When you hear the word "island" you think of mai tais and sunblock, not heavy winter coats and hot tea. Then again, you didn't go to the island of Ireland in the freezing North Atlantic Ocean, in the dead of winter like I did.
But this island gives all those tropical ones a run for their money anyway, even in the wintertime. Savings alert: Air fares are cheaper in the winter!
For more information on Ireland, please visit my other article, Island LIfe, Island budget, Ireland style.
Home base: Derry
With Derry, in the north, as my home base, I could plan trips to just about anywhere in Ireland ... and so can you.
Savings alert: I recommend flying in to Dublin, even though the Derry airport and Belfast airport are much closer, because air fares are cheaper and travel times shorter. There is still a 2 1/2-hour drive to Derry, but it's a pretty drive. And it helps to have your own personal chauffeur and tour guide like I do -- my boyfriend lives in Ireland. The important to budget travel is to prepare ahead. When it happens to family trips, globetrotting, well-deserved trips and/or going to see new places we have never been before, the actuality of expense and budgeting is always in the back of our thoughts. Preparation and consuming our travel budget carefully is a consideration for most families. Curbing expending and fees, while still delighting your vacation to its fullest, is the key to confirmed achievements and fiscal obligation. Your pocketbook and family will thank you! The thought regarding economizing money while touring is simple: Even if your personal budget is really small, you can still take a break and enjoy life! Simply put, life is just too short to never step out of the door or leaving the homestead! Also thinking about that while traveling, no matter whether on a resources or not, even the smallest of things can all add op to a large vacation or travel charge!. Even without a personal tour guide, getting around is not a problem. Just remember: They drive on the left.
Derry (Doire, in Irish) is the fourth-largest city on the island of Ireland and is known as the Walled City. Derry is more than a home base, there's lots to do there as well. Walk on the walls around the town center, take a stroll "out the line" as the locals say, visit the cemetery for nice views of the city, check out the Bogside murals depicting The Troubles in the North, the Free Derry corner monument, and two beautiful cathedrals, just to name a few. Savings alert: Everything mentioned here to see is free of charge.
Don't forget to take advantage of the shopping. In Derry, there's the Foyleside Shopping Centre with shops like the Dunnes Store and Debenham's, the Richmond Centre, shopping on the Waterside (with its more American-type strip malls and, of course, Starbucks) and the Irish Craft Village, where you'll find your more touristy items.
Not to be missed is the Victoria's Square shopping center in Belfast, about an hour's drive from Derry. This really cool mall is outdoors, but it doesn't feel outdoors. Here, you can climb all the way to the top of the center on a spiral staircase surrounded by a glass dome to take in the views of Belfast, including the location of where the doomed Titanic was built.
Don't forget to eat!
The best dinner I had in Derry was at the Mandarin Palace. If you like a little Elvis with your Chinese (and who doesn't?), you're in luck. The owner is a huge Elvis fan and sporadically dresses as "The King" and performs for his patrons.
Timber Quay on the River Foyle is a modern restaurant with a good selection. For dessert, you absolutely must have the Banoffee Pie.Another spot on the River Foyle is the Exchange, which offers a nice, intimate atmosphere with tasty menu items.
Just a quick drive from Derry, you'll find a more authentic meal at Doherty's Caf, which offers classic fish and chips. Paired with warm scones and hot tea, you'll have a meal that can't be beat.
So, where's the Guinness?
Nightlife in Derry is very much alive. Start with drinks at the River Inn, the oldest bar in Derry, although its modern dcor wouldn't suggest its age. Finish with dancing at the Metro; it gets very crowded, but it's the place to see and be seen. Other great places are Peader's or the Dungloe bar, where you'll likely get to hear some Irish music. For a more quiet spot, head to the intimate, cozy Argyle Bar.
Time for a road trip!
Time for a road trip!
Given the time of year (December/January) of this trip, it was more difficult to plan many sightseeing adventures. The sun doesn't come up until about 9 a.m. (fantastic for sleeping in), and sets about 4:30 p.m.
One must-do day trip is to travel the Causeway Coastal Route to Giant's Causeway. The route is a small, sometimes winding road with some really nice views, including an unexpected waterfall around the Benone Beach area. And, of course, sheep (do not try to pet them; they do not like this, trust me). Expect to see lots and lots of sheep on the Irish island. Savings alert: All stops I mention on this route are free!
