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| One of our tour buses |
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| St Patrick Church |
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| River Liffey |
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| Colored Doors |
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| Christchurch Cathedral |
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| Guinness Storehouse |
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| Kilmainham Goal |
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| Wellington Monument Phoenix Park |
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| The Floozy in the Jacuzzi, The Bride in the Tide Sculpture |
Friday, October 2, 2015
Ireland: Riding Around Dublin on the Hop on Hop Off Bus
On my recent trip to Ireland with my friend Kathy we spent two days riding around Dublin on the hop on hop off bus. It was entertaining and educational and every ride gave us additional pieces of information. Here is some of what we saw and learned.
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
Eerie Evening Tours at Kensington Palace
Okay, this is the most awesome thing I have ever heard about a tour at Kensington Palace in London. I love that things never stay the same at the Palace.
Not matter what eerie subjects interest you death, disease, love or loss the tour will explore 300 years of secrets. You will walk in the footsteps of kings, queens and courtiers through the shadowy passages of Kensington Palace.
Friday 30 October 2015
Saturday 31 October 2015 - Halloween special
Saturday 12 December 2015 - Christmas special
Friday 8 January 2016
Friday 15 January 2016
Friday 22 January 2016
Friday 29 January 2016
All tours begin at 18:45 and finish at 20:15.
Advance booking is essential, tickets will not be available to buy on the night.
Please note that due to the content of this tour we recommend that it is not suitable for anyone under 16 years.
Buy tickets
- See more at: http://www.hrp.org.uk/KensingtonPalace/WhatsOn/EerieEveningTours2015#sthash.4qMliWwL.dpuf
Not matter what eerie subjects interest you death, disease, love or loss the tour will explore 300 years of secrets. You will walk in the footsteps of kings, queens and courtiers through the shadowy passages of Kensington Palace.
Tours begin at 18.45. The Palace never truly sleeps and you will learn about the mysterious things that have been seen and heard and unexplained happenings.
You will be guided through the state apartments and hear the stories that make history come alive in an eerie way.
Dates:
Thursday 29 October 2015
Friday 30 October 2015
Saturday 31 October 2015 - Halloween special
Saturday 12 December 2015 - Christmas special
Friday 8 January 2016
Friday 15 January 2016
Friday 22 January 2016
Friday 29 January 2016
All tours begin at 18:45 and finish at 20:15.
Prices & Tickets
Tickets £27.50 each
Advance booking is essential, tickets will not be available to buy on the night.
Go to the official site for details and to order your tickets. I can't imagine anything that would be more fun to do in London.
- See more at: http://www.hrp.org.uk/KensingtonPalace/WhatsOn/EerieEveningTours2015#sthash.4qMliWwL.dpuf
Eerie Evening Tours
When all the gates are locked and the lights are out, is the palace truly asleep?
Join us for one of our Eerie Evening Tours to hear the tales of mysterious sights and unexplained happenings and be guided through the shadowy state apartments to relive the sorrow of heartbroken kings and queens. You will hear accounts of medical disasters, painful illnesses and undignified deaths and the lasting legacy they have left behind.
You’ll need to hold on to your cloaks and ready your lanterns as we immerse ourselves in Queen Victoria’s macabre mourning for Prince Albert and explore the weird and wonderful world of Victorian spiritualism.
Join us for one of our Eerie Evening Tours to hear the tales of mysterious sights and unexplained happenings and be guided through the shadowy state apartments to relive the sorrow of heartbroken kings and queens. You will hear accounts of medical disasters, painful illnesses and undignified deaths and the lasting legacy they have left behind.
You’ll need to hold on to your cloaks and ready your lanterns as we immerse ourselves in Queen Victoria’s macabre mourning for Prince Albert and explore the weird and wonderful world of Victorian spiritualism.
Dates
Thursday 29 October 2015Friday 30 October 2015
Saturday 31 October 2015 - Halloween special
Saturday 12 December 2015 - Christmas special
Friday 8 January 2016
Friday 15 January 2016
Friday 22 January 2016
Friday 29 January 2016
All tours begin at 18:45 and finish at 20:15.
Prices & Tickets
Tickets £27.50 eachAdvance booking is essential, tickets will not be available to buy on the night.
Please note that due to the content of this tour we recommend that it is not suitable for anyone under 16 years.
Buy tickets
Please note:
- Advance booking is essential – tickets will not be available on the night.
- Due to the content, this tour is not suitable for persons aged under the age of 16.
- Photography and filming is not permitted at any time during the tour.
- The tour does include several flights of stairs and low light levels. If you have any special access requirements please contact the Eerie Evening team beforehand.
- Please note that Kensington Gardens will be closed to the public – entrance to the palace will only be from Studio Gate on the south side of the gardens. Nearest tube is High Street Kensington - see map for details.
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
First Time Visitor's Ireland Guide
I got a request this weekend to suggest what someone should see on a first time trip to Ireland. While I don't claim to be an expert on Ireland, I have visited four times and what I can do is to give you some suggestions on how to decide what to see.
In case you are not aware, the island of Ireland contains two countries, The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. In the Republic, the currency is the Euro, in the North, it is the British Pound. Knowing this will help you to decide what type of currency you want to bring with you.
Most people will fly into Shannon (SNN) or Dublin (DUB). Shannon is on the west coast of the Republic and Dublin on the east. No flights go directly to Belfast in the north so you will need to take a connecting flight.
Driving in both countries is on the left side (British style) so it requires a little extra thought and care to travel around. Driving, however, is the best way to be able to see some of the more rural parts of the country.
