The UK and Ireland

[kho_leen]

Hi mga sis,

Hubby will have a tour in Ireland.  I've read na spring dun by march.

Ano ang weather dun by march?  What's the recommended attire.  Parang Baguio weather lang ba?

It's his first time in Europe.

TIA.

[shegie_285]

kho_leen I live in Dublin and yes spring na dito by March but its still very cold. I just looked at my FB, March 29 last year 0-5C ang temperature. Normally up to May we wear winter coat, scarves and hats.

But at least days are longer na in March, so it will be a brighter at 6.30pm compared to now, ang dilim.

[kho_leen]

This is big help.  Wala syang winter clothes so I need to buy him some north face stuff dito muna  and some thermals.

Thanks sis shegie_285!

[little_princess]

May chance of snow pa during March. We were there last year and it snowed pa.

Excited, will be back this May-July in the UK.

[MissChievous]

Currently living in Limerick! And boy it is cold. Will be here for 3 months lang. We're planning to go visit Dublin. Sis shegie_285 any suggestions for the IT? Is it still snowing in there?

[shegie_285]

Hi sis MissChievous yes ang lamig. I'm tired na of the weather. Hindi na nag-snow but puro ulan.  Were you affected by the storm and flooding? How many days kayo sa Dublin?  Below are my suggestions:

1) St. Stephens Green - this is a park and people normally make tambay here. Kaso winter pa. Dito kinunan ang bridge dun sa Leap Year. pwede silip lang kahit 5 minutes

2) Grafton St. - this is the high street of Dublin.

3) Trinity College and the Book of Kehls - Trinity is the oldest university in Ireland and the Book of Kehls is a very old bible. nasa other end ito ng Grafton St. so from St. Stephen's Green walk lang through Grafton St.

4) Dublin Castle - walking distance from Trinity College. Guided tour  if you want to go inside.

5) Christ Church - an old church, malapit lang din sa Dublin castle. Pwede silip lang din. Its a protestant church.

6) Guinness Storehouse - get a cab na lang from Dublin castle/Christ church. You can pour your own pint and masarap Guinness dito. Dito lang ako nakakainom ng Guinness. They have a bar sa top floor (7th floor) which has a 360degrees view of Dublin. Last admission is 5pm but I suggest be there earlier, there is a guided tour but pwede din na hindi, may audio naman.

7) Temple Bar - gimikan. its actually a street but there's a bar called temple bar din.

If you have time I recommend going to Kilmainham jail. Its a bit out of the way but accessible by the red luas (they call the tram 'luas') line.  It gives history of Dublin/Ireland especially during the British rule. Dito nakulong ang mga nag-rebel against the British rule and who fought for Ireland's independence.

There is also wax museum in Dublin, very close to Trinity college. Its not like the big wax museums like sa London so don't expect anything.  But what I like about this is there is a section that gives history of Ireland and it focuses on Irish people. Some are not popular worldwide but you learn about Ireland.

There's also a lot of museums here in Dublin and they're all in the city centre so walking distance lang.

There are also hotels na may irish dancing shows if you are interested. Not sure if there is one sa Limerick. 

Let me know if you have a particular interest and if you need a tour guide I probably can show you around, I'm normally free kapag weekends.

Oh not sure if you have already discovered but Butlers chocolates are very nice. Im not into chocolates but I really like these.

[kho_leen]

Sis shegie_285,

May designer outlet stores ba in Dublin or nearby places?

Ano maganda and mura dyan?

I'm thinking na kung ano ang ipapabili kay hubby.  hehe.

TIA.

[shegie_285]

kho_leen wala dito sa Dublin. Nearest outlet is an hour away by car and mostly European brands but hindi naman level ng mga LV, Gucci.

Mura? Hmm for super murang clothes there's the shop Penneys. Parang SM sa atin mura talaga but good quality naman. Ako washing machine pa gamit ko hindi naman nasisira agad. I find european brands cheaper kahit high end designer - m&s, zara, mango, h&m. LV. Prada etc. Tell him to ask na for vat refund receipts. Some shops do that. 23% Vat dito after commission he might get back around 12%.

Do you like jewelries? Pandora is a nice souvenir, may irish charms like shamrock or celtic design na baka dito lang mabibili.

[MissChievous]

@sis kho_leen: Sa Kildare Village daw. Madaming designer shops dun. Malapit lang siya sa Dublin. NAgbabalak nga kami pumunta dun if puntakmi ng Dublin. http://www.kildarevillage.com/

@sis shegie_285 Sis!!!! Thanks sa detailed IT. I sent it to my friends here. WAla pa kaming scheduled date. I'll let you know.

Penneys! Mura dito. I Love shopping here. Nakakbili ako tops from 3 euro lang. Tpos yung pants na skinny na maganda yung fit is only for like 8 euro. Na excite ako everytime I go inside Penneys. hehe. How can I get VAT refund receipts pala? Sa ibang shops lang to right? Where mo ito ipa pa exchange? Sa airport ba?

