Irish Customs Part 3 - Weddings

There are many old Irish verses about proposals and weddings such as: Marry in April if you can, joy for maiden and for man. And of course what woman could resist one of these fine proposals: Would you like to be buried with my people" or..."Would you like to hang your washing next to mine?"
Customs surrounding courtship, engagement and marriage are as rich in Ireland as they are in many corners of the world. Well into the 20th century, the busiest time for match-making in Ireland began right after Epiphany - January 6th. This was because the Irish had misinterpreted a Church ruling set forth in November, 1563 which prohibited weddings during Lent. The popular reasoning that evolved from this decree was that if you could not marry during Lent, then you had to marry before. Thus, it was taken for granted that Shrovetide was the proper time to marry and Shrove Tuesday - the day before Ash Wednesday - became the most favored day of all.

With most weddings these days taking place on a Saturday, it may seem strange to us that just a few decades ago, marriages in Ireland would be performed on any day of the week except Saturday and Sunday. In fact, there's a little verse that illustrates the Irish luck associated with whichever day a couple chose to exchange their vows:
Monday for health
Tuesday for wealth,
Wednesday the best day of all,
Thursday for losses,
Friday for crosses,
And Saturday, no day at all!

It's all very logical when one remembers that Ireland was a rural country and Saturday was market day - the day when families bought and sold livestock, produce and whatever else was needed to support and sustain them. And, as far as I know, the Catholic Church would not have allowed marriages on the Sabbath.

But, back to the wedding plans. Once a union was arranged, there'd be the "walking out" - always chaperoned, of course. Often, the girl's parents would send a younger sibling along, ostensibly to pick flowers, but, in reality, to make certain there were no liberties taken by either party. These escorts were often known as "daisy pickers."

While an arranged marriage may not seem very romantic to us, many of the engaged couples had known each other since they were children - and, in a lot of cases, feelings of affection were already established. So, even though romantic love as we know it was unheard of back then, families would do their best to match a son or daughter with a mate they thought would be a compatible companion.

At some point during the walking out period, another important event took place - that of "walking the land." This was when the daughter's parents would do an inspection of the future son-in-law's family home. Afterwards, they'd partake of the hospitality of the house to make certain there were no miserly tendencies in the young man's family. It was most likely after this special occasion that that favorite pre-wedding party Aitin' the Gander was scheduled.

Not so long ago, to hear the old storytellers tell about it, there used to be a custom that makes me wonder if today's term 'to cook one's goose' didn't have its origins in Ireland. When the matchmaker had succeeded in having the respective families of the bride and groom agree to a union, the groom was invited to come meet his future wife. It was on this occasion that the bride's family would roast a goose in honor of the up-coming nuptials. It was a chance for the couple to become better acquainted and all involved in the wedding would be invited, including the priest. Following dinner, there'd be dancing and plenty of opportunity for the couple to take a gander at what their families had lined up for them.

Another version of this same custom was called 'picking the gander.' It came by its name from when family members discussed the implications of married life with the blushing bride-to-be as they plucked or picked the feathers from the goose. After Aitin the Gander,' the families would get together to do 'The Bindings' or marriage agreement. This agreement could often be extremely complicated. In many instances, for example, the daughter's mother and father would include a proviso that when they were old, they would get their full need of essentials such as milk, turf, butter, eggs and a ride to Sunday Mass.

Irish Customs Part 2 - Matchmaking

Matchmaking was one of the oldest traditions of Ireland when the country had two classes - the rich landowners and the poor peasants. The rich organized matchmaking so that their sons and daughters would meet and marry other people who were also well to do. For the last couple of hundred years, a good deal of it has taken place in Lisdoonvarna during September and early October.

The name Lisdoonvarna comes from 'Lios Duin Bhearna', which means the lios or enclosure of the fort in the gap. The town developed into a tourist center as early as the middle of the 18th-century when a top Limerick surgeon discovered the beneficial effects of its mineral waters. People traveled from near and far to bathe in, and drink, the mineral waters. Rich in iron, sulphur and magnesium, the waters gave relief from the symptoms of certain diseases including rheumatism and glandular fever.

