We landed in Dublin at 5 AM, in the dark. It's a surprisingly small airport, and customs was a breeze. An ATM for some euros, some tea for us and lemonade for Elena, and off to get a bus into the city.
Would that we understood bus timetables. We could have relaxed inside. Instead, we waited over an hour, in the cold, watching sunrise. Finally, our bus arrived. Mari, Elena, & I climbed to the front of the upper level of the double-decker bus - Vikki and Sharon opted to stay on the lower level. What a view we three had. Elena spotted a house with a thatched roof. Just like in the storybooks. A cyclist passed us, then we followed him through winding suburban streets. Schoolkids got on, in uniform. Another new idea for Elena. And into the city. Nice people on the bus helped us get off at the proper stop, only a block from our hotel.
We could leave our bags but not get our rooms - way too early in the morning. So we went across the street to a recommended breakfast place. Mari & I had French toast, Elena had a muffin, and Vikki & Sharon tried a "full Irish breakfast". Sorry, the Yorkshire version is way better that this was. Then we headed off for our double-decker hop-on-hop-off bus tour of Dublin. Into the center of Dublin, and over the River Liffy.
The tour took us all over the city - with us up on the top deck, of course. We were a tad tired from the flight, so we didn't bother to hop off and on.
"In Dublin's faire city, where girls are so pretty, twas there that I first met my Molly Malone, With cockles and mussles" and the bodice from hell!. And none of the locals seemed to notice. |
The Parnell monument on O'Connor Avenue. Hey, Vikki and I both studied Irish Lit with the same prof, and this is a biggie. It also shows what Dublin looks like. |
Then back to the hotel to move in and relax. After a bit, Sharon and Elena stayed at the hotel to read and become the Queen and Princess of the Big Backyard. You'll have to ask them - it was their thing. Vikki rested, then found an internet cafe to "talk" to Ian. Mari and I went off to see more of Dublin.
| Where else to start but McNiel's Pub to sit on high stools and drink halves of Guinness? |
Then we saw some interesting signs.
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We got back on the bus tour - yeah, the ticket is good all day - and headed all the way around to the Dublinia Viking Museum. Mari is in Society for Creative Anachronism, SCA, and into such stuff. I love all kinds of history. But we had not realized that Dublin was originally settled by the Vikings. So the museum was an eye-opener. It was filled with life-sized dioramas of life in that period. Fascinating.
Children playing an old game that Mari and family know. |
A Viking loom from old Dublin. |
A shop sign from Viking Dublin. Guess what this place sold. |
One of the guys who eventually defeated the Vikings. |
We left and walked past Christ Church. And found an excavation. It was interesting. But Mari really liked the wildflowers growing out of the ruins. The oldest and the newest.
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Back to Camden Deluxe hotel to relax and get ready for dinner. Up the hill to the Bleeding Horse pub. Got a comfortable window bank table. Sharon & Mari had fish & chips, Elena had sausage & chips, Vikki had a hamburger, I had a beef & Guinness casserole. Remember, chips=French fries, not "crisps". Sharon had Guinness; Mari & I enjoyed halves of the local Smithwicks. A lovely dinner.
Then back to the hotel to bed.
Up the next morning and to a crepe place Vikki discovered yesterday afternoon. Wow! We each had a delicious breakfast. We wondered if it's appropriate to find our best Irish meal at a French crepe place - also really fantastic coffee. But we remembered that there is a strong Irish-French connection. So we decided our taste was valid.
Then off to the airport, in a taxi van this time, to catch our RyanAir flight to Kaunas. Does the concept of a flying subway tell you anything about what that airline is like? It was definitely an adventure. Both cheap and cheap, if you catch my meaning.
The next day: 9/24
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