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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  • In 2018, where did OutspokenTraveler visit?

    The Belvedere by the river Tejo Tague in Lisbon; a magnificent monument to the glorious history of Portuguese sailors and navigators who commanded the seas.

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  • Rotorua, New Zealand, and the Amazing Redwoods Treewalk.

    New Zealand, and Rotorua…this time the unusual interpretation on redwoods with the Redwoods Treewalk. We are so used to standing on the bare ground in a sacred circle of redwoods, that to climb and walk among their heights was unique. Redwoods and the giant sequoia have a mystic comfort that no other tree provides. It is true that if you sit inside a circle of these mighty giants, there are no bugs, no sounds, nothing but these living creatures…

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  • Hungarian National Parliament: ornate, haughty, imperious and the home of a shaky democracy.

    Humankind has a proclivity to build massive, ornate, governmental buildings so the rulers can impress the ruled with their power. Such is the Hungarian Parliament building of Budapest. This is more than just another huge structure, it represents the painful dynamic of a country at odds with itself and its history. We entered the visitors center from the Danube side, and caught a glimpse of the of this massive edifice, another of many, but this one on the Pest…

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  • Cafe Boulud: In NY, French cuisine is not rare, but the authentic spirit is often lacking.

    We love French food. (Do you know anyone who doesn’t?) In this world of bastardized menus with mashed-up cuisines, authentic French cuisine in a fine restaurant setting is rare. But when it happens? That means, at that moment, with that meal, things are right in the world. Such is Cafe’ Boulud, a Daniel NY restaurant, tucked, innocuous, off the corner of the lobby of the (superb) Surrey Hotel on 76th and Madison. The restaurant feels like an act of…

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  • Four Seasons Gresham Palace of Budapest: Art Nouveau gem where a drink in the bar calls

    As you walk into the Gresham Palace, now a Four Seasons Hotel, take a moment to pause and draw in the entirety of the T-shaped entrance and lobby with its incredible Art Nouveau style and detail — a style evident everywhere in the hotel, from lobby to bathroom. Art Nouveau was a dominant architectural style from 1890-1910, surrounds you with beauty, from floor to walls to ceiling — it is pervasive in that it style touches everything and gives…

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  • New Year’s day in Vienna: bring in the new year with a horse-drawn carriage ride!

    New Year’s day and another incredible day on the Golden Eagle Danube Express. After the high-energy, royal Rathaus city hall Silvesterer Ball, New Year’s morning found us in the same place but a far different experience. They arranged a tour in 19th century, horse-drawn carriage through the quiet, Empire-strewn buildings and cobblestone streets of Vienna…transported to a different era would be a gross understatement. Where does it start? Returning back by bus from the magnificent Rathaus city hall Silvesterer…

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  • Holy Cross Monastery outside Vienna: The lure of the afterlife frames the actions of the living.

    New Year’s Day on the Danube Express: After brunch, which we were taken to after a horse drawn carriage ride through Vienna, we boarded the usual large tour bus. Andrea, the excellent tour guide for the trip, set our expectations and handed the microphone over to our guide through the Cistercian Abbey Stift Heiligenkreuz, translated “Holy Cross”, founded in 1133 a.d. Abbeys, monasteries, holy European residences proliferate across the continent. This was unique is several amazing, — haunting, ancient,…

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  • Tigris, restaurant of Budapest: gourmet yes, but perhaps the royalty of Foie Gras

    Foie Gras draws on strong opinions: people either love it hate it. Yes, there are always those in-between, of which may be be one, but I definitely like it…a lot. We ate here on our last night in Budapest at the recommendation of the concierge. At Tigris, a block or two from the Gresham Palace, you have reached Tigris the capital of Foie Gras; self-described as a Magyar traditional gourmet restaurant, it is known (and worthy of it) for…

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  • Evora, Portugal: postcard of cathedrals, and an unforgettable local amazing lunch.

    Lisbon is a great base for day trips. We took three: Sintra, and Obidos to the north; Evora to the west. All are highly recommended. This is about Evora and a restaurant and lunch that should not be missed. Hugo, my Lapa Palace concierge, one of the all-time best concierge’s, recommended renting a car for a day trip to Evora. He was one of several who did so. Renting a car was easy through the hotel —a feat not…

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  • An 7-day train tour of Budapest, Prague with magnificent Vienna for New Years: part 1

    Let the journey begin! An seven day train trip called the Golden Eagle Danube Express touring the mighty and many UNESCO sites, cities, small and large, with great food, company and a amazing guide…but the train. That was something right from the 19th century. The journey begins in Budapest— never visited before but such classic beauty and warm, inviting proud people. We didn’t know the entire city was a UNESCO site which seems odd until you taste all of…

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  • New Year’s in Vienna city hall!

    The cornerstone of the 7-day train trip is celebrating New Year in the Vienna city hall, dancing waltzes under the roof of this massive Rathaus Neo gothic architecture complicated monster of a building. A monster of gilded opulence and beauty, holding true to an orchestra, waltzes, food and wine taken to the height of class. Perhaps the best New Years celebration we have ever had. Built in the 1870’s, the ball felt like nothing had changed. Let the invitation…

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  • O Faia, Caso de Fado, the venue for the soulful music of Lisbon.

    The sad magic of Fado…

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