Catching the ferry

  Dublin, Ireland
Sunday, May 27, 2007

After leaving Ireland without ever seeing a sunset (the sun sets @ 10;30 here, and rises before 5!) due to bad weather almost every evening, the bad luck continues to follow us to Dublin...our bus -no train because Sarah had a free student bus ticket!- breaks down about an hour from the city on a highway in the middle of nothing.  We have to wait for other buses (they run every hour or so and are packed on Sunday afternoons) to stop & pick up whoever they can fit...
                                                

We arrive in Dublin @ 2 hours after scheduled, check into the Morgan Hotel (the nicest & most modern of all our stays that will follow) ...
...and then venture right outside into the Temple Bar area - similar to maybe a Fells Point, only crazier -
                                               
Had drinks & dinner at the Quays (pronounced 'keys') Irish Restaurant...the fried goat cheese salad was awesome!
They say the Guinness tastes better the closer to the storehouse you go...that is sooo true!
     

Headed back to the hotel for some r&r...
                 

Got Sarah out the door by 9am to explore the city...
       

Went to Bewleys Cafe for tea, scones, yogurt & fruit..
                            

Then walked ALL around the city...

      ...St Stephens Green (beautiful park/gardens with the most incredable shopping mall  
          across the street, looked like a giant green house)
                

         ...the Guinness Storehouse/Factory
                    

        ...St. Patrick's Cathedral
                   

        ...& Ha' Penny Bridge across the Liffey
                  

As I mentioned before in the guestbook, the weather is crazy here; sun, clouds, wind, fog, rain, warm, cold, etc, and thats just one day!....and in Dublin - HAIL!

We ducked into the Brazen Head (Irelands oldest pub, dates back to the 1100's!) to warm up & dry off__ 2 Irish coffees work very well!
                            

When the rain/hail stopped I went back to the Clarence Hotel (BONO's place!) and tried to wait for his return..his penthouse lights were on & balcony doors were open last night...but no luck!
                                                  

Barely made it back to the Morgan in time to check out & taxi to the port (this seems to be our pattern).

Across the Irish Sea to Wales...