Ashford Castle Another Wow,Wow,Wow!!! We coined a phrase while on our trip in Ireland "Castle hopping" as that is exactly what we did. We were continually wowed on this experience starting with the beautiful Merrion Hotel in Dublin, (not a castle but a wow in town) then traveling to Dromoland Castle in County Clare and on to Ashford Castle in Cong County Mayo for 2 nights. We were treated like Royalty and got to experience the best that's on [...]
(Photo cred Travel Weekly, TCC Corp & Insight Vacations) What are your thoughts about guided vacations ?? In the history of travel, and before I got into the travel business, personally, I associated guided vacations with busloads of older tourists at top attractions with cameras & plaid pants.(I'm talking Ireland in the 80's :)) No more - these days, guided vacations are immersive, exciting, challenging, incorporating local hosts, cooking experiences and lots more. Today's [...]
St .Patrick’s day is known all over the world and celebrated on March 17th in observance of the death of St. Patrick who brought Christianity to Ireland and died in the Fifth Century. What began as a religious feast day in the 17th century has evolved into a variety of festivals across the globe celebrating Irish culture with parades, special foods, music, dancing, and a whole lot of green. Here's some expressions in Gaelic St. Patrick’s Day: La Fheile Padraig / law [...]
Have you had a travel bucket list for a while ? Where have you been dreaming about ? Now's the time to tick something off your list. But how do you pick which destination to go to ?? Try this neat little quiz from The Travel Channel that might help you along. Can't wait to hear what you got - WooHoo I got PARIS !!! Here's some tips that might help you when planning your next vacation: Full article [...]
Among the amazing experiences in Ireland was my visit to the Armagh area in N.Ireland. Visit Armagh which consists of the Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon Councils are really putting this area on the map. Ghilian Campbell was my brilliant host & tour guide and I can't thank her enough. In addition, I also participated in a walking tour of Armagh itself and learned so much. Visit their site (link here) to see the array of great tours, food treats, bespoke [...]
A Dublin highlight during my recent trip was my visit to EPIC Ireland museum in Dublin City. A big Thank You to David Cleary for hosting me. Video link here: Here's a couple of images below. Did you know that 35 Million Americans claim Irish Ancestry ??? "EPIC tells the moving and unforgettable stories of those who left the island of Ireland, and how they influenced and shaped the world. EPIC embraces the past and [...]
As you know, I have been traveling in Northern Ireland last week - one of the most pleasant experiences I have had has been the array of gourmet food. "With award-wining restaurants, gastro pubs and cafés and some of the finest artisan producers on the island of Ireland, plus two of Northern Ireland’s three PGIs (Protected Geographical Indicators) in Bramley apples and Lough Neagh eels, it’s no exaggeration to describe Armagh as the beating heart of Northern Ireland’s burgeoning food [...]
Above: View from Culloden, Belfast City Skyline & Belfast City Hall This week I've been traveling in the beautiful Northern Ireland. Some of the stops along the way have been Culloden Estate just outside Belfast, also visiting Belfast City, Armagh, Banbridge, Carlingford Lough just to name a few. Some of the top takeaways for me have been: Hospitality, Gourmet Food, bespoke and VIP experiences. The interactions I have had with the local people have been second [...]
It's never too early to start thinking about your International trip - it's also good to know what the upcoming trends are. Here are some of the trends for 2019: Eco Tourism or Green Tourism is really popular now. Sustainable and Eco travel to destinations like Wild Life refuges, and parks and natural areas outside of big cities. People are more aware of their Carbon Footprint and especially in Europe, a lot of the properties are [...]
Did you know that there are over 3,000 castles dotted throughout Ireland ? Not all of them are accessible or open to the Public and some may be just ruins but here are just a few of the top ones that are open and well worth the visit. (full article here) Dunluce Castle : Perched on the ridge of a cliff up in Co.Antrim, this castle is full of history. Legend says the castle kitchen fell off [...]
