Popular With Elaine

This entry will be one that features most of Elaine's favorites!

It is part of the Reflections section of this blog:

A Note About The Favorites: These are experiences and places not to be missed, if you are ever in the UK & Ireland, respectively, or otherwise! The restaurants and pubs mentioned below (in the cities, or towns) are top-notch!

Yes, they are in order of Elaine’s #1, 2, 3!!!

Hotel:

1. York IHG Hotel; York, England- This place is modern and clean. The staff is attentive, there is a good breakfast. The IHG is convenient for all. It has parking and just great vibes

The photo is of me standing on the street near my number one hotel choice! The other one is of Helen in our room in York.!

2. Tallbut Hotel: Belmullet, Ireland lovely place is well appointed and clean, and there is a great staff. The hotel has a nice pub and restaurant, there is a good breakfast in the bar, and the hotel rooms are large rooms with a couch and great TV (for rainy nights). The proximity of the hotel is in town and near pubs and shopping

3. Radisson Red- Glasgow, Scotland- This place can boast of its amazing staff. There are nice rooms here with comfy beds. A cool rooftop lounge is a place to go and if you're going out, it is near some walkable shopping and restaurants, The hotel is clean, yet it is lively and fun.

Restaurant:

1. Mowgli- Liverpool, England-Amazing small plates in Liverpool City Centre. It is a delightful experience and it has ambiance, serving Indian-type cuisine with a bit of a twist!

Photos of food and decor at Mowgli in Liverpool.

2. IndiaQuay Restaurant- Glasgow, Scotland- This is an authentic Indian restaurant. The food is done perfectly, and the place is lovely and clean. You will be cared for by a dedicated staff, it is close to the Radisson RED Hotel.

3. Parlormade- York, City Centre, England- The English scones are just terrific. The service of the staff, the history of the walls you sit between, and the overall vibe of this place all meet very high marks!

Pub/Bar:

1. Mc Donell’s Pub, Belmullet, Ireland- With the bartender and host being the most welcoming I’ve ever had, and the place being such a warm and loving environment, this is a 'must-go' pub!

Padraig and I at the pub.

2. Cannonball Restaurant and Bar, Edinburgh, Scotland- Coming out of the rain to this lovely, well-appointed, historic, busy, yet caring and attentive place was a blessing. The drinks we had there are honestly among the best cocktails I’ve ever had!

3. The Royal Hotel- Kirby-Lonsdale, England- This place has a wonderful English atmosphere, a doggie menu is featured, and a yummy Sunday lunch is served. . There is a nice staff and this is a great find in a lovely little town.

Place:

1. The York Minster-York, England- Just say “wow” and do the tour! The words are best given to you by an experienced guide!

2. The Clydeside Distillery- Glasgow, Scotland, You must take the whiskey and chocolate tour. It is an interesting tour with well-informed and entertaining guides and the place is close to the Radisson RED hotel!

3. Medieval Mile Museum- Kilkenny, Ireland, History buffs this is a must-do! The staff have much to tell you and the history will amaze you!

City:

1. Liverpool, England - It seems to be the city of acceptance, wonderful and diverse food, and all kinds of music. There are many creative people living here and plenty of things to do! This is my number one city!

The photo is of the entrance to the Cavern Club, home of the Beatles.

2. York, England-, With super restaurants, historic walls, and things to do and see, York is my number two city from this trip.

3. Dublin, Ireland- There was more good food than expected for Joe or me. Dublin is a city with fun, experiences, and history. It is filled with nice people (even cabbies), and kindness. This is my number 3!

Town:

1. Knaresborough, England; See some shops, restaurants, pubs, history, and a castle. This is a sweet and interesting town!

The photo is of the remains of the castle at Knaresborough.

2. Kilkenny, Ireland; Again, there are shops, restaurants, pubs, a long and ancient history to learn about, and a castle. We will come back here!

Great museum here, Kilkenny.

3. Kirby Lonsdale, England; Shops, historic churches, restaurants, historic steps to a waterway path, and pretty water views near a park make this a fantastic stop. This town is a wonderful day trip for anyone!