The first stop on the coastal route is Benone Beach. We were surprised to see several people walking their dogs on the long stretch of beach. We weren't so brave -- it was a quick run out for photos and run back to the car. Did I mention it was cold?
A definite must-see along Causeway Coastal Route is Mussenden Temple and gardens. Mussenden Temple sits on the edge of a very high sea cliff. Inside, if you peer out a window, you'll see that the only thing keeping you from plummeting over the edge is that thin pane of glass. The views are stunning.
The long walk to the temple is across some of the greenest grass in all of Ireland and through gardens that even in the dead of winter are beautiful. After visiting the temple, make the long walk back to the old castle. Don't forget your camera, it really is a great photo. Quintessential Ireland, really. Looking across to the hills covered in evergreen trees will remind you of Middle Earth from the "Lord of the Rings" movies.
By the time we finally made it to Giant's Causeway, it was almost dark. And it took us another 45 minutes to walk down the hill to the causeway (we won't talk about the walk back up). But once we were there, it was worth it.
Giant's Causeway is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and described as the Eighth Wonder of the World. It consists of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns resulting from an ancient volcanic eruption.
Or was it formed as the legend states -- that the Irish warrior Fionn McCool built the causeway to walk to Scotland to fight his Scottish counterpart Benandonner? One version of the legend says that Fionn fell asleep before he got to Scotland. To protect him, Fionn's wife laid a blanket over him to pretend he was their baby son.
When Fionn didn't arrive in Scotland, the much larger Benandonner crossed the bridge looking for him. When Benandonner saw the size of the "infant," he assumed the father, Fionn, must be gigantic indeed. Benandonner fled home in terror, ripping up the Causeway in case Fionn followed him.
Helpful hint
Derry is in Northern Ireland, part of the United Kingdom, and sits near the border with Republic of Ireland. So to travel around Derry and Northern Ireland, you use the British pound for currency. Travel through the Republic of Ireland, which includes Dublin, requires the euro. This can be confusing, especially since there really are no marked borders between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Savings alert: exchange your currency in banks once you get to Ireland, not the airport. This will give you a better rate.
For more information on Ireland, please visit my other article, Island LIfe, Island budget, Ireland style.
Ireland travel guide - Wikitravel
wikitravel.org/en/IrelandIreland is an island in north-western Europe which has been divided politically since 1920. Most of the island is made up of Ireland, a.k.a. Republic of Ireland. The ...
Ireland - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IrelandIreland is an island to the north-west of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth. To its east is the ...
Use DIY Renewable Energy to Save the World
greenenergyplan.orgGreen energy is cheaper and environmental friendly. Learn more about how to build DIY power generator at home too.
E-CIGARETTES: Top-Rated Electronic Cigarette Green Smoke
www.greensmoke.comE-cigarettes by Green Smoke: electronic cigarettes provide an outstanding smoking sensation. Get your coupon for instant savings just text: greensmoke to 99000.
Infor Enterprise Software Solutions for CRM, ERP, SCM, EAM &
www.infor.comInfor offers enterprising software solutions for customer relationship management, supply chain management, enterprise asset management and more. For complete details ...
John Green (realjohngreen) on Twitter
twitter.com/realjohngreen
The latest from John Green (@realjohngreen). I write books, including Looking for Alaska and The Fault in Our Stars. (Books are like tweets, except
Alltop - Top Green News
green.alltop.comGreen news and headlines from across the web.
Green Pastures Restaurant - 78704 (South Austin) - Austin, TX
www.yelp.com Restaurants FrenchMay 13, 2013 (512) 444-4747 "My response follows at the bottom of the page to Sandy L. who wrote the following review: "12/9/2012 We went this Sunday morning
Republic of Ireland - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_IrelandIreland, also known as the Republic of Ireland, is a sovereign state in Europe occupying about five-sixths of the island of Ireland. The capital is Dublin to the east ...
Green Women's Lifestyle - Yahoo! Shine
shine.yahoo.com/greenPHOTOS: Lush White Wedding Bouquets Green-38 minutes ago; Mother Nature: 7 Smart Tips for a Green Pregnancy Green-Wed, Jul 10, 2013 12:34 PM EDT;
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Click to see the code!
To insert emoticon you must added at least one space before the code.