First International Quilt Festival of Ireland

[Reetzbobeetz]

Myself and three of my quilting buddies are all booked to go to the IQFOI from Thursday to Sunday. Anybody else going who hasn't declared themselves already?

I am working on a quilt that I hope will be ready in time to enter one of the exhibition categories - more on that later if I get it done.

[Sewdreamy]

Oh my, I'm just sitting here wishing I could go. Have fun and I hope to come someday if they have more.

[Libbi]

I've been pretty quiet on the forum for a long time. Spent awhile getting the two new knees in shape and then the holidays, etc. But now I've convinced DH that we should go to Ireland for the quilt festival. Problem is I can't quite make any sense out of the pricing for the 7 day land tour for the 2 of us. The airfares are also kind of nuts from Geneva. So until I get those settled, I don't know if it's going to become a reality. I know I've missed out on the Grand Reception but if all goes well I am interested in any other activities that may be planned. DH is coming along for the Irish whisky!

[Reetzbobeetz]

Libbi, I hope you get it organized somehow. We could have a hot whiskey (note the e in whiskey if it's Irish) together if you make it. The weather would probably be more suitable to a hot one!

[lotti]

arrrrrrrrrgh - just wrote a long long long reply... and lost it all

libbi: fabulous that you are also planning to be in galway - and tell your hubby that it's definitely worth the visit !!!
as flights to the west of ireland all cost an arm and a leg - we'll be flying to and from dublin...
our schedule:
26 may: zurich - dublin - spend the night at an airport hotel (still have to book that)
27 may: bright and early - depending on when we got in in the evening - pick up car at dublin airport
27. may until 6 june: gadabout wherever the car takes us - generally we head into the direction of blue spots in the sky... follow the sun and our noses
7. june make sure we're in galway by late afternoon - have booked at Menlo Apartments 7th - 10th june
8. june: Convergende & Rhapsody Quilts with Ricky Tims - morning & afternoon
Wicked Thimble Pub Night
9. june: Musical Evening with Ricky Tims
10. june: driving back to dublin - flight out at 5 pm
and that's that
can't wait

...but first - i have to get to montreal (they're working on almost all the roads - so idiotic to get onto that island now - and the airport is unfortunately on the island)
from there to toronto by 9 am tomorrow - the pilots's have been forbidden to strike - so they've been calling in sick and loads of flights cancelled!!!
wish me luck - i have to catch that 10 am flight from toronto to hong kong tomorrow morning - and they better not cancel that one!!!

[Reetzbobeetz]

I have booked to do a seminar with Jinny Beyer and Ricky Tims (I've also booked tea with both of them) and a Sharon Pederson workshop. Lotti I think we are booked into the same apartment complex which is probably more than the 10 minute walk specified on the website - but don't quote me on that. I am going down on the evening of the 7th and returning to Wicklow on the 10th. I can't wait. Libbi, Lotti is right to suggest that you book your flights to and from Dublin. The other alternative would be to go direct to Shannon if you can. Galway is about 2/2 1/2 hours from Dublin and the same from Shannon. I tried to book accommodation independent of the festival but they have block booked everything in the area for the duration - very annoying as the prices are all hiked up to at least double what they would usually be :x Hope to see you there.

[Libbi]

First of all, excuse my spelling of that famous drink!
I had intended to book the flight into Dublin because the flights from Geneva are more convenient.
My confusion is over the pricing of the 7 day land package for 2. The price quoted is 1234 Euros for one but 3059 for 2. Nearly 3x the rate. If one selects the 5 day, it is about 709 Euros for 1 and 1178 for 2, less than 2x. It doesn't make financial sense. I could book the 5 day and find my own room in Dublin, with your help to make sure that we are in the right place. Or I could select 2 separate 7 day packages and indicate that we sould be sharing a room and still save about 600 Euros. I am sure that I could spend less than 1000 Euros for 2 nights accomodation and transport to and from the airport. We've travel in many of the major cities of Europe and some in Asia and no city tour bus would make the difference in cost. However I would pay a bit of a premium to have someone else to make the arrangements. Also two 3 day passes to the show don't cost that much. I don't expect hubby will spend 3 days touring the exhibits (LOL). I've written to the tour contact to find out why the price increases so dramatically when I select 2 people. Am I missing something here?

