Ah, Ireland…I heart you! We’ve been in Ireland for almost a month now and I still love it as much (if not more) as the day we flew in. If you were to ask me why I love Ireland, here is what I’d say…
1) Ireland is BEAUTIFUL!
We all know it’s beautiful, but seriously, Ireland is the most beautiful place I’ve ever been to (so far). Everywhere I look is worthy of a picture. My little camera phone just doesn’t do it justice. (Too bad I’m too lazy to carry around a fancy camera and do all the uploading business. Blehk.) You’ll just have to come visit someday and see for yourself. The countryside is exactly like it is in the movies. Green hills, old stone walls, herds of sheep…it’s so dreamy. The towns are also beautiful with colored houses, ivy crawling the walls, and litter is nowhere to be seen! Oh, I love Ireland so much!!
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Beauty of Ireland!
2) The Accents are Awesome!
Listening to the Irish talk is like listening to beautiful music. I could sit through a boring book reading and I’d be entertained beyond imagine. Even when we hear a mother disciplining her child, it sounds like a poem and I get a smile on my face! haha (Thanks, kid, for taking one for the team!) They also have their own words for things, for example: they refer to strollers as “buggies”, to “hire” means to rent, “straightaway” means right away, and “takeaway” means takeout. I love it!
3) Dining is a big reason to love Ireland!
The most glorious thing about dining in Ireland is the “baby bowl”! Any mother can go into a pub, café, or restaurant and ask for a “baby bowl”. Within just a couple minutes, they bring out a little bowl of mashed potatoes with soup poured over it. Since most of their soups are smooth and full of vegetables, it’s the perfect meal for a hungry baby! Best part: most are free!! We’ve only been charged twice and only paid about €2. There is also a popular fruity drink called Mi Wadi (pronounced mī-wä-dē) and it’s always been a free option for the family.
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The baby bowl can only be found in Ireland!
4) The People are so Sweet!
People here just have a different feel about them. They’re not rushed. They’re not only worried about themselves. They’re happier. Everyone acknowledges you on the sidewalk (they call it a footpath!) – either verbally or simply looking at you with a smile and nodding. It is not unusual for them to go out of their way to help you. For example, in my last post I mentioned our neighbor who baked us bread. The very first time we met him, we were asking him for directions. He gave us great directions and then came over to my side of the car to open my door for me! It was the next morning that he brought over a fresh warm loaf of bread.
5) Ireland is foreign without being FOREIGN.
A big reason why I love Ireland so much is that it is the best of both worlds! You get the fun foreign perks like driving on the opposite side of the road, awesome accents, using the euro instead of the dollar, etc. BUT, you don’t have to say goodbye to the comforts of home like speaking English, good food (in restaurants or grocery stores), and easy access to necessities! Sure, there will be some things you can’t find (for us, it’s been Haagen Dazs chocolate ice cream and JIF peanut butter), and, although my ice cream withdrawals were rough, the Irish peanut butter is actually really good. Every town/village we’ve visited or driven through has had a pharmacy, grocery store, post office, butcher shop, and a few pubs. So, it’s quite easy to find what you’re looking for. Their meats and vegetables are WAY better than even the organic section at home. You can see that from how the animals are raised here – always in big grassy fields – sometimes even with beach views!
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This is how our beef should be raised!
That’s all she wrote – there it is! Those are my absolute favorite things about the beautiful country of Ireland. It’s amazing and if I missed something that would be on your list, please comment below and share![/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
I LOVE reading about your experiences, Katie! I’m planning a UK trip as we speak and this is actually super helpful and is keeping me motivated! It’s going to be hard to come back to the states where everyone is overworked and grumpy, isn’t it? Heehee.
Totally, Em! I’m so glad you’re going on a trip because your pictures will be amazing!!! We’re headed to the London area next and I’m curious to see how it compares to Ireland.