The Spa Hotel was the center around which the village developed. The opening of the West Clare Railway contributed towards that development, although the nearest railway station was seven miles away at Ennistymon. This station opened in l887 and from that time onwards, until the advent of the motorcar, tourists traveled from the train in pony and trap to ''The Spa''.

It was due to the popularity of these mineral springs and the huge amount of people going there that led to the Lisdoonvarna "matchmaking tradition". September became the peak month of the holiday season and with the harvest safely in, bachelor farmers flocked to Lisdoonvarna in search of a wife.

By the 1920s, matchmaking was still in vogue and people continued to come and "take the waters", including many of Ireland's clergy. It was around this time that one of Lisdoonvarna's most famous sayings was coined, describing the town as a place "where parish priests pretend to be sober and bank clerks pretend to be drunk" .

Today, there are just two official Matchmakers left in Co. Clare: Mr. Willie Daly who runs the riding center outside Ennistymon and Mr. James White, hotelier and proprietor of the Imperial Hotel in the village. With the exception of the pairings these two plan and negotiate, very little genuine matchmaking takes place nowadays. However, Lisdoonvarna's annual festival has evolved into Europe's largest single's event. People don't necessarily come to look for a spouse - they come by the thousands in search of a good time.

For the month of September, dances run from 12:00 noon each day and carry on into the small hours of the next morning. Set dancing exhibitions are also a feature of the event and there's live Irish music in most pubs, although getting to the bar can be quite a task, but don't worry or hurry, because the music carries on until the early hours.

If you can afford the time and the money, and you're single, head for Lisdoonvarna this September and early October. You never know - as well as enjoying all of the good-natured fun and grand "craic", you might also find the perfect mate!

Irish Customs Part 1 - Wakes

Respect for the dead has always been a prominent feature of Irish culture. Traditions say a very special female spirit, the bean sí (banshee) is often heard to announce by her wailing the impending death of a member of a family.

A wide range of beliefs and practices were concerned with the issues of death and burial and, in former times, the waking of the dead was an important social occasion.

The practice of Waking the dead used to be the custom in most Celtic countries in Europe for mourners to keep watch or vigil over their dead until they were buried - this was called a 'Wake'. The wake of the past was an occasion for both sadness and merriment. Ireland appears to be the only country where the custom has survived as strong as it is, although it must be said that it is losing favor here too and the funeral parlor seems to be replacing the home as the venue for the traditional waking. More families too are beginning to wake their dead in private. Maybe in time the traditional public funeral which is seen as an expression of sympathy for the bereaved family will also have disappeared.

There was always a certain unwritten ritual that sympathizers observed when calling to the Wake house. First there was a visit to the room where the corpse was laid out to say a prayer and pass the usual compliments about how well he/she looked even in death. A quick look around took in the crucifix, lighted candles on a little table and the well laundered linen on the bed. In some families bed linen was kept specifically for this purpose and even though it might be a hundred years old it could be as white as the driven snow. In nearly every area there was a woman or two who washed and laid out the dead. They too came in for a word of compliment before leaving the room. 'Didn't Cassie make a great job of laying him out. What would the place do without her' was a statement rather than a question. Then came the expressions of sympathy. Every relative, even down to the most distant in-law was given a perfunctory handshake and a muttered 'Sorry for your trouble'. The real sympathy was reserved for the spouse or immediate family. The caller was invited to sit down. If no seat was available some one would be sure to get up and offer one glad of the opportunity to get slipping out unobserved. Neighbors who had come in to help would go around offering snuff, plug tobacco and clay pipes. There was always a 'wee wan' for the men or a small port for the ladies. In more recent times these were replaced by tea, cake and sandwiches.

