Memories from Ireland

Ashley and I just got back from vacation with her family in Ireland. It was awesome.

The Low-Down from the Motherland

Here's a quick recap in a series of snapshot memories:

• Airplane food, in my opinion, is delicious. And I am, regrettably, alone in that opinion.
• On-flight movies rule. But don't bother watching Hannah. It was lame.
• Got separated from each other within minutes of getting our rental cars.
• Turns out Ireland is slightly larger than the map would lead you to believe. We had some long driving days.
• The Giant's Causeway was incredible — truly a wonder of the natural world.
• The land was so incredibly verdant and lush. I couldn't believe how green Ireland was.
• It rained every day. That's why it's so green in Ireland.
• I tried to kiss the Blarney Stone and missed. So I went back for a second try and succeeded. Come to think of it, most of my first kisses have been like this.
• Never, ever, ever drive from Derry to Galway in one day (or night). In other news, we arrived at one hotel at 2am.
• Bed and breakfasts rule. Especially in Ireland.
• Irish courtesy puts Southern hospitality to shame.
• The soup of the day is always vegetable soup. And vegetable = potato. Always.
• Dingle is one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. Apparently, I'm not the only one who thinks so, because it was voted as such by National Geographic.
• I never got tired of traditional Irish breakfast. There must put nicotine in their sausages.
• I perfected my lilt and brogue.
• Only in Ireland can you drive through a random town in the country and pull over multiple times to take pictures of castles. Okay, maybe you can do it elsewhere, but I've not been elsewhere. I've been to Ireland.
• I did the unofficial "running tour" of Dublin. It's about two hours and includes random looks from bewildered Europeans. I saw the whole city on foot, including the alleged site where St. Patrick baptized the first Christians on the island. I also had time to pick up meat, cheese, and a loaf of bread for dinner.
• A meat and cheese sandwich is the only acceptable breakfast at 5:00 in the morning.
• Eating mass quantities of salted pork with cheese isn't the best way to prepare for an eight-hour flight.
• Apparently, salami gives you canker sores… if you eat enough of it.
• Given the choice between getting some much-needed sleep and taking advantage of free movies, I will always opt for an in-flight Bourne movie marathon every time. Every. Single. Time.
• Losing a digital camera in a foreign country is never fun. But DHL is evidently useful overseas (where you at, FedEx?). We just got it delivered yesterday. Thank God.
• If you stay at the Sheraton in St. Louis, do NOT attempt to walk to dinner. You will be walking for a very long time.
• No joke, the day after we returned to Nashville, I met a friend for lunch at an Irish pub. I got the soup.

Have you ever been to Ireland? Or Europe?
Or Idaho? (They all have potatoes.)