Irish Treats - Halloween in Éire (2017)

The idea of this trip was born during my first business trip to Ireland when I got to know from Ian that Halloween is originated from their country. Immediately knew that I wanted to look around at that time of the year and secretly hoped that we had the same spooky experience like with Family Lassu in California years ago.

Proper companion organized, Aer Lingus tickets booked well in advance on reasonable price level, precise schedule worked out, suitable airbnb accommodations searched for and one of the most memorable trips rounded.

1st Etap

We landed in Dublin and spent the first night near the airport. While the kids were rejoicing over the bunk beds and unbend themselves with Juli, I could not refrain from making a short walk in the nearby to take some night photos of the city. Since we arrived late, the only purpose of the team was to have rest and to set off the next morning to hire our car. Cheer, hunting for plug converter, a disappointing poor breakfast but all in good mood and ready for the Irish adventure.

2nd Etap

Once we had the car - which wasn't a very smooth procedure - started our trip to our next station. The team was ready to arrive the second accomodation where the Halloween evening was planned to spend. Before settling, we aim at the Johhnie Fox's pub as the best place to eat and warm up for the evening. To find a great place suitable for trick or treating was a challenge from such distance but I proudly present that I made a good choice, unseen. Monkstown was perfect from Halloween point of view, the surrounding houses were well prepared for welcoming the kids. And the more doors were opened in front of them, the more courage they had. They fall into bed terribly tired at the very end of that spooky evening.  

 

3rd Etap

Leaving Monkstown we headed from Dublin up to North, till Bushmills, till the very end of the island where countless natural beauties were waiting for us. The left position of the steering wheel and driving on the left side was not our dream and required much attention and concentration than usual, but after a couple of miles we started to become master of it. Our third accomodation was everyone's favourite. The key was under the mat and entering the house we found ourselves in a friendly pretty house that also inspired the kids who kept them busy with "spring-cleaning" while we were away for getting the breakfast-to-be.

The first natural beauty was the Dark Hedges which is an avenue of beech trees forming an atmospheric tunnel that has been used as location of the popular TV series, Game of Thrones resulting a more popular tourist attraction. We found it finally and looked like in the pictures - just a little bit more crowded. Although, I haven't seen any episode, I really like the music of the series. What else should we listen to in the car while driving there? In about 1775 James Stuart built a new house named Gracehill House after his wife named Grace Lynd. Over 150 beech trees were planted along the entrance road to the estate, to create an imposing approach. According to legend, the hedges are visited by a ghost called the Grey Lady, who travels the road and flits across it from tree to tree. 

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge (in Ballycastle) links the mainland to a tiny island. It spans 20 metres and is 30 metres above the rocks below. The bridge was first erected by salmon fishermen 200 years ago. It is no longer used by fishermen in the salmon season (from June to Sept) as there are now very few salmon left. In the 1960s almost 300 fish were caught each day, by 2002 only 300 were caught over the whole season. The bridge is mainly a tourist attraction and is owned and maintained by the National Trust. The windswept coastal walk leading to the bridge is beautiful. On your left is the wild Atlantic Ocean and to the right, fields of coastal farmland.

The Giant's Causeway is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is an area of about 40 000 interlocking basalt columns. These are the result of an ancient volcanic erruption, forming stepping stones that lead from the cliff foot and disappear under the sea. To tell you the truth, it is a great natural wonder but not the favourite of the little ones. Both kids were upset and out of humor but mainly tired by the end of the day.

On our way back to the airport on the last day we needed to drive a little bit faster than the legal speed limits to arrive on time and to catch our plane. And what due to happen was happened: the penalty reached us at home several weeks after. Although, it was not as high as the Danish one... :-)

GITEX 2017

This post is also with (more than) 1 year delay, dated back to October, 2017. These trips are so memorable and valuable for me that is why I cannot omit to write about each of them.

 

Dubai is as just fascinating and dazzling for the second time as for the first time.  But every visit, apart from the business part, is unique and unrepeatable.

 

GITEX Technology Week is always the same. Masters of technology are presented in Dubai World Trade Center every year. Now for the 37th time (so we are the same age) involving especially the region of Middle-East, Africa and Asia. Right from world-famous industry names to Silicon Valley’s hottest startups, everyone heads to GITEX in anticipation of big business partnerships, future-ready gear and booming successes. One of my favourite photo theme is the traditional wearing. GITEX is a place where those well-dressed, well-to-do business men are concetrated and get captured by my camera. Such technological exhibition in such rich country is always a smashing experience.

There were a couple of visits organized that made this trip never-to-be-forgotten. For all these big thanks for Yati, Suraj and Janos.

Yati let me into their home and allowed me to see her little baby boy. Yati is an Indian girl, currently on maternity leave, working for the company that distributes our products. I considered as a great honour to meet her and little Daivya. We chat and eat... because Yati prepared more kinds of traditional Indian dishes. 

After the visit at Yati, her boss, Suraj was waiting for me at the hotel and was so kind to brig me on my free day to a special place full of flamingos. I found this place on board during our flight to Dubai and decided to look for. When I asked about it during the first business dinner, Suraj said that the place is very close to their office and would be happy to bring me there. Also big thanks for the choice regarding the locations of the business dinners. One dinner at Atlantis, another one in a prestigous hotel. Tremendous good food, served to regale our eyes. Nice gastronomy experiences, indeed! Thanks for that. Everlasting evenings.

 

This trip brought the possibility to "lost" in the desert and play in the sand for the second time and to take an inside view of the symbol of Dubai, the Burj al Arab. 

Special thanks to my boss to make all these possible. It was quite simple to get in. Simplier than I thought. We just made a reservation for dinner in one of the restaurants, got off the taxi right in front of the entrance. Once we got in the lobby, no people were seen, nobody asked what we were doing there. So we had the great chance to look around thoroughly.

The inevitable window-shopping at Dubai Mall, the flaky milk shakes, the constant view of Burj Khalifa from each point of the city, mosques, the men-women-separated travelling by metro, station names tinging familiar, flying with Emirates Airlines, something amazing - all these (besides the eralier mentioned topics) mean Dubai for me. Visit Dubai. Discover all that's possible.

 

 

P.S. While I was away, I had the best person to take care of Dominik. Gabor, who was in a hard situation and suffered from my absence again. This was my second and not the last trip without him - organized well in advance before knowing each other.