Search - Globe Trekker: Ireland on DVD

Before your trek...

Zinta Aistars | Portage, MI United States | 02/03/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I've long been a fan of the Globe Trekker travel series. Each one has its own trekker, apparently chosen for just that journey, with a great sense of adventure and humor, a willingness to go off the beaten path and take adventure (and misadventure) as it comes.

As I begin to make my own plans for my personal trek to Ireland, it was a no brainer to turn first to Globe Trekker. I plan to view many other similar videos, read various books (and down a few pints in contemplation), because my approach to travel is to do my research first, then leave the guides behind and throw myself into the adventure. This Trek's travel guide, Ian Wright, is a terrific intro to an Irish journey. He has the brogue, the humor, the silly grin, the willingness to bumble, wince, earn blisters, down pints, down more pints, get lost, grumble at endless rain, and make friends with locals to show us not how tourists get by, but how the Irish live.

Beginning his journey on the Antrim coast in Northern Ireland, he then explores Belfast. The Irish pubs are all you would wish them to be. He sports his first creamy Guinness moustache in a 150-year old pub (and I make note to find this idyllic place for my first truly Irish Guinness), slurping down oysters on the shell with lemon alongside. Next, he hitchhikes and rides trains along the coast south, to Dublin, then Cobh and Kerry. The eye glories in the Irish landscape of bogs and endless green, mountains wrapped in mist, stony cliffs dropping straight into the sea. Ian visits the Blarney Castle to kiss the Blarney Stone for the gift of gab... and comes up speechless. He visits Celtic ruins and makes pilgrimages and enjoys boat rides to more islands, fishes with an Irish fisherman for mackerel, and dances a jig with Irish maidens.

And drinks more Guinness. If this travelogue is at all accurate, this beautiful island has nothing else to drink from coast to coast but Guinness.

I'm packing my bags.

"

Five Stars For Ian Wright

Robert I. Hedges | 01/14/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This DVD was a certain winner for me: I love Ireland, I like "Globe Trekker", and my favorite travel host is Ian Wright: I was not disappointed. I have been to Ireland many times, and have always loved it for too many reasons to list in a brief review. In this DVD Wright visits some of the most famous Irish locales (Belfast, Connemara, Donegal, Dublin, Cobh, and Kerry, just to name a few), and manages to meet numerous unfailingly cheery people along the way; of course many of them are enjoying a locally brewed beverage to keep their spirits up!

What's not to love? Ireland is called "the Emerald Isle" for a reason: it's beautiful and green, the people are friendly and easygoing, and the historical sights are dense and interesting. This is one of the best episodes of "Globe Trekker" and I recommend it to anyone interested in Ireland. Better yet, visit yourself: you won't be sorry!"