Flashback Thursday: Planning a trip to Ireland

Last fall I visited Ireland for the fourth time. While that may not make me an expert, I have been to England over 20 times and the planning process is similar. 

When to go

This is the first time I have ever technically gone to Ireland in the summer. I have two January visits and a December visit. I am looking forward to seeing a few more flowers in bloom though I have to tell you there were primroses blooming in the garden of the McCauley Center in Dublin in January. The country really does look green all year, it isn't called the Emerald Isle for nothing.

Oscar Wilde in Dublin

Things you need to know 

In case you don't know, the island of Ireland has two countries. The Republic of Ireland uses the Euro. Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom, uses the pound sterling. If you are going from one to the other you need both currencies but your credit and debit cards should work fine. Just be sure to check before you leave about the transaction fees that your cardholder charges. Some cards are very high and you may want to get a new card with no fees. 

Credit cards

Always ask for transactions to be in local currency when you use your credit card. I know you are going to want to say, American dollars but don't. It will cost you more money if you let them do the conversion, trust your credit card to give you the best rate

Cell phones

For the most part, your U.S. cell phone doesn't automatically work in Ireland. Again check with your carrier before you leave about what you need to do to be able to use your phone. Check the International rates as well, you may find that text are 50 cents each and call rates are $1 a minute. 

If you have a smartphone, consider downloading Skype and then when you are somewhere with Wi-Fi you can call for just pennies. Be sure to put some money into your Skype account. You want to use Wi-Fi instead of 3 or 4 G to avoid the data charge. You can turn International roaming for data off on your phone and you should do that to avoid high charges.

Electricity

You will need a currency converter for most electronic devices. Not your computer, it has the box in the cord that does that but you will need an adaptor plug so that you can plug into the wall. 

One of the joys of flying out of Dublin or Shannon is that you go through U.S. customs in Ireland which saves a load of time when you arrive back home. 

This is just some basic information that will help make your trip to Ireland a little easier. 

Tall Ship Red Witch returns to Kenosha

KENOSHA, WI (June 24, 2016) – After a brief three week appearance this spring, the captain of Chicago’s award-winning wooden Tall Ship Red Witch has announced that the ship will return to Kenosha for the remainder of the summer beginning July 1. The 49-passenger Red Witch will offer 80-minute public sails and private charters on Lake Michigan.

“Due to the overwhelmingly positive response we received in Kenosha during our initial visit, we’re thrilled to be back and to continue serving the Kenosha community this summer,” commented Captain Andrew Sadock.

Red Witch’s return will coincide with the Fourth of July holiday weekend and will offer a special Fireworks Sail timeslot on July 4. For easier access during the busy holiday weekend, Red Witch will move from its usual port in Southport Marina to the south wall of Kenosha Harbor at 54th Street & 3rd Avenue. After July 4, it will return to dock at Southport Marina (21 56th Street).

The sailing schedule for July is as follows:

JULY 1 – 4

Board at Kenosha Harbor, 54th Street & 3rd Avenue

-Friday, July 1 – 6:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

-Saturday, July 2 – 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.

-Sunday, July 3 – 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.

-Monday, July 4 – 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m.

-Monday July 4 Fireworks Sail – 8:00 p.m.

JULY 7 – 24

Board at Southport Marina, 21 56th Street, Northeast Dock

-Thursdays, July 7, 14 & 21 – 6:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

-Fridays, July 8, 15 & 22 – 6:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

-Saturdays, July 9, 16 & 23 – 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

-Sundays, July 10, 17 & 24 – 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.

The August sailing schedule will be published around mid-July, and September’s schedule by mid-August. Tickets cost $29.00 to $39.00 per person (July 4 Fireworks Sail is $59 per person), and guests may purchase tickets online at redwitch.com, or at the ship prior to sailing.

Private charters are also available for group events such as corporate outings and teambuilding exercises, pre- and post-wedding excursions, birthday parties and other occasions. Private event prices start at $20.00 per person.

Tall Ship Red Witch is just steps from lakefront museums and lighthouses, parks and festival spaces, Downtown shops, galleries and restaurants, and Kenosha’s Metra train station. Red Witch fulfills a growing demand among consumers looking for Lake Michigan boat tours from Kenosha and will serve the many visitors to the Downtown and lakefront area during her stay.