People kept calling into the Wake house all day and at mid-night the Rosary was recited. After the prayers all except those who were sitting up all night soon dispersed. Supper was served and the women usually went to the corpse room while the men remained in the kitchen. It was at this stage that the games and storytelling got under way. No doubt a stranger unaccustomed to the ways would look on this merriment as irreverent, or at the very least hypocritical, and consider it a contradiction of the real feelings of expressed sympathy. But this light relief had a certain therapeutic value for the grieving family while at the same time helping those who were keeping vigil to pass the night and so it was an accepted part of Waking the dead. There were certain games that were reserved for Wakes only; like 'Hide the Gulley', 'Priest of the Parish' and 'Riddle me Ree'. In the West of Ireland musicians used to play at Wakes, and caoiners (professional criers) were employed to display affected grief. All over the Northwest, and possibly throughout the whole country, all servile work and entertainment ceased in a townland when someone died there. Up to about forty years ago dances would not be held in Donegal town if there was a death in the vicinity and if they had already been arranged they were cancelled or postponed.

The funeral gave people who were unable to attend the Wake an opportunity to express their sympathy by attending Mass and, when the practice of giving Offerings was in existence, by walking up to the collection table and handing their two shilling piece or half crown - the usual offering - to a teller who called out the amount and the name of contributor. The name was mentally noted by the mourners who looked on this as a debt that must be paid back when a death took place in the contributor's family circle. The paying of Offerings, suspended about 35 years ago, had its origin in a practice that existed in penal days of giving a small offering to the priest when he came to bury the dead. The priest who would have been on the run from the English would not have had an income to support him and depended on small stipends like these from the people.

Italian Customs and Family

FamilyCulturally, many Italians place a very high value on family bonds. Extended families often live together, with the mother at the center of the household in the deeply respected role of giver and matriarch. It is traditional for extended families who do not live together to try to dine together daily.
Many Italians also take care of their elderly relatives. The family unit includes aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents as well as parents and children, and it is the social hub of a traditional Italian's life.

FoodThe stereotypes of Italians having a special relationship with food are based in truth, and Italian family meals are often more formal than the average American family meal. Italians do not need a special occasion to set an elegant table. They also have specific ideas about which foods and drinks are suitable for which times of day; for example, Italians drink cappuccinos in the morning and not the afternoon. They pair beer with pizza and water or wine with other afternoon and evening meals.

ClothingItalians dress to be seen and expect to be watched in public -- they do not consider it bad manners to stare openly at strangers. This means that they tend to be invested in their clothing and in dressing appropriately, generally more formally than is common in America. They choose elegant styles that coordinate with the seasons. Italians take pride in their appearance and may judge people negatively 

EtiquetteIn Italian custom, it is polite to display enthusiasm for another person by touching, hugging and kissing him, particularly when saying hello. Extended eye-contact is also considered polite, and an unwillingness to meet someone's eyes is considered a sign of untrustworthiness. It is traditional for family elders to be the first to enter a room and for children to stand when adults come into their presence as signs of respect. Personal dignity is of great importance, and Italians show respect for one another's dignity by observing these customs.

Cliffs of Moher Ireland

The Cliffs of Moher (Irish: Aillte an Mhothair) are located at the southwestern edge of the Burren region in County Clare, Ireland. They rise 120 metres (390 ft) above the Atlantic Ocean at Hag's Head, and reach their maximum height of 214 metres (702 ft) just north of O'Brien's Tower, eight kilometres to the north. A round stone tower near the midpoint of the cliffs, the tower was built in 1835 by Sir Cornelius O'Brien.  From the cliffs and from atop the tower, visitors can see the Aran Islands in Galway Bay, the Maumturks and Twelve Pins mountain ranges to the north in County Galway, and Loop Head to the south. The cliffs rank amongst the top visited tourist sites in Ireland, and receive almost one million visitors a year.  The closest settlements are Liscannor (6 km south) and Doolin (7 km north). 

Name

The cliffs take their name from an old fort called Moher that once stood on Hag's Head, the southernmost point of the cliffs. The writer Thomas Johnson Westropp referred to it in 1905 as Moher Uí Ruis or Moher Uí Ruidhin. The fort still stood in 1780 and is mentioned in an account from John Lloyd's a Short Tour Of Clare (1780). It was demolished in 1808 to provide material for a new telegraph tower. The present tower near the site of the old Moher Uí Ruidhin was built as a lookout tower during the Napoleonic wars.

