Dan Cummings - The Running Realtor: Memories of an Ireland Trip.

Strange the things you remember as the years pass. We visited Ireland almost a decade ago and I still recall the vivid colors, the lack of people, the food and accommodations.

Green was certainly given a new meaning as we toured the countryside. Every color seemed exaggerated from the lush fields right down to the deep blue sea.  Looking back at the old photos they don't seem to capture the scenes as colorfully.

The over thing that stands out was the cleanliness and lack of clutter. We rarely saw locals on the streets or in their yards.  Since we are in the Real Estate Business paying attention to curb appeal is second nature. All of the homes seemed to have the quiet feel of a ghost town, as if the entire island was staged.

 The food and four star accommodations are also etched into memory.  Since I have a bit of potato farming blood in my ancestry I tend to have a hefty appetite.   Even a meat and potatoes guy like me found the variety lacking.  I consumed more lamb on that trip than I have in the decade since.

By day three or four I would have paid anything for a good old American hamburger and fries at lunch and a thick juicy steak for dinner. I don't remember if Corned Beef & Cabbage was on the menu but they always had plenty of Irish Stew.

The hotels were clean and comfortable but not really comparable to say the Ritz in Naples or hanging out at the one near Laguna Beach.

I never did look at real estate prices, I usually like to compare things to my home.

HAPPY SAINT PATRICK'S DAY !