Experience:

1. Lake District Drive, took this from Keswick, England with “Home James"- Go and see the lakes (absolutely everything in the area) by using this great guide, Simon!, You

will experience the area over the course of a wonderful day by driving around. There is much to explore. You will remember this trip forever!

The photo shows Helen and I at the end of the "lakes tour'. We were at a wonderful overlook and Keswick is in the distance.

2. Aran Islands, Ireland, Ferry and Driving Tour.- Experience the breathtaking Aran Islands in Ireland with a fantastic Ferry and Driving Tour. You can rent a bike but with a huge hike to the top of the historic fort, I say "take a driving tour"!

3. Clydeside Distillery Tour, Glasgow, Scotland- We had a super whiskey and chocolate tasting. Savor the delicious flavors of whiskey and chocolate on the Clydeside Distillery Tour in Glasgow, Scotland.

Views:

1. Inishmore Island, Ireland, From land and sea, views are everywhere and they are both quaint and majestic at the same time!

The photo is of a very old church on the island of Inishmore, Ireland.

2. Howth Cliff-walk, Ireland, We “did” the “Green Route”. Some of the trip's most iconic and gorgeous views were found here!

Photo from "Cliff Walk" in Howth is below.

3. Menai Bridge, Wales, Go and see the areas around the bridge and then the Pentraeth area. The views are just fantastic in every way. Wonders in the sea, in the sights, and in the sky!

Above is the Menai Bridge.

Runners Up:

Hotel: The Moxy, Dublin, Ireland - Convenient location, clean, good service, inexpensive breakfast, good beds, and a lounge bar all make this a pick!

Restaurant: Bull & Castle, Dublin, Ireland- Wonderful steaks, great service, great location, & you'll be eating in a historic dining room! These get this restaurant on my list.

Pub: The Erskine Arms, Conway, Wales- Unexpected wonderful lunch, serving great sandwiches (too much to eat)! There is wonderful service and it is all given to you in a historic building.

Above you can see the amazing food at the Erksine Arms Pub, in Conway, Wales.

City: Glasgow, Scotland- People here were welcoming. There are many varied restaurants and great shopping areas, and it is easy to get around.

TIE

Chester, England- This walled city will wow you with lots to do and a great wall to walk! Water, shops, gardens, bars, and restaurants are everywhere. You must go here but apparently, stay away on busy race track weekends!

The photo to the right is from the walk on the "Wall" in Chester. It is amazing!

Town: Howth, County Dublin, Ireland- Views are all around, and great fish dining is everywhere. There are lots of things to do and see, even seals! Day trippers and anyone who wants a great day, go to Howth!

Experience: Warwick Castle, Warwick, England, This is a castle that is run by Madame Tussauds, so wax figures are everywhere and there are many activities for children. It is such a fun place with so much history!

Below is a view from inside Warwick Castle.

Views: Neilston Pad, Harelaw Trout Fishery, Scotland, Here you will find views and a coffee shop with hot food and coffee. Have your treat overlooking a beautiful fishing lake and hills. This is a quiet oasis outside of Neilston.

The cow above is special because it is due to our stopping to look at her that we found our way to Neilston Pad! Due to the meeting of Natalie & her dog, Brian, on the cow path, we actually got to the resting place of my grandparents. Natalie and Brian came down the "cowpath" moments after I snapped this photo!

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But actually, it was the people who made the trip what it was! From my cousin Rod and his amazing family, and friends, being so kind (throwing me a party even!) to meeting Helen’s brother, Kevin, and his wife, Hels, and their family, to finally meeting life-long friends like Wendy and Derek, and by having hometown tour guides in Liverpool, such as Ian and Fiona, to having professional guides like Simon in the lakes of England or Neal, and his words about Belmullet, in Ireland, everyone was truly amazing!

The people made this journey one of love and learning!

The blessing of this trip was in the connections made.

These memories are priceless!

Reflections on how this changed or altered thoughts and feelings to follow, and Helen’s favorites to follow too!