Red Witch was voted Chicago’s “Best Tour & Charter Boat” in 2009, 2010 and 2012. She is a replica of a Great Lakes working schooner from the mid-nineteenth century, is 77-feet long and weighs 41 tons. Her two gaff-rigged masts carry 2,500 square feet of sail. Made of wood, Red Witch was built in 1986 in Bayou La Batre, Alabama at the boatyard of Nathaniel Zirlott, a commercial boat builder known for building rugged ocean boats.

Tall Ship Red Witch, LLC is a member of the American Sail Training Association, and has been used as an educational platform for traditional rig sailing and maritime history. Owner /Captain Andrew Sadock is a licensed United States Coast Guard Master Captain and has been piloting large sailboats in San Francisco Bay and Lake Michigan since 1988.

Information provided by Visit Kenosha. 

For more information, visit  

What every bed and breakfast newbie needs to know

Every bed and breakfast lover was at one point a bed and breakfast newbie. The first visit to a bed and breakfast is always the hardest because you don’t know what to expect. You are wondering things like will I have my own bathroom, will I be given privacy, do I have to share a table with others at breakfast? Don’t worry, every bed and breakfast newbie has asked themselves the same questions. 

Ask yourself a few question

First, decided what you feel comfortable with. Do you want a formal Victorian décor or are you more into modern funky? Trust me, there are plenty of bed and breakfasts that fit these criteria and just about everything in between. Are you dreaming of a posh upscale night or do you want a cozy homey feel? Do you want to feel like you are staying in someone’s home or a more hotel-like experience with staff, not owners?

The Internet is the greatest resource that a bed and breakfast newbie has. Most bed and breakfast have their own website these days. Notice I said most, some still don’t. Does that mean that you have to discount these bed and breakfasts when you are making your choice? Not at all. As we all know, the Internet is a great resource but you also can’t trust 100% of everything you see on the Internet.

When you look at bed and breakfast websites, be sure to read all of their policies, yes there are policies. Pets or no pets, eating in your room or no eating in rooms, breakfast at a set time or on your schedule, and cancellation policy.  The last one is very important, this is not a hotel you are booking. Changing your mind especially last minute will have financial consequences.

Research

A good place to start your research is with the local or state tourism office. You will also want to check with any state bed and breakfast organizations that there are in the location where you plan to stay. Bed and breakfasts that are recommended by the local tourist board are certainly worth considering.

Printed bed and breakfast guides by Karen Brown, Pamela Lanier, AA and also Frommers are worth looking at. They are updated frequently and can give you a starting point for your search.

Now to the Internet. One of the best ways to find out what people are saying about a bed and breakfast is to go to Tripadvisor.com and look by destination. If you are lucky there will be a variety of options for the place where you would like to stay. Don’t let one bad review put you off, everyone has different expectations and yours may be very different from the unhappy visitors.

Answer these questions

Several bed and breakfast websites can be very helpful as a resource to help you find the perfect bed and breakfast. But, you need to know exactly what you think would make a perfect stay.

• ·  Do you want to have a simple room or a romantic four poster room?
• ·  Do you expect to have a TV in your room and WiFi?
• ·  Do you want a full cooked breakfast or is a help-yourself Continental more your speed?
• ·  Do you want your own private table or will you enjoy the interaction with other guests?
• ·  Location. Do you want a country stay or walking distance to entertainment?

Once you know what type of bed and breakfast experience you want it is easier to narrow down your choices and find one that will fit your needs and wants.

Websites

Here are a few resources that will help you to find the perfect bed and breakfast.

Bedandbreakfast.com

BBonline.com

iloveinns.com 

Combine what you see on these sites with the websites for the bed and breakfast and the reviews on Trip Advisor  and you have a recipe for success. 

Things I look for:

A comfortable chair in the room. Especially if you want to work or watch TV while not in bed, it is good to have at least one plush chair.

Bathtub or shower?  I like a deep soaking tub, to me it is part of the B&B experience.

Free parking. This is very important. In the country, it is usually a given but in the city, you need to have safe parking.

What they serve for breakfast. I am a foodie and I want to be impressed. I like one big table, I have met the most interesting people at breakfast.

