the rocking of the boat was so soothing. We had our cabin open to see the stars. The smell of cooking and the sea was coming into the cabin. That is my idea of heaven.
Craft shop in Naxos
After a week of boating we returned the boat and took a ferry out to Naxos. My other half loves Naxos. He found his favourite place to stay – and that is where we stayed. We took walks along the beach, lazed in the sun – or shade for me, we ate right next to the sea and we drove our dead beat scooter all over the island – getting lost frequently. After a few days on Naxos we moved on to Ios and then Santorini.
Moored for the night at Steni Vala
Each island could not be more different in character. Naxos is laid back and very cool. There are nudie beaches and a relaxed attitude. Naxos is also an agricultural island and does not need tourism. Ios is a Jekyll and Hyde island. By day it is quiet and traditional. There are still shepherds herding the animals across the fields. By night drug popping people come out and party till sunrise. And Santorini is the movie star island. It’s famous, flashy and all about big boats, fast cars and being seen.
Ferry coming into Naxos
Beware of the people who flock to the buses and ferries touting rooms. They take you off the beaten path – round and round – until you have no idea where you are and then leave you in grotty accommodation. In Santorini we stayed in a very basic self catering home that belonged to a family. Sister came and serviced the place every day.
We had finished our sailing and island hopping and now it was back to Athens. Our last few days in Athens we decided to stick to the city and see as much of the ruins and museums as we could. Athens is a sprawling city. From the Acropolis it extends as far as the eye can see.
Ios island
Much like any capital city, Athens is heaving with camera clicking tourists, trashy souvenirs and inflated prices. But just like any other capital city, if you wander off the tourist map just a little bit and explore peripheral areas, you will find local people and affordable eateries. Which is what visiting a country is all about really.
Looking down on Athens from the Acropolis
See the other destinations we have traveled to in the Greenie archives by heading to the top of this page and clicking on – My holidays and Trips.
Last week in – Part 1 – I talk Greece pre and post Euro and planning your trip.
Ferry arriving at Syros island
I normally rant about limited food options for vegetarians. Not in Greece I’m pleased to say. I ate really well. My choices were Greek salad, big bean salad, side dishes of feta blocks, yummy olives, creamy salads such as Tzatziki and smoked aubergine dip, spinach and cheese filo pastry pies, stuffed tomatoes and stuffed peppers, cheesy aubergine bakes and dolmades. There are also lots of Turkish food places where I ate falafel. Greek salads in Greece are not the Greek salads I have had before. No lettuce in a Greek salad. Bread is consdered extra, just so you know. And do keep an eye on what you order, bills can get a bit out of hand when you order in bits and pieces and sadly, it does happen that un-ordered items find their way onto your bill.
Our hire boat Medussa
Retsina – a type of Greek wine – is awful. But after a glass or two a person gets used to it. You may want to visit one of their vineyards to get a proper bottle of wine. Wine tastings come with feta cheese and olives and are worth trying. The Greeks aren’t big on breakfasts. The most you will get is thick Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey and a stiff coffee which leaves a thick sediment at the bottom of the cup. They do sell Nescafe for the English who usually don’t drink their coffee strong.
Shopping in Santorini
To get around you have to read Greek. All road signs, and they are not always present on the remote islands, are of course in Greek. The Greek alphabet is completely different to a European one with unique letters. Usually I can learn to say a few words in another language but I struggled with Greek. This is what the last two sentences would look like written in Greek – Συνήθως μπορώ να μάθετε να πω λίγα λόγια σε μια άλλη γλώσσα αλλά αγωνίστηκε με ελληνικά. Αυτό είναι που τα τελευταία δύο ποινές θα μοιάζουν με γραπτή στην Ελληνική –
See what I mean? Fortunately most Greeks speak English.
We hired a little scooter which is easy and common in Greece and followed the coastal roads. We did get lost a few times but somehow we always made our way back to the accommodation. Be warned – some of these bikes are not in good condition or particularly powerful. A couple of times I had to get off and walk up a hill because the bike wouldn’t go. Accidents on these bikes are common. Here are links to maps – Travel bookstore – and – map Greece.
Naxos beach
The first part of this holiday was a week of sailing around the Sporades Islands, next we did some island hopping in the south and we finished with a few days in Athens.
We arrived in Athens and headed straight to Skiathos for our boat. Due to mishaps and limited services it took a lot longer than we planned. When we finally reached our boat and bought provisions it was nearly midnight.
Enjoying retsina next to the ocean at Naxos
This was my first boating holiday ever and I was nervous. I had done a quick boat handlers course before this holiday just to make sure I had some idea what to expect. Fortunately my husband is an avid boatie and has done countless boating holidays both in Greece and other parts of the world. I could rely on him to know what to do. Novice sailors can sail in a flotilla where there is always someone on hand to help you with the tricky parts of sailing such as berthing, sorting out the sails, ropes and tying up your boat securely.
Next week in – Part 3 – I talk about sailing, the islands and Athens.
Relaxing on the boat at Mourtas
Go to – My Holidays and Trips – at the top of this page to read about other places we have visited. Or just click on – this link.
