India is a hard act to follow. Maybe Ireland is an unlikely choice, but it is our choice.
We need less poverty, less heat and fewer people, and Ireland delivers all of that in spades.
Ireland is green and beautiful, and when I say “green”, I mean REALLY green:
It gets that way because it rains, and when I say “rains”, I mean REALLY rains. And when it is not raining it is just grey and overcast. And when it’s grey and overcast the people tell you how lucky you are to be there during the nice weather.
The locals tell me that when you can see the mountains in the distance (there are no mountains, just hills, but the Irish are prone to exaggeration) it is going to rain. When you can’t see the mountains it is already raining.
We are taking nine days to travel the north east coast. The tourist flock to the west coast and leave this part of the country to the sheep of which there are many, and the local inhabitants of which there are few. The country is rugged and wild, roads are few and far between and there is no railway. Tiny stone villages built with a grey stone to match the sky, cling desperately to the rocks surrounding any inlet where a harbor can be built for the local fishing boats
Getting anywhere takes hours longer than you imagine. The main roads are narrow and twisting. The side roads are narrower:
Stopping for a tea break is not always possible, unless some enterprising gent decides to open up shop on a road less traveled:
And even then the choice of sandwiches does little to get the taste buds going:
But before we reached this area, there was Dublin. We flew into that fair city and found it to be enchanting. A small lively city, with not one highrise building. Instead it is full of stylishly beautiful Georgian terraces, pubs from a similar period lovingly cared for, and flowers. The city is a riot of color with flowers planted everywhere possible:
Dublin is also home to the Guinness Brewery where they brew 4 million pints of the dark liquid every day. Three million of those pints get exported. I leave it to you to say where the other 1 million pints go, but please remember the total population of Ireland is only 4 ½ million.
Andrews Fabulous Travel Blog 
Don’t forget to go to the Museum of Butter in Cork.
Thanks for the tip, but Cork is not on the agenda. I am not sure that the Museum of Butter is quite enough to make us change our route!
Chicken and butter? That’s the first time I’ve seen butter given billing in the description of a sandwich. I’m surprised the bread didn’t get a mention too.
Happy to know you are still on the move, looking forward to more.
Well guys so nice to watch and rerad of your travels. Hugs G&D
We are in Vancouver, where the legends and rumors of you two still linger in the tawdrier parts of town. We expect the same will be true by the time we follow your trail to Ireland. Enjoy.
so you have been in the tawdrier parts of town, have you?
Ahhh, the magnificent photos and enthralling descriptions. I had to read it twice! Lovely (and funny).
Bless you Char. We do MISS you
So happy to hear from you 🙂 – good choice, northeast – just watched a video of my brother and nephew in Western Ireland surrounded by droves of “visitors” (they were ALL on a rope bridge – my palms are sweaty just writing about it) – HAVE FUN!
Stay tuned for the rope bridge – but this one is in the north
Talking about exotic……:-( you better be funny:-)
My grandmother was from Cork, so I’m mighty disappointed that you are missing that lovely, wet and grey city. Finally we are on the same continent – in Italy, where it is very green due to lots of rain. From the Australians (your favourites nationality).
Another adventure! Thanks for taking us along.
I can’t wait to read about how many pints of Guinness certain people consumed! Sandwiches made me homesick! Dublin’s always been on my bucket list… glad you are having fun!
We are in Italy with our own abundant quantities of rain, which we did not expect (nor apparently did the Italians because they are complaining).
Guess what … can’t see the mountains and it is windy and pouring rain … lightening and thunder … lovely Sunday afternoon!
Phyllis and Sylvia, Palm Springs, Ca.
See Phyllis, it even works in Palm Springs!
Andrew
It has been a long HOT summer…..so happy to hear from you….Thanks for including us…..My family is from COUNTY CORK
Glad to be along for your travels …. Always on the road less travelled
Wow ireland is beautiful… lovely pictures !!
Chicken & butter sandwich – a gourmet delight! I heard Dublin now has great restaurants and is more expensive than London – is that true? Love your blogs!
Thanks JD. Dublin certainly has good restaurants and they are definitely right up there in price. Not sure that they top London in quality or price, but the City is well worth a visit. But what we have to remember is that we were lucky enough to see it when it wasn’t raining. It rains A LOT in Ireland and nowhere seems as nice when it is wet and miserable!
So glad to see the blog back, enjoy the rest of your journey in Ireland. Can’t wait to see you both next week in sunny Brighton (well, it’s actually raining this morning!)
I was wondering when WE were going on another trip. Yeah, I said WE, feels like
I am along with you.
Hi M.J.
There is nothing we like more than to have you along with us. What fun!
Andrew
We loved Dublin Guinness too.
I ONLY HAVE TWO BLOGS did I miss something.
Hi Jenni -only two so far – next one tomorrow