‘Outlander’ actor touts his native Scotland
As the capital of the country that gets my vote for the friendliest in the European Union, Dublin is a sightseer’s delight: It’s safe, thriving and extremely accessible. Dubliners are energetic and helpful, and visitors enjoy a big-town cultural scene wrapped up in a small-town smile.
Part of the reason Ireland is one of my favorite destinations is that when visiting the Emerald Isle, I enjoy the sensation that I’m understanding a foreign language. This is the land of great craic (conversation), where people have that charming and uniquely Irish “gift of gab.” They love to talk, and you’re glad they do.
On a trip there last summer, I opted to take Uber from the airport. My driver, Paul, calls to confirm the pick-up spot, and says in a heavy Irish accent, “I’ll meet you at the turd lane.” I ask, “The what?” He says, more clearly, “The lane.” Before I ask him to repeat himself a turd time, I get it.
As we drive, I ask him about the economy. He says, “Grand” — pointing out the crane-filled skyline. Dublin seems to be one huge construction site. But Paul then explains that it hasn’t always been this way. During his childhood with six siblings, he says, “it was ‘first up, best dressed.’ ” He joked that “people were so poor back then, for shoes your mum would paint your feet black and tie on a ribbon.”
Before moving to London at the age of 22, Sam Heughan studied at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. The Scottish actor has returned to his roots to portray Jamie Fraser on the hit Starz series “Outlander,” which is filmed in Scotland. Based out of Glasgow, the 37year-old philanthropist also is the founder of My Peak Challenge
a charitable foundation that advocates for a healthy lifestyle.
An edited version of our conversation follows.
A: I went to Thailand a couple of years ago, over Christmas and New Year. I trained Muay Thai twice a day for four hours. The rest of the time I relaxed on the beach or island hopped. Their New Year’s fireworks are amazing — and terrifying!
A: I draw on my Scottish roots and the scenery and culture every day on “Outlander.” I hope my next project will use the location and imagination just as much.
Ireland’s charming rough edge is being smoothed out by its new affluence. I notice the Irish don’t use a certain curse word so much. And the air’s cleaner too — even the pubs are smoke-free.
With Ireland’s invigorated economy comes a heightened focus on tourism. On my recent visit, I discovered intriguing new sights and experiences, had a great time at some iconic spots, and each night enjoyed fun and affordable entertainment.
Grafton Street is the place to feel the new energy of Dublin. Once filled with noisy traffic, today this is a pedestrianized people zone lined with cafes, pubs and shopping temptations. Grafton Street leads to St. Stephen’s Green, which used to host public whippings and hangings but has been transformed into a lush city park. the sea — the wildlife, eagles, dolphins and whales and the jagged peaks of the mountains in the distance.
A: I went to the oldest ramen bar in Kyoto, Japan. (There were) huge bowls of delicious bone broth, noodles, pickles and cold beer. I finished a bowl and ordered another immediately. A: Europe — Amsterdam and Paris.
A: Wander the streets of Amsterdam, stay in a canal houseboat, cycle a bicycle, eat great food, tasty beer, excellent clothes shops, museums and enjoy the people. The Dutch are fun and crazy!
A: I once spent a week sleeping outdoors with gauchos — cowboys in the Andes. It was remote and magnificent. On a sunny afternoon, it’s an inviting lunchtime escape.
The National Museum shows off Ireland’s history, with treasures from the Stone Age to modern times. Its archaeology branch is itself a national treasure, displaying 4,000-year-old gold jewelry, 2,000-year-old bog mummies, 1,000-yearold Viking swords and the collection’s superstar — the exquisitely wrought Tara Brooch. A visit here gives valuable context to the sights you see as you tour the rest of the city and the country.
To see the fabled Book of Kells, arguably the most important and beautiful piece of European medieval art, head to Trinity College. This 1,200-year-old version of the four gospels is filled with illuminated manuscripts. With colorful pigm ents, braided letters and
A: Anywhere homey and low-key. I had an amazing hotel in Zermatt (Switzerland) with a wood fire and big blankets looking out at the Matterhorn. Perfect ski location.
A: Everest, but I feel it’s become a little touristy and not respectful. borders, and animals crouching between sentences, it’s a jungle of intricate designs and a reminder that Ireland was a bright spot during Europe’s Dark Ages.
A new sight in town is Epic: The Irish Emigration Museum. I had never fully appreciated the Irish diaspora until my visit to this high-tech exhibit, which explains the forces that propelled so many Irish around the globe, including to the United States. With all the anxiety surrounding immigration in the U.S. today, it’s thought-provoking to learn that many Americans were just as wigged out about Irish immigrants 160 years ago.
I’m less enthralled with one of Dublin’s most popular (and congested) sights — the Guinness Storehouse, sort of
A: This should have been sorted out a long time ago by your online travel agency. It may not be immediately clear how your single reservation multiplied, but if Orbitz told you that you had only one reservation, it should have ensured that that was the case.
I contacted the hotel, and it insisted that Orbitz sent it two reservations under your name. That could have been a system glitch, or you inadvertently might have pushed the “book” button twice. If you did book twice by mistake, you never received a confirmation of a second booking. It’s a mystery.
But I keep coming back to Orbitz’s assurances to you that you had just one a Disneyland for beer lovers in outer Dublin. Housed in the company’s old fermentation plant, this place is a pilgrimage for many — but it’s expensive and not a typical “brewery tour” with conveyor belts of beer bottles. Instead of historic artifacts, you’ll find high-decibel music and a tall, pint-glassshaped glass atrium — 14 million pints big — soaring past four floors of exhibitions and cafes to the skylight. A highlight for many here is the top-floor Gravity Bar, with a commanding 360degree view of Dublin and vistas all the way to the sea.
No visit to Dublin is complete without some good traditional Irish music. Joining a trio of local musicians for a three-stop musical pub crawl, I get a real education in trad music (and a nice
QEurope. (It was) a rather scary train ride to St. Petersburg (Russia). At that time, it felt very different to the United Kingdom — like going back in time. Crossing the border felt like being in a James Bond movie.
A: I climbed the secondhighest peak — the Petit Piton — in Saint Lucia. I didn’t stop and went as fast as possible in high humidity. It was an amazing view and remarkable climb. That afternoon on the beach, I celebrated with too many rum cocktails. The dehydration and sun made me never want to drink rum again, or climb a peak — at least for a day or so. reservation. You even had that in writing, in your online reservation. And that really should have been sufficient to clear up this entire mess.
Instead, Orbitz and Comfort Inn played pingpong with $426 of your hard-earned money. Each blamed the other, but no one was willing to refund your money. Comfort Inn might have tried to help, but in the final analysis, it did exactly what it was supposed to: It received two reservations, which it honored. A hotel room is considered a “perishable” commodity — once the day is over, you can’t get it back. The hotel received a reservation and believed it would be paid $426.
A brief, polite email to Guinness buzz). With much good humor, the players explain and demonstrate their instruments at each stop, clearly enjoying introducing rookies to their art.
No matter what you see or do in Dublin, it’s an exciting time to visit. This dynamic city has a fine story to tell and people with a natural knack for telling it. the customer-service managers at Orbitz (owned by Expedia) or Choice Hotels might have moved your case in the right direction. I list their names, numbers and email addresses on my consumer-advocacy site: and
I contacted Orbitz on your behalf. It refunded your $426.