I had never expected a country filled with beautiful scenery, with windswept mountains alternating with blissfulyl green hills, with rugged coastlines interspersed by petite towns, to be also so culturally rich and full of character and passion. It was a study in contrast going from the capital city of Dublin, where tradition and modernity wove a tangled web of commerce and industry, to the pastoral countryside replete with old castles, charming town centers, delightful bed-and-breakfasts, and the ever-ubiquitous Irish pubs with lively folk music.

It wasn't a country that wowed me with grand spectacle the likes of Iceland and Chile, but it was the hidden charm of the little things that I got to discover exploring around. I wish I could return there under better conditions. Meanwhile, here is a sampling from the heart of the isles

Ireland