Barton Morfee: You seem to be an idiot. We use Sterling in the UK
David Kuper: I have never been outside Texas in my life, so excuse me for not knowing a lot about other cultures. The whole point of my going on this tour is to learn, so I am trying to correct my ignorance. Also, thanks to all the people who responded so far, I'm hoping to go more than ever, now! :D
Eli Trapeni: Ireland uses the euro, but Scotland and Northern Ireland, being part of the UK, use the pound sterling. Your best bet would be to contact your bank about using your own ATM card in the machines in Ireland and Scotland, and you withdraw from you own bank account in the US, but what you get is in the local currency, and the equivalent is deducted from your account, plus a small fee. Still a lot cheaper than using Travellers' Cheques, and a lot safer than carrying around wads of cash. Aside from the whole issue you have over there with guns and the fact that any looper can go and buy one i! n a supermarket, you're not likely to offend anyone in either Ireland or the UK. In fact, WE are far more likely to cause YOU offence ... but that's a test. If you can laugh it off and then give as good as you get, we'll just laugh at you and it'll be fine. But do not say 'top o' the mornin'' to anyone in Ireland, that's a dead giveaway. Only the foreigners say such phrases. The Hollywood education. Forget cultural differences. We get American television, we know what it's like over there. What you NEED to be aware of is that the climate here is much colder and damper than you are used to, and you will need to dress accordingly. You'll need layers - long-sleeved t-shirts under short-sleeved T-shirts are fine, as are jeans. Cardigans, hoodies and light sweaters are also fine, as are leggings (under skirts or shorts, please). It's a good idea to bring and wear waterproof jackets and shoes, and a light scarf for around the neck can be a godsend. Dose up on vitamin C and zinc, ! chances are you will get a bit of a head cold initially but wi! th plenty of sleep, hot drinks, good food and vitamins, you'll get over it very quickly. Another thing you need to be aware of is that food costs more here. This is because we pay the real price for it, and it is by default healthy and usually organic. You might actually find it tastes strange without all the chemicals, growth hormones, preservatives in it - but that's an education in itself, as this is what food SHOULD taste like. If you must eat garbage, there are American fast-food chains. But they will be more expensive than you're used to. Also, over here portion sizes tend to be smaller, and it's very seldom you eat half your meal and then take rest home in a doggy bag, here you normally just eat what you get and have done with it....Show more
Cassidy Pangrazio: In Scotland the currency is not Euros, it is Sterling eg Pounds and PenceIf it is Eire, then it is Euros, for visiting Dublin Northern Ireland is part of the UK, so the currency is the same as the UK for! visiting BelfastHow you dress depends on the time of year you intend coming, so check the weather forecast and pack accordinglyAlso remember you may come across the Gaelic language, however Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic are not the same, but do have some similaritiesTry reading up on some basic facts and figures and plan your visit to incorporate the history and well as the modern...Show more
Ulrike Hert: Hi and welcome to Ireland! It is such a beautiful place though I can't tell you much about Scotland. Yes you will need to convert your dollars to euro. Belfast is in Northern Ireland which is part of the United Kingdom, which means you need to change your money to sterling (pounds). If you visit Scotland you will need pounds too. It is quite cold here at the minute but it depends what time of year you are going and the Irish weather changes a lot! I can't stress that enough! In the summer months we could have pouring rain and sunny warm weather in the same day! . If you go in winter bring warm clothes, you will definitely need a co! at. Spring tends to be pretty cold too and you may need a raincoat. Summers change each year. We could have beautiful sunny warm weather one year and it could be pissing rain the whole season another year. Generally the Irish are a pretty easy going and relaxed bunch. We can take a joke and Irish people are usually humorous. We expect reserved and polite behaviour, we don't particularly like 'pretentious' behaviour. There aren't major cultural differences but Ireland and the US. There really is no set definition to Irish culture. You may find traditional Irish food bland and a bit boring, but we are well into ethnic cuisine! If you are taking a trip to Dublin, it is worth taking a visit to the Guiness Storehouse, the Phoenix Park, and a seaside town e.g Malahide.I don't know much about Belfast and I'm not sure if its worth taking a visit there but if you do go take a trip to the Titanic museum. In my opinion I think you should visit other areas of Ireland. Ke! rry is a beautiful place. It is about 6 hours car drive away. Public transport is awful here so if you don't drive you will find it difficult to get there. Did you ever hear of the saying 'far away hills are greener?' Well Ireland could tick that box in my opinion. It may not be the Irishy, green sort of place full of leprachauns that you think it is.Anyway, I hope this has helped!...Show more
Jonathon Labonne: Ireland does indeed use the euro, so you may want to convert some of your cash before going, yes, but I -believe- the Irish Pound is still in circulation as well. Could be wrong about that, it's been a while. If you want to avoid offending people, avoid the topics of religion, terrorism and independence. While highly friendly people, Americans aren't looked upon in a particularly favorable light in Ireland, so be prepared for jokes at your expense. This can be avoided if you pretend to be Canadian, but that will result in an expectation that you're relat! ively well informed about the UK, which could get you caught out. Best ! to just take the jabs grinning. In Gaelic, a 'craic' is a good time, and 'Let's go have us a craic.' is a common expression for 'lets have a beer at the pub.' This is pronounced exactly like 'crack'. Thus, if someone offers you crack, they're not actually offering you crack... and when you hear people discussing an exchange of crack, that's not a drug deal. Be aware!...Show more
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