Day 1 in Dublin

We arrived about an hour late and despite the fact that the customs agents here went to the same charm school as those in Canada and the US, our welcome to Ireland was grand!

On Murphy's recommendation, we booked ourselves on an AirCoach from the airport out to the Mt. Merrion area of Dublin. From the coach on, we enjoyed an abundance of Irish hospitality! It was a little bittersweet to hear the driver dictate our journey through Dublin. I grew up hearing my Dad tell stories of friends on O'Connell Street, adventures in Parnell Square and walks along the River Liffey and the Ha'penny Bridge. Seeing these landmarks was very cool, but realizing that I couldn't call Dad and reminisce with him made me a little sad.

When we arrived at our stop, the Murphy's were waiting with their enthusiastic welcome to Ireland! Clearly the Butler's welcomed us, even in their absensce - we knew which bed they intended for us by the garlands of Canadian flags drapping it!! More sensible folks might have hopped in a found bed at this point since we missed a night's sleep. Given the five hour time difference and the adrenalin running through my veins, we decided to push off and just make it an early night of it.

The DART train is part of the public transit system. It runs along the seashore with stops at various seaside villages. Murphy's had purchased LEAP transit passes for all of us and it's a tap-in, tap-out , unlimited daily travel system. For €20, including a €5 refundable deposit, we can travel around Dublin for three days, and then top up the card if we need more. A great deal!

We walked to the Bookerstown DART station through suburban neighbourhoods with charming designs so different from our neighbourhoods. The gardens here are prolific, the lawns of wild flowers a riot of colours and spectacular disarray. the hedges are thick and private and very cleverly sculpted! The window boxes are spilling over with lush blossoms trailing along homes that are anything but cookie cutter!

But...I must go down to the sea again, for the call of the running tide... When you grow up on the sea the first sighting in a while never disappoints! Dublin, like all sea ports, is a busy place with local fishermen, holiday seekers, and shipping companies all sharing the resource as they go about their daily endeavors. Our ride west travelled through one little village after another with our constant chorus of, "This is beautiful! Let's get off here. No, let's just see what's in the next stop!" I suspect we might have travel the circumference of the island and continued the chant, but eventually we got off more than half a dozen stops along the line in the beautiful little town of Dalkey.

Now we'd not a particular plan, except to wander to the sea. Apparently that was enough of a plan to lead us on a great adventure. Meeting locals, wandering through villages, finding local pubs, and great chippies! Had my first pint with great local fanfare at Fitzgerald's in Sandycove. We were led to a great chippy in Dun Loaghaire to meet Margaret's longing for curry chips after a pint. The curry chips were followed by fish and chips and led to a delightful encounter with the man who cooked our dinner. By this time, we were 5 km from our original train stop and reaching the end of endurance. with some local help we were lead to another train station along the line and made our way back home.

With a impressive 20,000 steps, it was time to call it a day. A quiet evening together at home, with perhaps just some drifting in and out of consciousness, led to calling an early night!

Our Canadian bed!
A wild flower church yard.
A hedge cut to just fit the cars parked in the yard!
Happily waiting for a pint.
Happier with a pint!
I found my people!!
Taller people live here.

David enjoying his curry chips, streetside.



Comments

  1. sas.serraJuly 19, 2022 at 5:05 AM

    I am so excited you are blogging. Now I can share in your adventures! 🥰

    ReplyDelete

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