Tourism

The cliffs are one of the most popular tourist destinations in Ireland and topped the list of attractions in 2006 by drawing almost one million visitors.^[ Since 2011 they have formed a part of the Burren and Cliffs of Moher Geopark, one of a family of geotourism destinations throughout Europe which are members of the European Geoparks Network.

 

In the 1990s, Clare County Council initiated development plans to enable visitors to experience the cliffs without significant intrusive man-made amenities. In keeping with this approach, the Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience was built into a hillside approaching the cliffs. The centre is also intended to be environmentally sensitive in its use of renewable energy systems including geothermal heating and cooling, solar panels, and grey water recycling.
The €32 million facility was planned and built over a 17-year period, and officially opened in February 2007. Facility exhibits include interactive media displays covering the geology, history, flora and fauna of the cliffs. A large multimedia screen displays a bird's eye view from the cliffs, as well as video from the underwater caves below the cliffs.

 

The visitor's centre charges €6 per adult, with children under 16 admitted free. This covers parking, access to the visitor centre and Atlantic Edge exhibition, and a contribution towards conservation and safety at the cliffs.
The Cliffs of Moher Visitor Experience won an award in the "Interpret Britain & Ireland Awards" 2007 awarded by the Association of Heritage Interpretation (AHI). Although the award was specifically for the Atlantic Edge exhibition, the AHI assessed the entire visitor centre and site. The citation stated that the entire visitor centre was "one of the best facilities that the judges had ever seen."
Separate ferry trips also allow tourists to view the cliffs from sea level.

Geology and wildlife

The cliffs consist mainly of beds of Namurian shale and sandstone, with the oldest rocks being found at the bottom of the cliffs. It is possible to see 300-million year-old river channels cutting through, forming unconformities at the base of the cliffs.  ^There are an estimated 30,000 birds living on the cliffs, representing more than 20 species. These include Atlantic puffins, which live in large colonies at isolated parts of the cliffs and on the small Goat Island, and razorbills. The site is an Important Bird Area.

Popular culture

The Cliffs of Moher have appeared in numerous media. In cinema, the cliffs have appeared in several films, including The Princess Bride (1987) (as the filming location for "The Cliffs of Insanity"), Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009), and Leap Year (2010). The cliffs are mentioned in the Martin Scorsese film Bringing Out the Dead (1999), and are noted in the 2008 documentary Waveriders as the location of a large surfing wave known as "Aileens".

In music, the cliffs have appeared in music videos, including Maroon 5's "Runaway" video, Westlife's "My Love", and Rich Mullins' "The Color Green". Most of singer Dusty Springfield's ashes were scattered at the cliffs by her brother, Tom.
In television, the cliffs appear in the episodes of Father Ted called "Tentacles of Doom" and "Cigarettes and Alcohol and Rollerblading" (1996).

In literature, the cliffs are an important location in Eoin Colfer's The Wish List, as one of Lowrie's wishes is spitting off the Cliffs of Moher.

Irish FYIs

The three green leaves of the Shamrock is more than the unofficial symbol of Ireland and one of the marshmallows in Lucky Charms. The Shamrock has held meaning to most of Ireland’s historic cultures. The Druids believed the Shamrock was a sacred plant that could ward off evil. The Celtics believed the Shamrock had mystical properties due to the plant’s three heart-shaped leaves. The Celtics believed three was a sacred number. Some Christians also believed the Shamrock had special meaning- the three leaves representing the Holy Trinity.



To most people, St. Patrick is the man who brought a day of good times and green beer to pubs across the world. In reality, St. Patrick wasn’t made a saint until centuries after his death and he wasn’t even Irish. St. Patrick was born in Britain to a wealthy family. During his childhood, he was kidnapped and sold into slavery in Ireland. During his years in slavery he converted to Christianity and once freed he did spend the rest of his life teaching the Irish about the Christian religion, but he was soon forgotten after his death. It wasn’t until many years later that monks began telling the tale of St. Patrick forcing all the snakes out of Ireland. Something he never could have done as there never were any snakes in Ireland.


