More trips below! Have at it.

About Outspoken Traveler

Travel should be about embracing every moment — from the magic of the mundane to the awe-inspiring of nature, cities, the beauty that lingers in small places, and even an amazing meal.
My passion is to seek the magic lurking in every moment you travel to a new place; then let good planning and a dose of serendipity shape as many of the travel moments as possible. And finally, share it with you with a tongue-in-cheek honesty, authentic to my faults, stumbles along the way, and joys.
Thank you for particpating!
Alfred O’Neill
(Author pen name: A.E.S. O’Neill)

—OutspokenTraveler

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  • Mulcahy’s: Best Diner in Munster, Ireland? No kidding.

    And the winners of: Irish Restaurant Awards Munster Regional Final 2025. Mulcahy’s of Kenmare, Ireland is a very good restaurant. The BEST pate I have ever had. And it was chicken, which I normally avoid. I favor duck. From plate one I was grabbed. The chicken chasseur was exquisite…delicate pieces in a creamy sauce baked inside a pastry cup. Perusing the menu, it was one of those moments when you look up from your menu at the other table: “What are…

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  • Visiting the Mighty Connemara, Ireland: video that speaks to the awe you will feel.

    There are a thousand reasons why the Connemara National Park and region are so legendary. The haunting views. The boggy-laden ground that goes on forever. The lonely hikes and walks in the shadow ominous, bulging mountains. The contrast of greens, browns and the blue of the sky as it battles for dominance wit the constant shifting clouds. Then the sun breaks through and you catch your breath. Connemara National Park: try and go off-season; the bumper months are best…

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  • Visiting N. Ireland and you missed the Shepherd’s Hut of the Sperrin Mtns?

    Justine says it best: “At the Shepherds Hut, you just feel like you’re part of nature. There’s almost a mystical feeling about it to me. And that’s what’s so hard to convey in social media, is that it’s not just the views. It’s not just the hot tub. There’s an actual mystical beauty to it that you have to experience.” Justine is from the U.S., but married a local Irishman, so she has a true perspective on the beauty.…

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  • The Tuareg: Regal Blue Man tribe of the Sahara

    The blue man, a Tuareg tribesman, was incredibly tall. Because of his draping blue robes, his long legs seemed like he was gliding across the sand. It was a slow walk past mud buildings to a mosque that was a thousand years old. As he spoke of the mosque’s royal history, gently animated, he held himself in a constant pose of majesty as if he were the entire tribe, and all their ancient collective pride resided in him.  The…

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  • Now why would Nat’l Geographic call the Sperrin’s one of the most beautiful mountain ranges on Earth?

    When you see a place so stunning, yet simple in its beauty, you never forget it. So, Instead of me writing about the Sperrin Mountains of Northern Ireland, U.K., let me show you what I saw. National Geographic, as always, was so damned right.

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  • Seeking Balance? Lagom (Balance) of Kenmare creates a new standard for Irish B&B’s.

    Aren’t we all seeking “balance” in a crazy world? Are our vacations a mix of dreams of both relaxation and fun discovery? Lagom in Kenmare, County Kerry, is a great place to find both. Lagom is a special, unique place of food and rest. Stay here. Eat here. Be sure to say hello to Liz and Brendan, the owners and a wonderful team. First, the restaurant then the rooms. When asked about the name, Lagom, Liz said when they…

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  • Donald’s buggy ride & stories make any day perfect at the Gap of Dunloe. (County Kerry)

    A magic buggy ride in the Gap of Dunloe, county Kerry, Ireland. Humor, wild tales, wild wind. Truly by the roadside.

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  • A great chowder and a smile to remember. The Bervie BnB, Achill Island, County Mayo

    The Bervy, BnB.

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  • Five Days on Henrietta Street, London.

    London had changed. As it always does. London has the best and widest variety of boutique hotels. The Henrietta, by the Experimental Group, was a delightful surprise. I took a chance, especially since my significant other had never been to London and a good hotel room is crucial. I had not been since 2019. The toilet was broken upon our arrival, but the staff stepped in, specifically Christina, and proved that good hotels, especially boutiques, are not just about…

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  • Angkor Wat: Overwhelming feat and it changes you, but it is up to you how…

    While this post focuses on Angkor Wat, I have to start in the middle of the full day guided tour we took. This specific temple was the most haunting and impressive; each tower and column with a different carved face. Each face stood perhaps 40 feet tall. The feel of the mystical and painfully human and divine all combine to leave you feeling almost lost in this historic center of worship. Altogether, a trip worthy of multiple days, but…

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  • SF Hilton: A huge but good hotel…gateway to North Beach

