I recently returned from Saudi Arabia on a 10-day trip sponsored by Travel + Leisure, Saudi Tourism Authority and the Royal Commission of AlUla.
AlUla
Go n-éirí an bóthar leat (Gaelic)
May the road rise up to meet you
And indeed it did, for the two weeks that I spent on the island that is Ireland, both the Republic and Northern (UK) side.
The first half of my trip was hosted by a luxury DMC (Destination Management Company) and their rep company. DMC’s are local experts in a country and are my go-to when planning a client’s trip.
Adare Manor, The KClub, Lough Eske Castle
We experienced Luxury Ireland, stayed at beautiful castles, manor houses, and were enthralled with a wide variety of experiences — from a humbling visit to a tenement house, to uncasking a 50-year-old Jameson whiskey, to a helicopter ride to the Aran Islands, to foraging in the forest, to Michelin dinners, to a horse and hound welcome, to ax-throwing and falconry.
Horse and Hound Welcome at Mount Juliet Estate, Falconry at The KClub, Helicopter to the Aran Islands
The second half of my trip was more personal. Michael met me in Dublin and we spent the next week exploring Northern Ireland with Kieran, our private chauffeur and guide. We started in at the Titanic Museum in Belfast, then drove the Northern Antrim to the Giant’s Causeway, explored Derry and Donegal, and returned to Dublin for our flight home
Gleniff Horseshoe, The Dark Hedges aka King’s Road, Glenveagh National Park
There are so many reasons to visit, explore and experience Ireland. Here are some of mine:
Over 90% of the adult population are vaccinated.
Dublin is only 6 ½ hours from the East Coast. Clearing customs and immigration in Dublin makes it a very easy trip back to the US.
The Aran Islands, Giant’s Causeway, Slieve Liag, Cliffs of Mohr, Wild Atlantic Way, Northern Antrim, Gleniff Horsehoe, and Glenveagh National Park are some of the most scenic and inspiring places I’ve ever been to.
There is greater value for luxury accommodations in Ireland than in most European countries and even the US.
There are 494 golf courses on the island!!!
Irish butter, bread, and potatoes are a cut above the rest. Trust the weight I gained.
Fans of Game of Thrones, rejoice. Northern Ireland boasts 25 filming locations in addition to the Game of Thrones Studio in Belfast.
The TITANIC museum in Belfast is a must experience. I’ve since watched the movie again and see it now through a very different lens.
Learn about The Troubles, the violent, three-decade-long conflict between Protestants and Catholics/Republicans and Unionists.
Celebrate the 23-year old peace treaty by signing your name on the Peace Wall (it’s encouraged).
And lastly, the Irish. As Michael always says, “Every place is only as good as its people.”
Visit Ireland and let me plan your trip.
Can you believe we only have two more months remaining in 2021? Stay safe and healthy.
Discover: Monemvasia, Greece
We’d never heard of Monemvasia until a skipper in Hydra advised us to sail down the Peleponnese to Monemvasia before crossing the Myrtoan Sea to Milos. We arrived at night, having sailed from Spetses for over six hours. The next morning, we set off the explore the town.Monemvasia is a medieval castle town entirely carved out from the backside of a sea rock and literally means “single entrance”. It’s connected to the mainland by a short causeway and was occupied by the Byzantines, Franks, Venetians, and Ottomans. It remains Europe’s only castle that has never ceased being inhabited.
It is also very dreamy, fairy-tale like in an authentic way and medievally romantic.
Experience Bali for the Family
My three grown sons and my husband and I met up in Bali last December. It was our first time on the Island of the Gods. We stayed in a beautiful villa among the rice fields of Ubud. And because I am my mother’s child, I had everyone up in the early mornings for a plethora of activities. We visited markets and had a Balinese cooking class. We learned how to make batik. We participated in local temple rituals. We climbed Mount Batur.
Jean-Michel Basquiat: Life Doesn't Frighten Me
Jean-Michel Basquiat was only 27 when he died in 1988, but in a few short years his paintings and other work challenged established notions of high and low art, race and class. He forged a visionary language that defied characterization.
I first came upon upon Basquiat’s name in a book my son received on his first birthday. “Life Doesn’t Frighten Me” was a poem by Maya Angelou, each line accompanied by a Basquiat painting. It was most definitely not your ordinary children’s book, but I liked its powerful words and mesmerizing images. I sang Maya Angelou’s poem, especially the phrase “shadows on the wall, noises down the hall, life doesn’t frighten me at all,” to my baby son as if it were a lullaby.