Whether or not they are family friendly. If I am on a romantic weekend, I prefer to not have children where I am staying. By the same token, if I have a grandchild along, I need them to be family friendly. Many B&B will not allow younger children and it is quite understandable. A crying baby will disrupt everyone.

Understand that cozy is a euphemism for small. If you want a spacious room, it will rarely be referred to as cozy. However, in the dead of winter, a cozy room is a lot easier to keep warm and to keep cool in summer.  Which brings me to one of the most important things you want, individual climate control. You want to be able to keep your room at a temperature of your choosing, not what your hosts think you want.

When it comes to bed and breakfast resources there are many of them. Just remember you won’t be a newbie forever. Before you know it, you will be writing reviews and helping other newbies to pick the best bed and breakfast. You will go from being a newbie to being a resource.

Day trips within an hour of Boston, Mass.

Boston's location on the Atlantic Ocean in the northeastern United States gives it easy access to an extensive array of travel options. Whether you live here or are visiting, you may want to take a day trip from Boston. With roads heading north, south and west, there are lots of options for a quick and easy day trip.


Dining on a combination platter at Woodman's in Essex

Heading north, the North Shore offers a variety of options including Salem, Gloucester and Essex. All of these cities provide a different experience. Essex was at one time one of the busiest ship building areas on the east coast with upwards of 20 different ship builders working here. Today, there is only one that is active. The town offers a great variety of antique shops and restaurants serving delicious seafood. One of them, Woodman's, was the place where the fried clam was invented.


Essex River Cruises offers hour and a half cruises that go up the river through the estuary to the coast giving great views of egrets and cool sea breezes. The cruises are narrated and are entertaining for adults and children.


Salem is notorious for the witch trials that took place there over three hundred years ago. Visitors enjoy the Salem Witch Museum and The House of the Seven Gables. October is the most popular time to visit but the attractions are open year round.

Gloucester has several great houses to visit as well as the Rocky Neck Art Colony and the Cape Ann Museum which combines art, decorative arts and history in a very attractive package. There are loads of interesting dining opportunities as well.

To the Northwest, up Interstate 93 is Manchester, NH is only 54 miles away. With its old fashioned main street for shopping, The Currier Museum of Art and New Hampshire Palace Theatre where "The Arts Come Alive".

Foxborough is a short 29 miles southwest of the city of Boston. It is a popular fall destination when the New England Patriots are at home. Foxborough is the location of their home field Gillette Stadium. Another popular Foxborough attraction is the only Pro Bass Shop in New England.

Southeast of Boston is the first settlement of the English in New England. Plymouth. The Pilgrims landed near this spot in 1620. The city has loads of historic charm to go along with the reproduction of the Mayflower, Plymouth Rock and Plimouth Plantation.



Providence, R.I. is 50 miles to the southwest and Providence Place Mall is a popular attraction. Offering an hour of free parking, the Cheesecake Factory, IMAX Theatre and Dave and Busters are all reason to take the 50 mile drive.

Sturbridge is 59 miles to the west. This is a stretch to make in an hour but it is possible. Old Sturbridge Village is open all year and every season offers a different opportunity to observe live in early 19th century New England.



These are just a few of the many places that are located within an hour of Boston and offered a variety of ways to be entertained for the day. When you want to take a daytrip from Boston, get a map, jump in the car and start your adventure.

Bermuda: Botanical Gardens

The Bermuda Botanical Garden is not  the biggest or the most elaborate botanical garden that I have ever visited. Having said that, it is 35 charming acres and I highly recommend that you visit it if you are in Hamilton, Bermuda.

If you want to get the most out of your visit, plan to take the guided tour which takes place at 10:30 a.m on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.

Father's Day at Hancock Shaker Village

PITTSFIELD, MA ..... Bring your favorite father figure to the Village for special programming, talks, and demonstrations, included in regular admission, on Father's Day, Sunday, June 19, 2016.

Join the guided hike to the old Village sawmill and reservoir at 11 am, then enjoy a smoked sausage from Savory Harvest (11 am to 2 pm, cash only) and a beer from Big Elm Brewery (12 noon to 2 pm, cash only).

Learn all about Beer Basics with home-brewer Chris Finn at his two scheduled talks on the subject at 11:30 am and 1:30 pm.