When it comes to accommodations you have the same choices that you have anywhere else. Hotels and bed and breakfast abound. Another option is self-catering (rental cottage or apartment). If you like to move every day then you will choose a hotel or B&B. If you like to have a base and return there every night self-catering is great.
If you are nervous about driving, you can take an organized tour or you can hire a driver by the day. Our tour driver took us for 10 hours for $200 and it was so worth every penny.
For some people seeing all the tourist sites is important, I am not going to tell you that since it is not something I do. I go to places that most tourists miss. Sorry, but it is just the way I am.
Kerry is one of the most popular places to visit it Ireland. It does have the Lakes of Killarney which are massively popular and the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula. I did visit Killarney but only because it is where my Donahue family is from. I visited in December when we were just about the only tourists in town.
If you like lakes, Cavan has more lakes than any other county and it is very untouristy. For a relaxing visit and a good base I highly recommend it.
Beyond that, decided what a visit to Ireland means to you. Do you want to see where Waterford Crystal is produced or Belleek China? Is kissing the Blarney Stone a must? Do you want to be impressed with the Rock of Cashel or discover Ireland's past at Newgrange?
I am happy to help, answer questions or share about some of the places we really enjoyed, just drop me a line.
I suggest finding a good travel book about Ireland and let it help you to decide what you want to see. You certainly can just visit Dublin and feel as if you have had the Irish experience or use it as a base for day trips.
In case you are not aware, the island of Ireland contains two countries, The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. In the Republic, the currency is the Euro, in the North, it is the British Pound. Knowing this will help you to decide what type of currency you want to bring with you.
Most people will fly into Shannon (SNN) or Dublin (DUB). Shannon is on the west coast of the Republic and Dublin on the east. No flights go directly to Belfast in the north so you will need to take a connecting flight.
Driving in both countries is on the left side (British style) so it requires a little extra thought and care to travel around. Driving, however, is the best way to be able to see some of the more rural parts of the country.
When it comes to accommodations you have the same choices that you have anywhere else. Hotels and bed and breakfast abound. Another option is self-catering (rental cottage or apartment). If you like to move every day then you will choose a hotel or B&B. If you like to have a base and return there every night self-catering is great.
If you are nervous about driving, you can take an organized tour or you can hire a driver by the day. Our tour driver took us for 10 hours for $200 and it was so worth every penny.
For some people seeing all the tourist sites is important, I am not going to tell you that since it is not something I do. I go to places that most tourists miss. Sorry, but it is just the way I am.
Kerry is one of the most popular places to visit it Ireland. It does have the Lakes of Killarney which are massively popular and the Ring of Kerry and the Dingle Peninsula. I did visit Killarney but only because it is where my Donahue family is from. I visited in December when we were just about the only tourists in town.
If you like lakes, Cavan has more lakes than any other county and it is very untouristy. For a relaxing visit and a good base I highly recommend it.
Beyond that, decided what a visit to Ireland means to you. Do you want to see where Waterford Crystal is produced or Belleek China? Is kissing the Blarney Stone a must? Do you want to be impressed with the Rock of Cashel or discover Ireland's past at Newgrange?
I am happy to help, answer questions or share about some of the places we really enjoyed, just drop me a line.
I suggest finding a good travel book about Ireland and let it help you to decide what you want to see. You certainly can just visit Dublin and feel as if you have had the Irish experience or use it as a base for day trips.
Monday, September 28, 2015
Entertaining Yourself on a Long Flight
Flying these days is not fun. The amount of space has shrunk so that it is near impossible to even cross your legs and when you are taking a long flight, you may well wonder how you can pass the time.
Having just returned from Ireland we had to deal with a flight of around 6 hours. Of course, you are in your seat at least a half hour before departure and then with landing etc. it is long. I will say that on the way back west, the movies were so good on the in-flight entertainment that I watched three. When combined with having lunch and a snack, before we knew it we were landing in Boston.
In addition to movies, we could play games, listen to music and watch TV. My screen froze after the 3rd movie and I was not able to use it again. A request for help from staff went unanswered, but that is for another post.
Other ways to pass the time on a long flight include reading. I brought along a book and several magazines for just this purpose. Playing cards can be fun and something that Al and I have done many times. Travel games are designed to be used under these types of circumstances.
If you are traveling to a country where a different language is spoken, using the flight time to listen to language recordings on an iPod or iPad is a great way to arrive with a little extra knowledge.
Our flight had WiFi so you can feel free to use your laptop, tablet or smartphone. I did play games on my phone.
While long flights in economy class can be uncomfortable and boring, today's planes offer plenty of opportunities to entertain yourself. If all else fails, you can always take a nap and dream of your destination.
Having just returned from Ireland we had to deal with a flight of around 6 hours. Of course, you are in your seat at least a half hour before departure and then with landing etc. it is long. I will say that on the way back west, the movies were so good on the in-flight entertainment that I watched three. When combined with having lunch and a snack, before we knew it we were landing in Boston.
In addition to movies, we could play games, listen to music and watch TV. My screen froze after the 3rd movie and I was not able to use it again. A request for help from staff went unanswered, but that is for another post.
Other ways to pass the time on a long flight include reading. I brought along a book and several magazines for just this purpose. Playing cards can be fun and something that Al and I have done many times. Travel games are designed to be used under these types of circumstances.
If you are traveling to a country where a different language is spoken, using the flight time to listen to language recordings on an iPod or iPad is a great way to arrive with a little extra knowledge.
Our flight had WiFi so you can feel free to use your laptop, tablet or smartphone. I did play games on my phone.
While long flights in economy class can be uncomfortable and boring, today's planes offer plenty of opportunities to entertain yourself. If all else fails, you can always take a nap and dream of your destination.
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