The leprechaun is likely the most widely known type of fairy living in Ireland. Leprechauns have been in existence in Irish legend since the medieval times. Traditionally, leprechauns are tall fairies and often appear to humans as an old man – much different from the modern view of a small, childlike fairy in a green suit. As legend holds, Leprechauns love to collect gold, which they store in a pot and hide at the end of a rainbow. If a human catches a leprechaun, the fairy must grant the human three-wishes before he can be released.

Rialto Bridge Venice Italy

The Piazza San Marco may be more famous, but the Ponte di Rialto (Rialto Bridge) is the true heart of Venice. The current structure was built in just three years, between 1588 and 1591, as a permanent replacement for the boat bridge and three wooden bridges that had spanned the Grand Canal at various times since the 12th Century. It remained the only way to cross the Grand Canal on foot until the Accademia Bridge was built in 1854.

The Rialto Bridge's 7.5-meter (24-foot) arch was designed to allow passage of galleys, and the massive structure was built on some 12,000 wooden pilings that still support the bridge more than 400 years later. The architect, Antonio da Ponte ("Anthony of the Bridge," appropriately enough), competed against such eminent designers as Michelangelo and Palladio for the contract.

 The bridge has three walkways: two along the outer balustrades, and a wider central walkway leading between two rows of small shops that sell jewelry, linens, Murano glass, and other items for the tourist trade.

 

One of our favorite restaurants is right by the Rialto water bus exit.  Al Carbon. 

 

Here is the shop side of Rialto.

 

 

Here is the view from Al Carbon.

Notice Water Bus exit 1A takes you right there.

 

 

 

Italian Word of the Day

Day 21 - shopping:

Do you have this in my size? 

Avete questo nella mia taglia? (ah-VEH-teh KWEHS-toh NEHL-lah myah tah-LYAH?)

 

How much is this? 

Quanto costa questo? (KWAHN-toh KOHS-tah KWEHS-toh?)

 

Would you take _____? 

Prendereste _____? (prehn-DEH-rehs-teh....?)

 

expensive 

caro (KAH-roh)

 

cheap 

economico (eh-koh-NOH-mee-koh)

 

I don't want it. 

Non lo voglio. (nohn loh voh-LYOH)

 

I'm not interested. 

Non son interessato. (nohn sohn een-teh-REHS-sah-toh)

 

OK, I'll take it. 

Va bene, lo prendo. (vah BEH-neh, loh PREHN-doh)

 

Can I have a bag? 

Posso avere una busta? (POHS-soh AVEH-reh OO-nah BOOS-tah?)

 

Do you ship (overseas)? 

Potete spedirlo (all'estero)? (poh-TEH-teh speh-DEER-loh (AHL-lehs-TEH-roh)?)

 

I need... 

Ho bisogno di... (oh bee-SOH-nyoh dee...)

 

...toothpaste. 

...dentifricio. (dehn-tee-FREE-choh)

 

...toothbrush. 

...spazzolino da denti. (spaht-tsoh-LEE-noh dah DEHN-tee)

 

...tampons. 

...tampone/assorbente. (tahm-POH-neh/ ahs-SOHR-behn-teh)

 

...soap. 

...sapone. (sah-POH-neh)

 

...shampoo. 

...shampoo. (SHAHM-poo)

 

...pain reliever. 

...aspirina. (ahs-pee-REE-nah)

 

...cold medicine. 

...medicina per il raffreddore. (meh-dee-CHEE-nah pehr eel rahf-FREHD-doh-reh)

 

...stomach medicine. 

...medicina per lo stomaco. (meh-dee-CHEE-nah pehr loh stoh-MAH-koh)

 

...a razor. 

...un rasoio. (oon rah-ZOH-io)

 

...an umbrella. 

...un ombrello. (oon ohm-BREHL-loh)

 

...sunblock lotion. 

...lozione/crema solare. (loh-TSYOH-neh/ KREH-mah soh-LAH-reh)

 

...a postcard. 

...una cartolina. (OO-nah kahr-TOH-lee-nah)

 

...postage stamps. 

...francobolli. (frahn-koh-BOHL-lee)

 

...batteries. 

...batterie. (baht-TEH-ryeh)

 

...an English-Italian dictionary. 

