Ireland

Here it is: my adoptive country!
yes i know what people think of it, it's coldish, rainish, the food is not grand, it's mainly sheeps n rocks n beer (i dont drink beer).

still, i went there once when i was a child, maybe in Galway. returned in Dublin when 18 for a little month n travelled in youth hostels n discovered the Barley Films n Cartoon Saloon studios. two years later lived in Cork for 10 months, came back for a week the next year to spend some good time. now i long to return.

that's for me   
now i dont want to speak about my life here, but about what i will never forget n recommand about this cute island, else than what u can find on websites n tourist books i hope.

Places to see

better rent a car for the freedom, stop in the middle of the deserted road to take pictures, or next to the sheeps to climb a cliff. 
or by the bus Eireann company, going almost everywhere.

see the coastal roads of the island in general, make a tour of Connemara, Dingle bay.
go to Bray Head cliff on Valentia island.
Whitepark bay youth hostel.
Dublin's Temple Bar district n Grafton street.
Cork's UCC.
Blarney Castle.
the pubs. some have traditional or modern music in the evenings. An Spailpin Fanach (cant pronounce it so i say the spitting fella), Cork, traditional music on Wednesdays or thursdays. An Brog (the shoe), Cork, rock music on Fridays or Saturdays.

Food advice

i ate sheep just once in Ireland, when my parents brought me in a restaurant.
try the scones, the soda bread, the hot chocolate with melted marshmallows n wiped cream with cocoa powder on top (not in all pubs!).
for the rest, it's like in England: cheap food is fat food, fish n chips and the like.
chedar is the only cheese.
the supermarket Tesco is perfect for low budjet shopping: the soon out of date fresh food like vegetables n meat are sold cheaper in a special area.
at the "English Market" in Cork they sell good food, even good cheese! bought a Mont d'or there. before christmus, rows of turkeys hung by the feet.
Kopparberg, pear cider :)
Penny's shop, nice cheap clothes.

Oddities n remarkables

Dont mix up the Republique of Ireland with Northern Ireland, for politico/historical reasons ( see the movie: The wind that shakes the barley).
They really have an accent!
They really drink a lot of beer!
When the pubs close at midnight everybody go to the clubs or late night pubs. and when they close at 2am, everybody is on the street.
It's forbidden to drink in the street.
So they start to drink at 5pm (on week ends mainly, let's be reasonable!).
The student girls dress in sweaters during the day, n very very lightly in the evening, in any weather. once i was going home round midnight, in winter, n i had even put my hood cause the wind was so freezing. on the way, overtook a couple (?), the woman in a light dress, no sleeves n bare at the knees, who had put her high heeled shoes off to walk more easily. alcohol keeps warm, probably. also heard it's because all that was restricted not so long ago.
In the Republique of Ireland, they are very catholic. there is a Church in UCC, only former UCC students can merry there.a lot of students go to the mass at least once a month. was wondering once why some had a black point on their forehead, heard it's a blessing u get in the church for the Epiphany. there was a queue at the chuch!
Halloween is a kind of carnival. the students disguise themselves n throw eggs, go to parties.
A lot of Americans on Saint Patrick's day.
They serve green beer in the pubs on Saint Patrick's day.
It's forbidden to smoke inside public areas, but the pubs are well adapted and provide an open part.
They are very proud of their fire alarms, n use them more than is necessary.
People shouting "Echo!" in the street to sell their newspaper.
Once the bus Eireann bringing us back to Dublin was full, they paid the remaining people the way by train.
I had a bad battery in my car when i was in Ireland, in winter needed to jump start/plug my battery on another car to start it. each time i made a sign the first car stopped, from a BMW to a rusted truck. mainly men who did it for me cause i am a poor innocent french girl who dont know nothing of cars. after 15 times i got my battery changed.
They drive on the left side of the road!
Trust the speed limit road signs when the road is good. when it's bad, trust your car.
Sheeps on the roads.
The only highways i know in Ireland are next to Cork, Dubin n Belfast. the rest are what french would call "departementales": single carriageways with 2 large lanes, n a large shoulder/breakdown lane. this last lane is for slow vehicles like trucks tractors, bicycles, for broken down vehicles, walking people.. and is also used for overtakings: the slower vehicles politely drives half on the shoulder so that the faster overtakes it without going on the opposite lane. a could be dangerous but working system.
Walking in a valley, put your foot in a hole of mud or/and water.
the keyboards are qwerty.

See illustrations of my words on the albums of the blog, "pitchers Ireland 2007-08" n "pitchers after Cork 2009"

Comments

[Helo]

oohh all this is so right! feeling a bit nostalgic now...