Observe black-smithing with Jim Szalkucki, and woodworking demonstrations throughout the day. Don’t miss the Brick Garage and the Shaker's own automobile, a 1923 REO sedan.

For an additional fee, go behind the scenes on the Attics and Basements Tour at 2 pm. For only $10 more than regular admission ($30 per person, which includes the regular $20 admission for the day), you get 90 minutes with an expert museum educator who will show dad all kinds of cool Shaker stuff the average visitor doesn't get to see.  What a special way to punctuate dad's visit! 

About Hancock Shaker Village

Hancock Shaker Village, a three-star Michelin destination located at the intersection of Route 20 and 41 in Pittsfield, offers visitors an intact historic Shaker site with 20 buildings, 22,000 artifacts, 750 acres of scenic beauty, interpreted nature trails, unencumbered mountain views, a working farm with live animals and vibrant community-supported gardens. Visitors learn about the Shaker community via an orientation film, personal interaction with museum educators, changing exhibitions, 35 historic period rooms, a newly renovated and expanded Discovery Barn for children’s activities, and a variety of other hands-on activities and demonstrations, including Shaker trade crafts.

The Shaker community at Hancock began in 1790. At its peak, some 300 Shakers lived, worked and worshiped within the Village. In 1960 it became a museum preserving the rich Shaker legacy. Today, Hancock Shaker Village is the most comprehensively interpreted Shaker site in America.  It is accredited by the American Association of Museums, designated a National Historic Landmark, and named an Official Project of Save America’s Treasures. Hancock Shaker Village has a modern visitor center with function space, classrooms, galleries, a chef-managed restaurant, and store.   

Hancock Shaker Village is open seven days a week through October 30.  Hours are 10 am to 4 pm through June 26.  Starting June 27, visitor hours extend to 5 pm through the end of the season.  Children ages 12 and under are admitted free, courtesy of Berkshire Bank.  Adult admission is $20, with discounts for AAA members, military, and seniors.   Youth admission,  ages 13 to 17, is $8.  For more information, visit www.hancockshakervillage.org.

My perspective on the Chicago skyline

I have only toured Chicago once but part of that visit was an architectural tour on the Chicago River. The skyline is amazing and so are some of the buildings. 

Spending the day with Victor Emmanuel in Portugal

Who you ask is Victor Emmanuel? He was the driver we hired to take us outside of Lisbon and what a great idea it turned out to be. We wanted to go to Fatima, we could have taken a bus tour but we wanted to have some control over the time we would spend at any one location. We checked with the desk staff at the Mundial Hotel and asked about hiring a driver. They have a contract with "The Boss" and knowing we were English speaking he hooked us up with his very charming driver Victor Emmanuel.

Monday morning at 9:30 a.m., he was there with the Mercedes Mini Van to drive the four of us. One thing you will notice is that in Portugal most people use their middle name as well so he isn’t Victor he is Victor Emmanuel. He was a jovial man who speaks multiple languages and has been in the tour and travel industry for 40 years. He knows what he is doing.

He gave us a running commentary all the way out of Lisbon and along the way to Fatima. We learned an amazing amount that I am sure the regular bus trip would not have taught us and unbelievably it was cheaper for the four of us to travel in our private car than it would have been to be packed like a sardine into a tour bus.    

We pulled into Fatima and our first stop unbelievably was not the Shrine, it was the mega souvenir shop. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, it isn’t really a great thing either. This store, however, did have good prices and all of us spent quite a bit here.

The Shrine was wonderful and we had about 45 minutes to tour. We then hit the road again and headed to Batalha. This was an amazing place that we would have never visited on our own and the Cathedral was magnificent. It is where Henry the Navigator is buried along with his mother Philippa of Lancaster. We made a lunch stop here, Victor Emmanuel took care of placing our orders for us,  and making sure our lack of Portuguese skills was never an issue.

We made a stop at a beach town where we could see the bright blue Atlantic Ocean and the natives dressed in their local costumes. Then we were off to Alcobaca which has a lovely church to visit and as luck would have it this is where Al’s grandparents came from. It was a very meaningful visit for us.