...un dizionario Inglese-Italiano. (oon dee-tsyoh-NAH-ryoh een-GLEH-zeh-ee-tah-LYAH-noh)

Eating in Ireland

When in Dublin a must visit is the Temple Bar.  It is very popular amongst tourists and a fun place to visit.  Here is a link to the menu so you can get a little idea of what you might find to eat in a restaurant in Ireland.  You can also get an idea of the prices.  I have always found food and drink a little pricey in Ireland.  Be prepared to pay 4 to 5 Euro or more for a pint.

http://www.thetemplebarpub.com/pdfs/temple-bar-food-drink-menu.pdf

Italian Word of the Day

Day 20 - Bars:
 

Note:  Water can be purchased two ways in Europe.  With fizz and without fizz.  Carbonated water is very popular.  So make sure if you do not want fizz - you say no fizz.

Do you serve alcohol? 

Avete bevande alcoliche? (ah-VEH-teh beh-VAHN-deh ahl-KOH-lee-keh?)

 

A beer/two beers, please. 

Una birra/due birre, per favore. (OO-nah BEER-rah/ dweh BEER-reh, pehr fah-VOH-reh)

 

A glass of red/white wine, please. 

Un bicchiere di vino rosso/bianco, per favore. (oon beek-KYEH-reh dee VEE-noh ROHS-soh/ BYAHN-koh, pehr fah-VOH-reh)

 

I'd like a_______? 

Vorrei un_____? (vohr-RAY oon...?)

 

beer 

birra (BEER-rah)

 

wine 

vino (VEE-noh)

 

gin 

gin (jeen)

 

whiskey 

whisky (WEES-kee)

 

vodka 

vodka (VOHD-kah)

 

rum 

rum (rohm)

 

water 

acqua (AHK-kwah)

 

club soda 

club soda (kloob SOH-dah)

 

tonic water 

acqua tonica (AHK-kwah toh-NEE-kah)

 

orange juice 

succo di arancia (SOOK-koh dee ah-RAHN-chah)

 

Coke (soda) 

Coca Cola (KOH-kah KOH-lah)

 

A soda. 

Una soda. (OO-nah SOH-dah)

 

Do you have any bar snacks? 

Avete qualcosa da stuzzicare? (a-VE-te kwalcoza da STU-zee-ca-ray?)

 

One more, please. 

Un altro, per favore. (oon AHL-troh, pehr fah-VOH-reh)

 

Another round, please. 

Un altro giro, per favore. (oon AHL-troh JEE-roh, pehr fah-VOH-reh)

 

When is closing time? 

Qual è l'ora di chiusura? (kwah-LEH loh-RAH dee KYOO-zoo-rah?)