[Reetzbobeetz]

I honestly don't know Libbi. I just booked my classes, 3-day pass and accommodation. I was disgusted with the booking fee which was much higher than I would normally pay for anything but that wouldn't hike it up by as much as you are being quoted. Maybe it's a glitch in the system. Have you emailed Susanne? Her email address is mailto:suz@iqfoi.com Maybe she can help you. Let me know where you are thinking of staying in Dublin and I can let you know if it's a good part of town.

[Libbi]

Thanks for the info. I sent off one email and have now sent another to Susanne. If I don't get a response in the beginning of next week, I will be making my own arrangements. If we make our own arrangements in Dublin I would be looking for advice on finding a hotel in a central location near shops, restaurants, and sights--the tourist stuff.

[lotti]

Libbi: we're doing our own arrangements for the time 'around' the show. I'm not much of a arranged tours person and as both danielamhave explored some of Ireland before, we've already seen most of the main spots that will be visited.
I opted to book the hotel / apartments via the iqfoi site as this seemed the easiest and we don't know the accommodation possibilities in the area.
I also booked the 3-day pass as that costs the same as two individual days and who knows, we might get a chance to visit again on Sunday morning.

Cannot believe that the second person could be so much more expensive, normally the second person is much lower as only extra coach space, entrance fees and meals required... Must be a glitch...

Am sitting in the hotel lobby on the 33rd floor of the Grand Hyatt Shenzhen - fabulous view - but very hazy today... Hope to geht a Fee pictures in the next Fee days...
As the big boss is here with us, and his nephew made the hotel bookings, we're living in style :lol: :P :lol:
Just wish we had more time to enjoy the great hotel :roll:

Smiles to all

[Lorchen]

Forget about the view and what the hotel has to offer, Lotti..... go fabric shopping!! I bought some gorgeous silks when I was in China years ago.

[lotti]

The only Shops ICE Seen so far, are prada, tiffanys, Mont blanc, etc etc. Thais the major drawback of Stalingrad at places like this,.... You end up Wehre the Money is and they alias Seen to put These Shop in or Attachés to These hotel complexes havnt even found a Place to Bus a simple Apple... Will just have to Take to at from the breakfast buffet...

Will ASK our Chinese Guy if there are any Fabrice Shops reachable. And try to get out of the exhibition hall for a few hours ... As we have to be there from 8.30 am till 6.30 pm and then have dinner with the various dealers... Not much time to gallivanting...

Oh our chief (owner of the company) just arrived.... I'm no longer the only one at breakfast...

Have a great day. :lol:

[Libbi]

I am making progress on the arrangements. I have received an email that the pricing is incorrect on the website. I have booked our flights and made arrangements with a hotel in Dublin. I am working on the hotel in Galway through the tour group since all seem to be blocked. I have to please Hubby as well as myself since he will not be spending 3 days at the show. Too bad he is not a golfer. I have to make sure he has internet access!

It is a shame that you cannot find a fabric shop during your stay. Having lived in Singapore for a year I can say you won't find much in the same area as a Cartier, Rolex, etc. shopping area in the big cities of the East. Unfortunately I was not a quilter when I was there, but I do have some lovely silks that I must incorporate into a quilt some day.

[Libbi]

The latest update... we WILL be there. Yeah! We have a flight, rooms in Dublin (in the Temple Bar area?)and in Galway (Meyrick). We just don't have any transportation anywhere. The open gala is sold out, but I booked the Musical night, the Castle tour (Sat), and Wicked Thimbles (Fri) and the show (of course). Are there any TQS activities planned?

[Reetzbobeetz]

Hurray! So pleased that you are coming to Ireland Libbi. Temple Bar is like the left bank in Paris, or so they say! It is the cool part of town. You will be within walking distance of Dublin Castle, Christ Church, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Trinity College, Chester Beatty Liberary (my particular favourite) and other things too. You shouldn't need a car to get around Dublin it's quite small and there are taxis and public transport if you must!

I don't think there is anything official happening from TQS at the event. I plan to wear my TQS badge (not made yet!) and hope to meet up with others somewhere along the way. I know that at the big shows in America they have a meet and greet at the TQS stand at 1pm(?) but I don't know what we could do. Maybe, if there is a Ricky Tims stand we could meet there? I don't know. Anybody else got a suggestion?