Visiting the Irish countryside and smaller cities in 1996, I swore I had fallen into a time warp to my small-town American childhood of the 1960s. Spices in gro

Visiting the Irish countryside and smaller cities in 1996, I swore I had fallen into a time warp to my small-town American childhood of the 1960s. Spices in grocery shops consisted of salt, pepper, cinnamon, and that's it. Shops closed at 6 pm. (Hence, no aspirins or antacids after 6 pm.) Restaurants served food only at specific mealtime hours. No beverages, snacks, or medicines at gas stations.