[shegie_285]

Kildare village is the outlet i was referring to. But the american brands not as cheap compared to US outlets and the european brands mostly clothes na dressy. But there are still good deals. Going there this weekend.

Sis MissChievous some shops in Dublin have stickers sa door saying its 'tax free'. Mostly mga highend. Brown Thomas (shop with high end designers), pandora and swarovski nakita ko may sticker. There's no harm asking for the tax refund form or vat refund form.

Sa airport sya iexchange. Some shops give a tax free card para ito na lang papakita sa shops and wala ng paper.

 Kildare is tax free too. Go to their customer service first before you go shopping.

March 17 is st patricks day. Its a holiday. Easter Monday is also a holiday but some office off na ng good friday. Although some shops might be closed. 1st monday of May is also a holiday.

[melvel]

Balik kami sa UK in 2015.  But this time, we will stay probably 3-4 nights lang in London and spend the rest of the trip touring the rest of Britain--- mainly Scotland (Edinburgh and Glasgow in particular).

Have a few questions for those who've been to Scotland:

1.  Kaya bang i-DIY to?  I've been reading up online and it seems na public transportation is not advisable, kasi malalayo ang mga lugar na gusto namin puntahan. Since there's no way anyone in our group will attempt to drive a right-hand drive car, do we have no other option other than join a tour group?

2.  If we join a tour group, anong mas ok?  Trafalgar/Costsavers or Globus/Cosmos?

[shegie_285]

^ I've only been to Edinburgh. Ano ba mga balak ninyong puntahan? Mostly ng mga pinuntahan namin is sa centre lang or bus lang din kami. DIY lang din.  If you want to go to the highlands then join nga ng tour dahil malayong drive daw ito, haven't been there though.

[kho_leen]

Thanks sis shegie_285 and MissChievous for the inputs. 

He's leaving on mar22.  Baka 1week before ibigay ang itinerary nila. Sana kasama ang Kildare Village.  Otherwise, di pupunta yun on his own.

[little_princess]

melvel, medyo malayo nga those places and my ninang did a tour and went to Scotland after he daughter's wedding in London. They took a land tour lang, I'll ask her how it was. As far as I know, Edinburg's sights are concentrated in the city center, it's the travel from 1 city to another that's a bit hassle.

Driving wise, I think it's ok to drive there. I was a bit shaky at first but then I got the hang of it pretty quickly and they are very respectful as well hindi gaya ditto.

[MissChievous]

@sis shegie_285 sayang di ako naka kuha ng tax-free nung bumili ako sa Kildare. Do you go shopping at Penney's sis? Meron kasi akong mga receipts na di pa kinukuhanan ng tax-free. I asked the lady if I could get the tax-free the next day, pwede daw. Pero yung mga weeks ago kaya, pwede pa yun? Hehe. Sayang din kasi pang pasalubong pa yung tax-free returns. hehe. THanks in advance.

Ay we went to Dublin na pala last week! We spent one night there. Wasn't able to inform you. Sayang.

[juana_antonia]

As for driving here in GB, personally I still cannot get the hang of it kahit pa automatic ang dinadrive ko.  It is so confusing, especially sa roundabouts.  Sa motorways, I find cars really really fast, and most of them nauunang magswerve bago pa mag signal.  Most of them hindi din nag slow down sa mga curves kahit na narrow ang street.  Yun pabago-bagong speed limit din added to my confusion in driving  .   Even when I am on the passenger's seat, nagugulat pa din ako kapag may kasalubong, kasi feeling ko babangga sila sakin.  So I suggest take the tour na lang sis Melvel.

[shegie_285]

MissChievous Hope you liked Dublin.   yeah I shop sa Penneys.  Try mo na din sis mababait naman sila. I haven't tried that dahil hindi ako humihingi ng tax free receipt dahil resident ako.

[little_princess]

Penneys is Primark diba? As far as I know, you can only do 1 tax refund every 3 months so you can collect your receipts and just claim at a later date.

juana_antonia, i get confused with the roundabouts din but we have a sat nav so it kinda guides me as well, i even find myself indicating here in Manila sa Tomas Morato roundabout hahaha motorways are fun, my husband gets really scared if I go over the speed limit pero as long as it's just 10-15mph overspeeding, ok lang daw. what I found ahrd was driving on country road (b roads) lalo na in Cornwall, the bushes are really high and it's supposed to be two way but if fits one car perfectly. There are just little corners where you can move into when there is another car approaching.

[shegie_285]

Hi sis kim, yes Penneys is Primark. Pero mas madami at maganda options sa UK, at may size 6!

With regard sa driving, dati lagi din akong naco-confuse kung saan side ba ako ng road lalo na kapag empty road until my friend told me to just remember that the driver's side should always be in the middle of the road. After that never na akong na-confuse. When entering a roundabout just remember diretso lang and follow your lane, no need to turn right.

[glacy_rein]

hmm.. mama_squeak which airline is the most affordable for flights going to Shannon?? and does anyone know what's the weather by May-July?

Thanks!