"Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time"
-- Stephen Wright
For the Best Addresses, Ask a Local Also in this issue…
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Dear Untourist Reader, Visitors to Waterford City, Ireland usually don't see much beyond the quayside and the obligatory tour of the crystal factory. Few realize that Waterford is one of the oldest cities in the country (the Vikings had settled here by the 10th century) and deserves to be savored slowly, like a pint of Guinness. To help you do this-and get the most out of your stay-here is my inside guide to food and drink in the Waterford area… Pubs are essential to understanding something about Ireland, so Geoff's, on John Street, should be your first stop on arrival. One of the best pubs in town, it serves the perfect Guinness and always attracts a crowd. It's relaxed and casual-even the graffiti in the bathroom runs toward the philosophical. The wood, saloon-type bar has room for large groups of friends and, although there's no Irish dancing here, there's plenty of atmosphere. Downe's, on Thomas Street, is a quirky old pub: As well as having a snooker table, it also boasts a squash court 'round the back for the healthier regulars. This is one of the rare pubs that blends its own whiskey-ask the barman for the full story behind their N°. 9 blend. It's also one of the oldest pubs in town, serving alcohol for more than 200 years, and it attracts a varied crowd-come at the beginning of the week to meet some of the local characters. The old well in one corner is now glassed off-presumably to stop you from falling in should you over-indulge on the N° 9. Don't forget to try the original bottled Guinness-it's hard to find these days, even in Dublin, and Waterford is one of the few places where it's still common. The Uluru, on the Dunmore Road, is about a mile out of town. It's a late bar-staying open till 1 a.m. at the weekends-and DJ Rick plays cheesy music all night. If you're feeling hungry, there's a Chinese eatery upstairs. (The village of Dunmore, one of the most picturesque in the southeast, is worth seeing, too. If you like seafood, the Strand Inn, overlooking the beach, is the place to head.) Haughton's, just outside my home village of Ballyduff, is reputed to have the shortest bar in the world and is about 300 years old. Inside, it's all dim, lit partially by a real open fire. Rockets, in nearby Tramore, a charming coastal town, is another good address for beer-and food. Here you can tuck into a traditional Irish meal of ribs and colcannon (otherwise known as bacon ribs with mashed potatoes and cabbage-see the photo). 
Traditional Irish fare to keep out the cold: ribs and colcannon
It's hard to go hungry here, and you shouldn't have to do much foraging. Be sure to sample Waterford's own bread rolls, called blaas, at least once during your stay-they're light and floury and make tasty sandwiches with the local ham if you're lunching on the hoof. Otherwise go to the Mansion House on John's Hill for a full carvery lunch for only ?8.90 (light eaters can ask for a half-portion for ?6). Or try the tiny new Italian Harlequin Café that has just opened on Patrick's Hill. It's run by a couple of young Italian guys who do foccacia sandwiches with parma ham and mozzarella, spicy salami and sun-dried tomatoes, fresh warm bread with chili, truffle, and olive dips, gnocchi, lasagna, and more, with a respectable wine list. One of my favorite restaurants is Bodega, on John Street. Specializing in French cuisine, the food is always good-their warm chocolate soufflé alone is worth the detour-and wall space is given to budding young artists' work. If you come to visit, be sure to drop me a line and let me know what you think of these places. As an Untourist, you know that for the best addresses, you can't do better than to ask the locals.
Best regards, Elaine Finnegan
Events Co-Director P.S. If you're in Ireland in September, why not join us at our Live and Prosper in Europe Seminar, Barcelona, September 6 - 8. Email events@internationalliving.com or call +1-410-223-2688 or toll free (U.S. and Canada only) 1-866-381-8446 to register your interest and be among the first to get details on this event.
Travel News Thai'd up in Bangkok Bangkok's old Don Muang airport will be reopening next month for domestic flights only. This is while the teething problems of the new $4-billion Suvarnabhumi airport are smoothed out-repairs are already being made to the new terminal and some of the taxiways. Make sure you check with your airline before taking a flight, as there are rumors that Don Muang may be kept open later as a second hub for international flights… Quicker check-in for flights within Japan Japan Airlines and All Nippon Airways have launched a system that enables passengers with no check-in luggage to identify themselves and skip the usual check-in lines. These passengers will still have to go through security, however, and the service is only available for domestic flights in which no ID is required. Travel Tips Be doubly careful with Hotels.com!
From Roving Latin America Editor Lee Harrison Be doubly careful with Hotels.com!
Caution is required when using Hotels.com: its online booking now defaults to a two-day stay, instead of a one-day stay like everyone else. To get the best prices, you will usually be charged non-refundable rates, so if you're not careful you may get a two-day charge on your card when you only wanted one. Keep a healthy tum
From Osheena Tayal, Untourist Reader To stay healthy while traveling, especially out of the U.S., take acidophilus tablets before and during your trip to prevent gastrointestinal upsets. And take along grapefruit seed extract tablets (the liquid form may be too bitter) if you feel you are starting to get sick or your immune system is compromised. | 
