Know Before You Go: Northern Ireland
We all know how much I love Ireland. Mostly because I won't shut up about it. After spending 8 blissful days in the Southern part of the country, I planned our return to the Emerald Isle to Northern Ireland and a driving tour on the Wild Atlantic Way. Northern Ireland is, without a doubt, different. The food is different, the people are a little different, the landscape is different. It's kind of like when you catch a really old Simpsons episode. Yes, everything is kind of the same, but also different. So, before you go - here are some things I think you should know.
1. There is no border
Ohhhhhh Brexit, are you going to eff this up for everyone? This is by NO WAY a political commentary as I don't live in Europe and so will shut my mouth about what they do, but strictly from a tourism point of view I can see how it could have ramifications. When we went to Northern Ireland it was shortly after the Brexit vote went through and nothing had changed. There is (was) no border. Before we went, I saw several comments on tripadvisor and other forums about passing a border, and making sure you didn't have food in your car. Our first night in a pub right before we crossed into Northern Ireland, we asked a couple guys at the bar and they kind of got pop faced.
"A border? What? No, yeh just driiiiiiive".
Ok, because some people made it out like we would be crossing a border a la Daniel Day Lewis in The Boxer:
And yes, this was just a shameful excuse to post a picture of Daniel Day Lewis. Swoon.
So here you go from personal experience. There is no border, yeh just driiiiiiiiiiive. There wasn't even a sign letting us know we had crossed into Northern Ireland. It's all just Ireland, baby (cue Danny Boy).
2. Omg the cookies.
Derry, or Londonderry is a lovely town sort of smack dab in the middle of Northern Ireland and I am blowing past like pages and pages of historical significance to talk to you about their cookies.
Because this is something that is really near and dear to my heart, and I think you should know.
We spent most of our time in Derry walking around the town, taking in historical landmarks and locations, visiting the shops and being sort of delighted to spend time in an actual city after spending most of our time on the fringes. We ended the afternoon sitting outside a little coffee shop that was conveniently located (thank you, providence) next to a tiny closet of a bakery.
"I'm just going to nip inside" I casually shouted over my shoulder as I sprinted for the entrance.
And...the cookies. I am sure I am SOMEWHAT romanticizing this, but honestly there were probably over 30 types of cookies and pastries arrayed behind a neat glass counter that took up at least 50% of the shop. I think my hands shook as I pointed out a couple pastries (for us to share). The shop lady packaged them carefully in a paper bag, weighed it (I think) and then told me my grand total. If I was home, at a nice grocery store or bakery, what I bought would have easily been $5 - $10. Not so in Derry, my good friends. The grand total was somewhere around .75 cents to $1. At the time I didn't realize this because I paid in pounds, but as I walked back to our table I kept going back over the figures in my head.
"Jorge, these were less than $1!"
"A pound, you mean?"
"No - less than a $1. I think they were actually around .50 - .75 cents total!"
and then Jorge uttered the sweetest words he's said to me since "I do".
"Go get some more then!"
So, I went back to the bakery and got more (you don't need to know the quantity). This whole exchange was so remarkable to us that we mentioned it to our B&B hostess the next morning and she told us that there was a really large bakery located near Derry and they supplied all the local shops so that's why the prices were so cheap. So, if you are ever in Derry make sure to stop at a bakery and experience the wonder that I did.
3. The people are the friendliest in the world (so far, for us)
So I should caveat this with the following. When we went to Northern Ireland, we took Jorge's sister who is a Latin beauty the likes of which they had probably never seen. I think there are probably a couple farmers who still have whiplash from when we visited. Whether this made the difference or not, I don't know, but we have never had so many strangers approach us, buy us drinks and just hang out.
Come to think of it, the drinks were probably because of her.
But, either way - the people were the friendliest we have ever come across. We had strangers that became friends after 2 or 20 drinks at the pub, offers to drop us off for one way hiking spots, hand drawn maps with locations to secret spots only locals know about, wrapped up pastries pressed into our hands for the "car ride", B&B hosts who sat down with us for breakfast or coffee just because (at least it seemed to me) that's what they wanted to do - out of no obligation or sense of responsibility. I shared a plate of buffalo wings with a bartender and talked about the best hiking routes with two local musicians waiting in line at an all night chinese restaurant (don't ask). My impression was that for the most part, people were interested in us, interested in connecting with other people and not so interested in snapchatting, instagramming or plugging away at their cell phones. Of course, it takes two (or more) to tango, so my guess is if you don't put yourself out there a bit, you probably won't have the same experience.
4. Let's talk about potatoes.
Shall we?
Shall we talk about the thick fried potato pancakes that are commonplace in Northern Ireland but not so in Southern Ireland?
I believe they are called potato farls, and they were amazing the first time and the fifth time I had them. Northern Ireland was the first time I saw these as part of your classic full Irish breakfast and they are super dense, rich and fatty but what's not to love about fried bread? I think you should at least try them once and report back. I'm not one to eat a full Irish every day even when I'm on vacation but when I could pick part of one off of Jorge's plate, I would.
