Occasionally through happenstance or just good fortune you find yourself in a place you never intended to be in the first instance and didn't know about in the second, becoming for a time an accidental tourist.
There are worse fates to befall an unwary traveller perambulating the idyllic Irish countryside.
Travelling from Letterkenny en route to Granard with my wife we passed the Ulster American Folk Park just outside Omagh in Tyrone.
"Hmmm" I though, wondering if we should turn around and pay a visit.
A motion was called and a vote taken with all in favour saying "aye". The motion passed unanimously as we both agreed it might indeed be worth a short visit.
Unfortunately, as I was somewhat occupied with driving at the time and my wife was busy pointing out how poor she thought my driving actually was, there was no time to take the minutes of the meeting which would have recorded for posterity my objections to her criticism of my world renowned driving abilities.
For me the word often conjures up thoughts of ;
"Top of de Mornin" salutations, Squire Danagher, fifty quid Scones, Maureen O'Hara singing her head off or a barefoot "Flame Haired" Irish Cailín covered in freckles and weighed down with baskets of turf.
This deep seated aversion of mine to the word "folk" probably crept to the fore with Darby O'Gill and the Little People. Despite decades of searching I have not yet found a "crock of gold" nor El Dorado.
Suffice to say there is nothing tatty, naff, clichéd nor unlikeable about the Ulster American Folk Park. It is an outstanding and immersive visitor experience second to none.
It should be noted that although there are exhibits indoors it is necessary to travel through the Park on foot outdoors from building to building.
Several of the buildings in the Park were taken down elsewhere in the locality and rebuilt on the site brick by brick, faithfully reproducing their original form.
The Park and its environs accurately recreates the lives, homes, businesses and buildings of the people of the area and their onward migration to America including an actual replica ship and complete streetscapes. It is truly fascinating.
There are also reconstructions of the buildings and homes the emigrants built for themselves once they reached their destination, the New World in America.
Set in over 40 acres and laid out in a simple to follow design it is well thought out and there is also a handy little map to help guide visitors along the Park.
It was refreshing to find entertainment, information, knowledge and relaxation all in one place. The staff at the Ulster American Folk Park are a breath of fresh air, full of enthusiasm and very well informed on their subject matter.
Period attire and costume is worn by the staff throughout and they looked wonderful, even the School teacher with the "Sally Rod". We had a laugh when I told her I knew Sally quite well, thank you very much.
I had previously seen a guide on another site in Ireland dressed in some type of "Sackcloth" combined with jeans and branded runners (sneakers) and the mismash approach just doesn't work, it looks half done and silly.
Here it was "all in" on the period costume and it looked great, very impressive.
There is a little booklet available as part of your visit; Songs of the Settlers, a Musical Journey. Unfortunately we didn't realise we could use a Phone App with the booklet which is probably just as well as we would have been stretched for time.
I believe that the Folk Park also run an annual Bluegrass festival which hopefully will be up and running again sometime in 2021 when we will be in a better situation globally with regard to the present uncertanties.
There were a few families who brought along picnics and the children seemed to be having a great time. There are picnic seats and benches in the park for visitors to use as well as an indoor Cafeteria.
After a few hours it was all too soon time for us to leave although had we more time on our hands we would have stayed as long as we could.
The Giants Causway, Belfast Titanic, Bushmills, Carrick-a-Rede, Spelga, the walls of Derry or the Ulster American Folk Park.....
Hand on Heart if I had to choose which to pick for a return visit it would have to be The Ulster American Folk Park, it really is that good, although I might replace my navigator for someone a little less critical of my driving next time.