So my daugher and I are headed to Ireland come the end of May. It will be the first time I have visited since I received my Irish citizenship and we are going to look at some properties for sale just for the fun of it. The idea of becoming an expat at my age is somewhat daunting, but it will be fun to see what’s available and imagine what it might be like. Going to Ireland feels like returning home to me, undoubtedly because all of my ancestors are Irish. I will never forget when I first stepped out of the plane’s doors onto the tarmac in Dublin back in 1999, feeling the Irish air on my face.
Our original plan was to only visit the Republic of Ireland but we’ve decided now to expand our horizons and venture into Northern Ireland as well. We are both really excited about visiting the area which inspired C.S. Lewis’ Narnia and to visit places which figured prominently in Game of Thrones. My daughter plans on spending a day or two horseback riding:
Imagine yourself riding the Kings Road, through the Isle of Pyke and Renly’s camp. Our coast line is filled with iconic settings from the show and our Game of Thrones taster experience overs a truly authentic and unique way to experience our Game of Thrones territory and take in the stunning Causeway Coast.
A little background on C.S. Lewis:
Clive Staples Lewis was born in Belfast in 1898. A prolific writer and academic, he produced an immense body of work during his lifetime as well as holding positions in English literature at both Oxford University and Cambridge University. But it's The Chronicles of Narnia for which he will be remembered forever. A series of seven fantasy novels, published between 1950 and 1956, they captured the public's imagination and have become part of our culture, having been adapted for radio, television, the stage, film and even video games.
But from where did Lewis draw inspiration for his magical tales such as The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe? Why, from the epic landscapes of Northern Ireland, of course!
Our exploring will take us past the Mourne Mountains, to
Tollymore Forest Park, and the Narnia Trail in Kilbroney Park. Of course, we won’t want to miss Dunluce Castle!
Then after trolling around Belfast, we’ll head back to the Republic of Ireland for a visit to Galway on the west coast.
It’s going to be a short trip. It’s a little challenging determining lodging because I snore. I’m planning on asking my daughter if she would be able to sleep in noise canceling headphones or else we’ll have to find places where we can get adjoining rooms.
In the meantime, we are going to get together next week one night to plan more of the trip and watch the movie Narnia.
WAPO has an interesting article Dreaming of expat life? Here’s what it takes to buy a home in Europe.
Since I moved from the United States to Switzerland, people back home have asked whether my life is a parade of cafes, beautiful architecture and natural vistas worthy of cutaway shots on “House Hunters International.”
Even if I tell the unvarnished truth — the taxes are complicated, most stores are closed on Sundays and I sort my trash into seven (literally seven) categories — I still hear plenty of wistful sighs, followed by: I’d love to live in Europe.
I get it. Life here is great, minor inconveniences notwithstanding. And it’s easy to find yourself down a fantasy real estate rabbit hole. Just like in the United States, houses for sale in Europe are listed on websites — for instance, Seloger in France, Fotocasa in Spain and Immobiliare in Italy — sometimes with appealing prices. But the process of actually buying one can get complicated quickly.
Kitchen Table Kibitzing is a community series for those who wish to share a virtual kitchen table with other readers of Daily Kos who aren’t throwing pies at one another. Drop by to talk about music, your weather, your garden, or what you cooked for supper…. Newcomers may notice that many who post in this series already know one another to some degree, but we welcome guests at our kitchen table and hope to make some new friends as well.