What NOT to Eat Overseas

Unpasteurized Dairy
Drinking unpasteurized milk, or eating unpasteurized dairy products like cheese or ice cream, is 150 times more likely to cause a foodborne illness than sticking to pasteurized dairy products, according to the FDA. Pasteurization (or the process of irradiation, in some countries) kills salmonella, E. coli, listeria, and other harmful bacteria that can be found in raw milk.
Related: 5 Foreign Foods That Can Kill You
Salad
Craving a crisp salad? Think twice before picking up your fork: The World Health Organization advises against green-leafed vegetables, since they can contain dangerous microorganisms that won't necessarily wash off with water. And in places where the water is of questionable quality, washing can actually compound the problem.
Fish and Shellfish
Bad news: Fish and shellfish may be delicious, but they can also be the source of some truly gnarly illnesses. For instance, anisakiasis is a raw-fish-based invasion of worms in the human gastrointestinal tract. Shellfish poisoning, meanwhile, can have paralytic, neurotoxic, or amnestic symptoms. Other types of seafood poisoning can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and even the sensation that your teeth are about to fall out.
Related: 9 Nasty Germ Zones to Avoid When Traveling
Buffet Foods
Buffets present a series of logistical food-safety challenges. Keeping foods from spoiling requires constant attention, but buffet food sits unattended for hours. People can cough or sneeze on the food, or touch it with their unwashed hands. Flies easily land—and poop—on food exposed to the air. And then there's the temperature problem: Hot foods need to stay piping hot, and cold foods must remain refrigerator-cold to ward off bacteria growth. With so many elements working against your intestinal health, it's better to steer clear of buffets anywhere you're not 100 percent confident of food handling and safety techniques.
Raw Eggs
Want to avoid foodborne illness in another country? Then skip runny eggs, novelty cocktails, homemade mayonnaise, and other products that rely on raw or undercooked eggs. If you're preparing local eggs yourself, don't wash or soak them, either—according to the University of Michigan, doing so can drive bacteria from the shell into the interior of the egg.
Related: 11 Secret Natural Cures for Travel Ailments
Certain Fruits
Fruit has its own special place in the traveler food safety adage, "Boil it, cook it, peel it, or forget it!" Avoid fruits that don't come with a built-in thick peel. The good news is that fruits with a thick peel are protected from tainted water and soil, and are considered safe to eat just about everywhere. Bananas, mangoes, pineapple, and papayas are among the delicious fruit protected by their own tough peels. For maximum safety, peel the fruit yourself, and make sure any cutting implements are clean and dry when you start.
Undercooked Meat
Undercooked meat often tastes really good. But you still might consider avoiding it, at least when you're not 100 percent confident about its path from farm to table. Raw meat presents two layers of potential contamination. The exterior surface is basically a canvas for enteric pathogens, but these are easily killed off by cooking. However, there's also the chance of parasitic pathogens in the muscle tissue, and that's why food safety experts make such a big deal about cooking meat to an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Related: 7 Risky Foods to Avoid While Traveling
Bush Meat
Even the most adventurous carnivores should avoid eating monkey, bats, and wild game if gastrointestinal health is a priority. The CDC advises against eating "bush meat," the flesh of undomesticated animals. Raw bush meat has been suspected of creating a transmission bridge for Ebola and other animal-to-human viruses. Cooked, the meat can still be problematic, especially for travelers whose bodies are unused to local bacteria. And conservationists suggest avoiding bush meat since it could come from endangered or threatened species.
Popsicles
At first glance, a fun frozen treat like popsicles may seem like the most innocuous item on this list. But poor-quality water, fruit without thick peels, and unpasteurized dairy are often the main ingredients, making popsicles a triple threat in places where food safety may be an issue. If you're in a place where you're avoiding the water, do yourself a flavor and put that ice pop down, too.

Eating Overseas

Today I want to talk about eating overseas.  The good news is there is always a McDonalds close at hand.  The bad news is something we might expect will taste like it does here at home - does not.  I remember the first time I ordered ketchup in northern Australia.  It did not taste like ketchup.  I ruined my scrambled eggs. 

Breakfast for instance in Ireland will say bacon.  However their bacon is nothing like ours.  you will not get a nice crisp strip of bacon.  You will get something more like ham.  They also serve a fried tomato and beans with their traditional breakfast.  The beans taste like canned pork and beans.  Below you can see a typical breakfast.  The next paragraph will explain.

In Ireland, as elsewhere, the exact constituents of a full breakfast vary, depending on geographical area, personal taste and cultural affiliation. Traditionally, the most common ingredients are bacon rashers, pork sausages, fried eggs, white pudding, black pudding, toast and fried tomato.^[13] Sauteed field mushrooms are also sometimes included,^[14] as well as baked beans, hash browns, liver, and brown soda bread.^[15][16][17] Fried potato farl, boxty or toast is sometimes served as an alternative to brown soda bread.
The "breakfast roll",^[18] consisting of elements of the full breakfast served in a French roll, has become popular due to the fact it can be easily eaten on the way to school or work, similar to the breakfast burrito in the United States.^[18] The breakfast roll is available from many petrol stations and convenience stores throughout Ireland.^[18] In 2006 Irish comedian Pat Shortt released a song called "Jumbo Breakfast Roll".

 

It is not abnormal for me to make sure I take a small bottle of ketchup with me overseas.  How can someone enjoy fries (I mean chips) without proper ketchup?

 

In Europe they do not call French Fries fries.  Fries are called chips and chips are called crisps.  Hence the menu item fish and chips.  I find it hard to find BBQ chips - instead they have paprika crisps.  Another example is a cookie is called a biscuit and a biscuit is called a scone.

