JoAnne Gelowitz

There have been some quirks about Ireland and myself that I want to share.

First, thing the police are called Garda. It's the Gaelic/Irish word for gaurdian. So the police are gaurdians of the peace. Also, the police here don't carry guns. The gun laws here are so tight that it is near to impossible for anyone to own a gun. Therefore it is highly unlikely that the Garda will be shot at.

The Irish have a strong affiliation with the US. I think they identify with Americans because of their common problems with the crown. You can see the American influence in the news casts and in the restaurant menus.

Don't confuse someone who is from the Republic of Ireland with someone from Northern Ireland, or vice versa. They might get a little upset with ya. It's actually much worse than confusing a Canadian for an American.

There hasn't been rain in the Killarney area for about two weeks. As a result, volunteers are sitting at the top of the vista at Ladies View to watch for forest fires.

When it is compared to other European countries public transport here is pretty lousy. However, it is better than what we have in Saskatchewan. People in Ireland like the independence that comes with owning a car, much like people in Saskatchewan.

Garbage bins are hard to find, let alone public bins for recycling.

Walnuts are in everything here. It's been a little frustrating.😕 Between the high the use of walnuts in everything savoury and sweet, the abundance of shellfish and everything being so green, I am on high allergern alert.

CNN and ESPN are just a regular part of the offerings on TV. Again, Ireland is highly influenced by America. When taking the train to Malahide we had quite the conversation with a young man about the NHL, which morphed into a discussion about American sports in general. He really knew his stuff and really enjoys the NHL.

Food halls. These are not food courts but rather one business offering a variety of food to be consumed immediately or for take away. It looks like a grocery store with a deli but is a place that ends up being very cafeteria like. These have a trendy feel to them and usually offer good bites. You wander around aimlessly until you figure out what you want to eat, then join the que. Finally figured out how these places operate while in the airport going home.😕

I have always known that I am a very proud Canadian. These bus tours have shown me that I may be annoyingly proud to be Canadian 🙃🍁

Very thankful to have taken another memorable trip with my loving husband.❤️❤️Les mer