5. It is jaw droppingly gorgeous. Drive around and explore. Get out of the cities. Ask the locals for THEIR favorite spots and then go there. Our least favorite parts of Northern Ireland were the ones that everyone wants to go to - the Giant's Causeway and the Carrick-a-rede bridge. The out of the way places are what still stick out in my mind.
1. There is no border
Ohhhhhh Brexit, are you going to eff this up for everyone? This is by NO WAY a political commentary as I don't live in Europe and so will shut my mouth about what they do, but strictly from a tourism point of view I can see how it could have ramifications. When we went to Northern Ireland it was shortly after the Brexit vote went through and nothing had changed. There is (was) no border. Before we went, I saw several comments on tripadvisor and other forums about passing a border, and making sure you didn't have food in your car. Our first night in a pub right before we crossed into Northern Ireland, we asked a couple guys at the bar and they kind of got pop faced.
"A border? What? No, yeh just driiiiiiive".
Ok, because some people made it out like we would be crossing a border a la Daniel Day Lewis in The Boxer:
So here you go from personal experience. There is no border, yeh just driiiiiiiiiiive. There wasn't even a sign letting us know we had crossed into Northern Ireland. It's all just Ireland, baby (cue Danny Boy).
2. Omg the cookies.
Caveat: These are NOT the cookies. Honestly, I think I was too shellshocked to think of getting a picture.
Because this is something that is really near and dear to my heart, and I think you should know.
We spent most of our time in Derry walking around the town, taking in historical landmarks and locations, visiting the shops and being sort of delighted to spend time in an actual city after spending most of our time on the fringes. We ended the afternoon sitting outside a little coffee shop that was conveniently located (thank you, providence) next to a tiny closet of a bakery.
"I'm just going to nip inside" I casually shouted over my shoulder as I sprinted for the entrance.
And...the cookies. I am sure I am SOMEWHAT romanticizing this, but honestly there were probably over 30 types of cookies and pastries arrayed behind a neat glass counter that took up at least 50% of the shop. I think my hands shook as I pointed out a couple pastries (for us to share). The shop lady packaged them carefully in a paper bag, weighed it (I think) and then told me my grand total. If I was home, at a nice grocery store or bakery, what I bought would have easily been $5 - $10. Not so in Derry, my good friends. The grand total was somewhere around .75 cents to $1. At the time I didn't realize this because I paid in pounds, but as I walked back to our table I kept going back over the figures in my head.
"Jorge, these were less than $1!"
"A pound, you mean?"
"No - less than a $1. I think they were actually around .50 - .75 cents total!"
and then Jorge uttered the sweetest words he's said to me since "I do".
"Go get some more then!"
So, I went back to the bakery and got more (you don't need to know the quantity). This whole exchange was so remarkable to us that we mentioned it to our B&B hostess the next morning and she told us that there was a really large bakery located near Derry and they supplied all the local shops so that's why the prices were so cheap. So, if you are ever in Derry make sure to stop at a bakery and experience the wonder that I did.
3. The people are the friendliest in the world (so far, for us)
Come to think of it, the drinks were probably because of her.
But, either way - the people were the friendliest we have ever come across. We had strangers that became friends after 2 or 20 drinks at the pub, offers to drop us off for one way hiking spots, hand drawn maps with locations to secret spots only locals know about, wrapped up pastries pressed into our hands for the "car ride", B&B hosts who sat down with us for breakfast or coffee just because (at least it seemed to me) that's what they wanted to do - out of no obligation or sense of responsibility. I shared a plate of buffalo wings with a bartender and talked about the best hiking routes with two local musicians waiting in line at an all night chinese restaurant (don't ask). My impression was that for the most part, people were interested in us, interested in connecting with other people and not so interested in snapchatting, instagramming or plugging away at their cell phones. Of course, it takes two (or more) to tango, so my guess is if you don't put yourself out there a bit, you probably won't have the same experience.
4. Let's talk about potatoes.
Shall we?
Shall we talk about the thick fried potato pancakes that are commonplace in Northern Ireland but not so in Southern Ireland?
I believe they are called potato farls, and they were amazing the first time and the fifth time I had them. Northern Ireland was the first time I saw these as part of your classic full Irish breakfast and they are super dense, rich and fatty but what's not to love about fried bread? I think you should at least try them once and report back. I'm not one to eat a full Irish every day even when I'm on vacation but when I could pick part of one off of Jorge's plate, I would.
5. It is jaw droppingly gorgeous. Drive around and explore. Get out of the cities. Ask the locals for THEIR favorite spots and then go there. Our least favorite parts of Northern Ireland were the ones that everyone wants to go to - the Giant's Causeway and the Carrick-a-rede bridge. The out of the way places are what still stick out in my mind.
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