 

You will find this throughout the language and culture.  A few more are:

 

sneakers = runners or trainers

sweater = jumper (same in Australia)

fast food place that sales fries = chipper

sidewalk = footpath or pavement

car trunk = boot

car hood = bonnet

windshield = windscreen

attractive person = a ride

trash can = bin

suspenders = braces

parking lot = car park

drug store = chemist

stove = cooker

expensive = dear

cigarette = fag

overpass = flyover

soccer = football ** THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THEM

satisfied = happy as Larry

rent = hire

underpants = knickers

truck = lorry

vacation = holiday

elevator = lift

bathroom = loo / toilet

ground beef = mince

cell phone = mobile

diapers = nappies

pass traffic = overtake

gas = petro

drunk = pissed

mail = post

call someone = ring

high school = secondary school

outlet = socket

weight = stones (14 pounds to a stone)

faucet = tap

grocery cart = trolley

 

In closing just remember - if there is something you cannot live without maybe take it with you.  You will definitely find things you like over there that you cannot get here.  However Amazon it taking care of that.  I love the tea in Ireland.  Oh - and the chocolate because there is nothing like a Cadbury. 

 

Tomorrow we will talk about the foods you should never eat overseas.

 



Italian Word of the Day

Day 19 - eating

A table for one person/two people, please.

Un tavolo per uno/due, per favore. (oon tah-VOH-loh pehr OO-noh/ dweh, pehr fah-VOH-reh)

 

Can I look at the menu, please? 

Posso vedere il menu, per favore? (POHS-soh veh-DEH-reh eel meh-NOO, pehr fah-VOH-reh?)

 

fixed-price meal 

pranzo a prezzo fisso (PRAH-tsoh ah PREHD-zoh FEES-soh)

 

à la carte 

à la carte (AH lah KAHR-tah)

 

breakfast 

la prima colazione (lah PREE-mah koh-lah-TSYOH-neh)

 

lunch 

il pranzo (eel PRAHN-dzoh)

 

 supper 

la cena (lah CHEH-nah)

 

I would like _____. 

Vorrei _____. (vohr-RAY)

 

chicken 

il pollo (eel POHL-loh)

 

beef 

il manzo (eel MAHN-dzoh)

 

fish 

il pesce (eel PEH-sheh)

 

ham 

il prosciutto (eel proh-SHOOT-toh)

 

sausage 

salsiccia (sahl-SEET-chah)

 

cheese 

formaggio (fohr-MAHD-joh)

 

eggs 

uova (WOH-vah)

 

salad 

insalata (een-sah-LAH-tah)

 

(fresh) vegetables 

verdure fresche (vehr-DOO-reh FREHS-keh)

 

(fresh) fruit 

frutta fresca (FROOT-tah FREHS-kah)

 

bread 

pane (PAH-neh)

 

 rice 

riso (REE-zoh)

 

coffee 

caffè (kahf-FEH)

 

tea (drink) 

tè (TEH)

 

juice 

succo (SOOK-koh)

 

the water 

l'acqua (LAHK-kwah)

 

the bubbly water 

l'acqua frizzante (LAHK-kwah free-DZAHN-teh)

 

 beer 

birra (beer-RAH)

 

 red/white wine 

vino rosso/bianco (VEE-noh ROHS-soh/ BYAHN-koh)

 

May I have some _____? 

Posso aver del _____? (POHS-soh AH-vehr dehl...?)

or Posso avere un po' di ____? (POHS-soh ah-VEH-reh oon POH dee...?)

 

 salt 

sale (SAH-leh)

 

 black pepper 

pepe (PEH-peh)

 

Excuse me, waiter? (getting attention of server) 

Scusi, cameriere?(m)/cameriera?(f) (SKOO-zee, kah-meh-RYEH-reh?/ kah-meh-RYEH-rah?)

 

I'm finished. 

Ho finito. (oh fee-NEE-toh)

 

It was delicious. 

È squisito. (EH skwee-ZEE-toh)

 

The check, please. 

Il conto, per favore. (eel KOHN-toh, pehr fah-VOH-reh)