Sin é. Sa leabhar "Cré na Cille" cuirtear an t-ainm "Lucht Blite na Lachan" (Duck Milkers) ar cúpla carachtar. Níl mé cinnte cad is brí leis (b'fhéidir go bhfuil na daoine sin chomh "stingy" go ndéanfadh siad iarracht bainne a fháil as lacha).

Rinne mé iarracht "Lucht Blite na Lachan" a úsáid mar "username" ach bhí sé ró-fhada. Roghnaigh mé "Lucht Ite na Lachan" (Duck Eaters) ina áit.



I know that the mainland Europeans do not understand the concept of tea. They make it out to be some delicasy rather than the necessity that it is. I was so relieved to get a cup of tea when I arrived back in Dublin Airport, even though the water was only half boiled. Five cups a day would be my minimum.

I've heard rumors that electric kettles are rare in North America due to the low mains voltage. Is there any truth to this?

Yes, AFAIK kettles are quite rare in the US/Canada, and the lows mains voltage is more than likely the reason IMO (I'm sure Google would confirm). 110v x 13A isn't very powerful for a kettle.

Where I was staying we had a kettle, but it was pathetic. It would take maybe 8 mins to boil 1.5 litres.

Electric kettles are readily available in the USA, though not widely used. Just google them and you'll see a large selection. The same with Irish tea. Barry's is available in most chain supermarkets and also Irish goods shops. In among the geansai and jewelry, you'll find tea and some other goodies

Yep...you can find electric kettles in virtually any small appliance or kitchen store here (and always at Costco!). You can even find cheapo ones in drug stores, especially around back-to-school time (we used to call them "hot pots" when I was in college, and just about everyone had one for making tea or instant coffee)

We have a Breville kettle we just love. You can set it for the temperature you want, depending on what you're brewing (green tea, black tea, etc.) and it even has a "keep warm" function.

I can buy Barry's in a couple of stores here in Santa Cruz, so I don't think it would be hard to get in the city. I know that Java Beach, near the UICC, always has Barry's.

Redwolf

Good to know that about the tae and the kettles. I won't have to go cold turkey on arrival . I'd say my ability to function in any language would take a dive without it.

Doing a bit of research it seems that cookers and large appliances in America are connected to a 240V supply, which would make sense.

I think you are in for a wonderful surprise, a chara, when you see American sinks. The one thing I really remember from my one trip to Ireland was that the sinks there were just awful. The spigot was so close to the edge of the bowl that you couldn't hardly fit your hands under it. The bowls were so small the water would get all over you. It was torture plain and simple. Even today I recall them with horror. The other day I was at a church and went into the bathroom and groaned to see an "Irish sink." I have heard others call them "European sinks" but for me they will always be "Irish"

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ЯГОН ТОҶИК НЕСТ ИНҶО???

The taps on the sink in the hostel I'm in are huge, but the hot and cold water marks are worn off so it's hit or miss whether or not I scald myself. The toilet bowls are strange too, it's like they're halfway to overflowing. The electrical sockets are very delicate looking as well, not like the blocks we call plugs in Ireland.

I'm really enjoying it so far, even with the jet lag. The weather is perfect. It's a really nice city, I haven't seen any "dodgy" areas so far, and I'll eventually get used to the hills.

What part of the city are you living in? I used to live in the 700 block of Post, and my daughter lived in the 700 block of Geary...I know that area really well.

You're in a hostel...are you in the Ansonia by any chance? 711 Post? If so, that's where I used to live! (it used to be a "residence club," aka a boarding house)

Cold water should be the right tap and hot the left.

Redwolf

I'm in the Adelaide hostel on Geary and Taylor Street. I'm here until I find something more permanent. I'm slowly learning how to find my way around the city. The public transport is amazing compared to back home (although I still have to figure out when exactly to use the bus, metro or BART). The only snag so far is that the money all looks the same compared to euro, so it takes me a while to count it out.

That's not far from where my daughter lived. She was at 765 Geary, between Hyde and Leavenworth, in the Rossmoor apartment building. Decent neighborhood. The owners of the Crown Market across the street were wonderful...they got to know everyone in the neighborhood.

If you haven't already, I advise you to buy a transit map. A lot of visitors are reluctant to do so because they think it will make them look like a "tourist," but I can assure you that even long-term San Francisco residents use them. You can buy them in Walgreens and, as I'm sure you've already discovered, there's a Walgreens on virutally every street corner in downtown SF. Generally speaking, you want BART if you're going across the bay or to the airport. MUNI Metro is good for going to points along Market (Castro, Civic Center, etc.), to the ballpark, or to the outer districts. For most other trips, I'd advise the bus.

Redwolf