Our last stop of the day was in Obidos. This is one of the prettiest tourist traps you can imagine. It is a walled city with a cobbled pedestrian street that you climb to the medieval Moorish fort and the street is lined with stores selling everything Portuguese you would possibly want. It was charming really and again we did buy some pottery and small items. There was an elderly woman sitting right by the gate who was crocheting delicate lace items at an amazingly inexpensive price, she was the buy of the day.

We hopped back into the air-conditioned minivan and headed back to Lisbon on a different road, this one dotted with windmills and I now have more windmill pictures than I will ever need.

Of course, we figured out pretty quickly that obviously some places had a deal with Victor Emmanuel and that is why he took us there. When we got creative and went to other places he wasn't always happy with us but we didn't let that deter us for striking out on our own from time to time.

My personal pictures from this part of our Portugal trip have gone missing so I have used pictures from Wiki Commons. 

Virginia: Facts From the Battlefield Tour in Fredericksburg

If you love battlefields, the Fredericksburg, Virginia area is a great place to visit.  Begin your visit by watching the 22-minute video in the Visitor Center, it will give you a basic idea of what was taking place in this area during the Civil War.  

Four battles took place within a 15-mile area near Fredericksburg, Virginia, The Battle of Fredericksburg, there were two separate battles in 1862 & 1863, The Wilderness-1864, Spotsylvania-1864,  and Chancellorsville-1863. More than 100,000 lives were lost in both battles.

Tours are offered of the battlefield by volunteer guides and park rangers. During high visitor season (usually summer and fall and weekends) regularly scheduled tours are offered. They are free.

When we visited, the tours had different themes. We took the tour that focused on the Sunken Road. It followed the actual Sunken Road and might be possible for someone in a wheelchair. 

A lot of history was offered on the tour including information about the first meeting of Generals Lee and Grant which took place at The Wilderness. We learned about the difficulties President Lincoln had with some of his generals including McClellan and Burnside. 

Fredericksburg itself was plundered by Union troops in retaliation for the decimation that was inflicted on their army by Confederate snipers. More than 8,000 Union soldiers were killed trying to cross 50 yards below the Sunken Road. The population of Fredericksburg didn’t return to the Civil War level until the 1930s. 

Wilmington Dupont Clifford Brown Jazz Festival

The DuPont Clifford Brown Jazz Festival returns to Wilmington on June 21 thru June 25.  The festival traditionally showcases the most celebrated jazz performers.   It’s one of the largest festivals of its kind on the East Coast and draws audiences in excess of 35,000 every year for a mix of traditional jazz performances punctuated by fusion, funk, blues and rock.  Mayor Dennis P. Williams describes the DuPont Clifford Brown Jazz Festival as a “…staple of Wilmington’s performing arts culture…” and invites the public to enjoy all the festival activities.

The festival is a tribute to talented trumpeter and Wilmington native, Clifford Brown.  By the age of 25, Brown had already made an impact on the music world, playing with Lionel Hampton, Charlie Parker and Max Roach.  He seemed destined to join the ranks of jazz greats like Dizzy Gillespie and Duke Ellington.  Sadly, Brown’s untimely death in a car accident on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in 1956 abruptly ended his promising career.

Sponsored by the DuPont Company and the City of Wilmington, the five-day festival is free and held rain or shine in Rodney Square in the heart of Downtown Wilmington.  Local jazz artist, Maya Belardo, opens the 2016 DuPont Clifford Brown Jazz Festival on Tuesday evening.  Once again, this year’s headliners include some of the top jazz players in the nation.  On Wednesday evening, Nicholas Payton, Dr. Eddie Henderson and Leon Jordan Jr. perform the Ultimate Clifford Brown Tribute with a repertoire that includes bop, swing, funk, blues and fusion.  Miguel Orlando and Adriel Gonzalez are featured on Thursday evening. 

Vintage soul newcomer and Grammy-nominated singer, Andra Day, headlines the Friday night show along with Nadja Nicole, Aniya Jazz and To the Maz Band.  A free block party follows.  Enjoy a live band, a DJ and refreshments on Market Street between 8th and 10th Streets from 9:30 to 12:30.  Robert Glasper, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Kim Waters and the Saul Rubin Trio conclude the festival on Saturday.  For additional information including updates, schedules and events, go to http://www.CliffordBrownJazzFest.org