1. Driving in Ireland is easier for North Americans than it seems. "Take 'er easy, give way to the right," advised my taxi driver (London born, returned to the country of his parents) on the way to the rental office. It was good advice. Driving UK-style is like a mirror world: the steering wheel is on the right, the rear view mirror on the left, turn signals on the right, faster traffic on the freeways takes the right lane. Signs are great on the freeways, eccentric everywhere else. Roundabouts are frequent (sometimes you'll get three or four in the space of a mile) and confusing at first but the advice about yielding to the right at roundabouts is invaluable. Less than five minutes after renting my car, I was on the road. It was easy (Dubliners complain about their traffic problem, but it's country driving compared to Vancouver's roadway combat zone), but I also had no idea where I was going, which was interesting. But I finally figured it out, using a map and after taking a long scenic tour south when I should have been going west. It also rained. A lot.
2. Irish men are short.
3. In Ireland, taxi drivers speak English. Unlike in Vancouver.
4. Irish people are easily pleased: "Thanks a million!" said the woman at the highway toll booth. "Thanks a million!" said the cashier at the gas station when I paid for a drink and croissant. "That's grand!" said the woman at the ticket counter at the Guinness Storehouse. Things here are described as being either "fantastic!" or "brilliant!" The ultimate compliment: "That's brilliant! Thanks a million!"
5. Irish dancing is goofy. The dancers look like they're paralyzed by stage fright from the hips up. But it's also athletically and rhythmically impressive, especially when they stop the damn fiddle (one jig and reel sounds much like every other jig or reel) and go right to the tribal drums and feet. Makes you want to paint yourself blue and charge a Norman column.
6. Accents in the west sound like the speaker is comatose or really, really relaxed. And I understand people here even less than in Dublin. "Oh, yes, it's beautiful here mmm hhh mmmm hhhh my mates hhh mmm hhhh had a pint mmm hhhh mmm blue water hhhh mmmm hhhh trees mmm hhhh mmm zzzzzz."
7. Everyone in Ireland has a mobile phone. Everyone texts, constantly. Everyone also has their own website. Free wifi in the cities is easy to find. They're more wired than we are.
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