Adventure Culinary Travel
With Hallgrimskirkja behind us on the hill, we trek through the streets of Reykjavik, exploring the quaint shops, artsy murals, and cozy cafes. What a great city! We stop for a bit before heading down to the water to see the Sun Voyager, a famous and amazing sculpture celebrating the island’s Viking roots!
Read MoreFermented Shark. Pickled sheep heads. Sour blubber. Stinky skate. Dung-smoked fish... traditional Icelandic dishes can read like a horror story! The harsh climate and isolated location meant historically the people had to improvise, and the scary sounding food is less scary than starving to death. But with modern times come modern changes, and not all of the old dishes can be this scary… can they?
Read MoreOur first stop in Iceland was the magnificent Hallgrimskirkja in Reykjavik! Fresh off the bus from the airport early in the morning, we had the whole area to ourselves! We check out the church and marvel at the splendid architecture, pay homage to the great Icelandic explorer Leif Erikson, and delve a bit into Ásatrú, the ancient religion of the Vikings that is having a modern resurgence!
Read MoreCome along as we begin our adventure through Iceland! We explore the language and culture, the strange and wonderful foods, the trendy capital Reykjavik, the amazing nature and landscape, and the daylight that lasts all 24 hours… all from the comfort of our camper van!
Read MoreOur last night in Ireland, and it can only be spent in one way - with the local music! We explore the town of Doolin and and old tower castle before heading back to Lisdoonvarna for the most fitting farewell to Ireland… great food, great drinks, great music, and as the Irish say, great craic!
Read MoreNature does amazing things. At the Bridges of Ross, we followed an old Victorian pastime as we crossed over the natural rock bridge and stood over the sea, before continuing on further down the peninsula to an old lighthouse, WWII era markers, and a piece of Irish folklore!
Read MoreDriving down toward Loop Head, we had the chance to stop at the little seaside town of Kilkee. While it may offer great swimming in season, the wind was bitter cold and the sea was rough, crashing to the shore with force!
Read MoreSometimes a normal hotel is just too boring. With all the amazing places out there, why settle for boring? We traded in the normal hotel by the airport for an amazing experience with wonderful people at a farm stay in County Clare!
Read MoreAfter a long week through quaint countrysides and tiny islands, we finally made our way into the city! Our exploration in Galway took us to a gourmet grocer, a great Irish pub, a huge cathedral, and a posh tea room… all while wandering down the city’s famous old streets!
Read MoreToday we said our farewell to An Nead cottage in beautiful Connemara. It was ten years since our last stay… hopefully it won’t be another ten before we get back there!
Read MoreAfter a scenic cruise through the Connemara countryside, we settle in by Galway Bay for a sunset, great seafood, great music in a fun pub, and we even got to make a new friend!
Read MoreWe drove the full way around Sky Road for amazing views and great driving. We decided to keep going along the coast, and found ourselves taking a very unique way to get across the sea to Omey Island!
Read MoreFrom the famous Sky Road you can look down on the ruins of Clifden Castle, but this time we found a way to actually go into the ruins and see it up close! We set off down the trail to explore the castle ruins, from the crumbling old walls to the towering turret and the overgrown outbuildings!
Read MoreOur return to Clifden brings us back to a favorite cafe in search of good coffee and the apparently famous carrot cake, before hitting a proper whiskey pub along the main street of town. We make our way out to the famous Sky Road for incredible sunset views that lead into an amazingly clear Irish night!
Read MoreRoundstone is a charming little fishing village along the Connemara coast with bright colored houses and boat-filled harbor. We venture to the pier, sample some local seafood, and get in some culture at the traditional music center before a breathtaking stop along a secluded country road!
Read MoreCnoc Suain was the center of our honeymoon ten years ago. It was where we made our home base, it was the site of the little village on the hill with our cottage An Nead. It was where we woke every morning to the stillness of the Irish countryside or the thrill of running through the fields with the dogs and pony. Today, we revisit the land of Cnoc Suain, walking those same bogs and fields, passing through those amazing buildings, and learning of how they’ve grown since our last visit.
Read MoreWe hit a couple of Connemara pubs on an amazingly clear Irish night! First we stopped in Ougtherard where we had a great meal with beers and music. After a bit of a craft brewing rant, we found our way back to Spiddal on the coast to check out a place we heard had quality session music… and were treated to a performance by one of the greats!
Read MoreThe Connemara seaside is a wild and rugged coast, full of rocky shorelines, sprawling bogland, and small natural beaches. We went seeking some of these beaches today. We returned to Coral Beach, with its rocky micro-environments and grainy coral instead of sand, before exploring the textures and colors along the White Strand!
Read MoreWe head west along the Galway Bay coastline toward the sea, stopping in the seaside town of Spiddal and talking a bit on the preservation and resurgence of the Irish Language as we venture along the coast!
Read MoreAfter a great dinner on the pier at Barna, we headed into the Salthill section of Galway city, where we found a great pub with great beers and great people. If you don’t have a fun night at the pub, can you really say you were in Ireland?
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