    First, Hilton’s mobile check-in/pick-a-room was very cool. In the in-between worlds of North Beach and Chinatown…and some rooms have a great view of the Transamerica tower. For this hotel to claim they are in the Financial district is foolish. It is deep in Chinatown and a short walk from North Beach. We found the location fabulous. The structure looks like one of those concrete monstrosities from the 1960’s, but it had been updated. The room was large, comfortable, bed…

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  • The 1,000 year-old leather tanneries of Fez Medina, Morocco

    At the heart of the labyrinthine Medina of Fez, Morocco lies the very ancient leather tanneries; they are a site unlike any other you will ever see. As you should always have a tour guide in this maze, it is inevitable to end up in the leather shops that overlook the many swirling pools of dye, leather, and the overwhelming odor of rotten flesh and the outcome of their work, the plethora of leather goods. The first thing you…

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  • Osaka sushi, the best in Chestnut Hill Philadelphia (with a caveat!)

    The best quality sushi in miles. Good service. Fresh fish. Nice people. Great take-out. Only draw back is the Specialty rolls are waaaaaay to pricey. The caveat of course is that they take too long for pick-up and do not have the option of brown rice instead of white. http://www.osakapa.com/

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  • Abruzzo, Italy: Remote. Requires patience. Unbound beauty.

    There will be a series of posts over the next few weeks on the Italian region of Abruzzo. Abruzzo is one of the most remote, poorest and least touristy areas in Italy. The seven days we were there staying at a rented farmhouse. This Journey will include food, towns, churches, mountains, food and the essence of this remote region. The cities we will cover: Chieti, Pescara, Penne, the truly medieval town of San Stefano di Sessanio, a few random…

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  • Hyatt Place, Princeton, NJ: Go Nassau or anywhere else!

    Hilton Garden Inn is better all around I always judge any hotel first and foremost by the people who work there. It was late in the evening when I checked in, and the lobby had that mix of small bar, tables and pastry display — all of which seem to me the faux pretense of luxury midst what is, as a fellow traveler said, “A dressed up Holiday Inn.” And that is about the size of it; the people…

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  • Hilton, SF Business District: Good value, great location.

    San Francisco, being the consummate tourist city, is awash with hotels of all sizes, flavors and styles; I think the first real boutique hotel I ever stayed in was there in the early 1990’s. But it is also a very tricky place to chose a hotel that is right for your type of vacation or neighborhood. Given the hills, you need to think geography and access to the places you want to see. SOMA has a wide range of…

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  • Fez, Morocco: La Maison Bleue: Exotic Berber music surrounds a wonderful meal

    After a day in the Fez Medina, being lead while getting lost in the maze of stores and stalls, passing donkey’s wearing diapers and people smiling and trying to catch your eye, we ended the day with a quiet sunset stroll to this amazing restaurant and riad, La Maison Bleue. The area past the door opened into a cavernous inner courtyard at least 4 stories tall. Ornate rugs and lanterns gave the room an ancient, exotic look and feel.…

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  • Miracle staircase of Loretto chapel, Sante Fe

    The Loretto chapel, now privately owned was a story completely unknown to before I arrived. Dutifully, looking for a guide book as I paid to get in, my immediate feeling was: now this is a small Gothic church. Diminutive would be a good word. In fact, by odd comparison, the church we visited in the 1,000 year-old Taos Pueblo was 2/3 the chapel size but felt cramped and poor. The Gothic design is a bit over powering because it…

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  • The Legion of Honor: A long drive, but SF best museum

    While San Francisco has a multitude of things to do, I would not call it a museum-city. In fact, I have been unimpressed by their MoMA in SOMA and the DeYoung in Golden Gate Park. Average, to say the least. But not so the Legion of Honor museum. My uncle, who has lived in the city for nearly fifteen years, has a magic touch to touring around the city to find its gems, hidden spots, parks, walks, food, whatever…

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  • La Maison Bleue: Dinner in Fez…Exotic Berber music surrounds a rainbow of spices and dishes

    After a day in the Fez Medina, being lead while getting lost, but not since we had a guide, in the maze of stores and stalls, shouting merchants, copper-pounding artisans, passing donkey’s wearing diapers and people smiling and trying to catch your eye, we ended the day with a quiet sunset stroll to this amazing restaurant. (Actually, the tour of the Fez Media will be its own post). La Maison Bleue It was a converted home with winding steps,…

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  • So why didn’t we visit a distillery in Scotland? (Blame it on Robertsons!)

    …because on our way to Erdradour distillery, the smallest of all distilleries, based in the tourist town of Pitlochry, we got waylaid by the incalculable whiskey knowledge of the owner of the town’s main whiskey store — Robertson’s. The tour we received was from one of the top ten experts in Scottish Whiskey, Ewan McIlwraith, who took us through dozens of different and rare whiskey’s — and ended his tour by telling us he chose his whiskey by season.…

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