Blending In

March 29, 2009

Question:

I plan on visiting Ireland but want to see the non-tourist areas.I will be mostly in the west. I am interested in the history, natural beauty and culture and I don’t want to stand out as an American tourist. (until I speak of course!) Any advice??

2 Answers

  • Gillian says:

    Dar,
    Just like Wendy said, you will be spotted a mile away, but don’t fret about it. The Irish love tourists, but i will warn you, they like nice tourists.
    The Irish have a tendency to bad mouth everything in their own country from governments to the weather. They can hold hour long converstations on just how much they hate the weather, but as soon as someone from outside of Ireland begins complaining about it, they ask you why you came over and tell you to “feck off”
    Flattery will get you so far in Ireland. If you let them know how much you love Ireland they will love you.
    Only then you can begin complaining about the weather.

    There is a common complaint about American tourists, that they love how green Ireland is but wish it wouldn’t rain so much… You really can’t have one with out the other.

    At the end of the day, its just like in America, if an Irish person started complaing about everything, would you go out of your way to be nice to them?

    Best of luck in your travels!
    -Gillian

  • IrishFlair says:

    Not a lot of baseball hats or white tennis shoes to be found in the west of Ireland.  (As I hail from CA, my sunglasses usually give me away.) Honestly though, folks will be able to pick you out pretty quickly because in most small places most people know each other.  Having a camera, driving a rental car or, as you say, just opening your mouth to speak will all give it away and, let’s face it, you are a tourist so that’s OK.  In fact, you will get lots of conversations from people you meet because you are a tourist.  “Friendly” only just starts to describe the Irish, you wait and see.

    Safe travels,

    Wendy

Add an Answer

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Ask a Question:

Oops! We could not locate your form.

More Questions & Answers:

Feisiana in May 07?

Hi all,We are quite excited about our upcoming first trip to Ireland.

Staying in a tent in Ireland

We are from Denmark and are planning a summer father and son trip to Ireland in june.

Where to see puffins?

During our trip in May next year, my wife really wants to see puffins.

Self Drive Trip in August

Hi,My wife and I will be visiting Ireland in August.