http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Europe , Ireland , County Dublin en-us Sat, 26 Jul 2008 08:07:40 BST Sat, 26 Jul 2008 08:07:40 BST Wow never thought I would like Dublin so much but it may have moved to the top of my favorite cities list. The Temple Bar District at least is so much fun. Of course I love the pub culture with the great food and good beer. We have been to Trinity College today and St. Stephen's Green and off to the Guinness Sorehouse in a bit but such culture here. . .anyway short time on the computer but http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-303085.html Dia is Muire dhuit teaghlach agus carasWe have already learned some common sayings in Gaelicmdashone of the nationrsquos oldest languages. The one above translates into Hello Family and FriendsWe left the Ace Hotel in London at 630 We had an incredible breakfast at the Giraffe in the Heathrow airport Many of us got huge pancakes separated by chunks of bananas smothered in blueberries D http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-302310.html Well out week in London was busy and relatively funfilled other than the stanky bathrooms in the hostel. I had to pay 2.00 per halfhour for internet so that's why I haven't updated in so long. So here we are in inner city Dublin. We're all staying in one large 24person room with 12 bunk beds. Yesterday we did a walking tour of the area around the place we're staying. Lots of cool shopping http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-302136.html We started out at Dublin Castle this morning.Then we headed over to the original U Dub Trinity College to see the beautiful campus and the Book of Kells. A magnificent piece of work from the Dark Ages Who knewWe crossed the O'Connell bridge and walked up to get some fish and chips in a foodcourt. Then just walked around and found a street market where Robyn got some chocolate and some orange http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-302051.html Hey everyone Well I made it to Ireland and am currently in Dublin. It's amazing here. The streets are all cobblestone and the buildings are so old it's gorgeous. I checked into my hostel yesterday after I got here and took a nap. I woke up to a small Irish band playing jigs outside my window. I don't think it could get much better than that. I met a few really cool girls in my hostel two http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-301799.html Well we just said goodbye to Chris and Jim yesterday in Dublin. Today we are going to head out to the Isle of Man. While they were here we went to the Guinness tour. It was great to see the source of such a fine pint of glory Alex's words exactly Jay thought it was a bit cheesy. But apparently Guinness is good for you so we had it for breakfast.We've decided we are done with Ireland for now. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-301775.html Robyn and I arrived in Dublin today and after a long layedover flight from Amsterdam finally made it to our hotel.We rested a bit showered and then went out for a bit of authentic Irish cuisine. We had a magnificent leg of lamb with all the types of potatos you could want mashed pealed with and without herbs collard greens and carrots. All washed down with a beautifully poured guinness.Now w http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-301539.html Finally got around to our first weekend getaway so took the opportunity to go to Dublin for the weekend which was fantastic It's still pretty crazy and hard to believe we can fly return to another country for a total of 60AU eachWe were actually booked to go a couple of weeks earlier but I came down with some serious food poisoning the day we were going to leave so had to cancel. Ok so I pr http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-301133.html Ok so heres the first blog entry to see of this thing worksjust finished packing and I've to be on the plane in 11 hrs yaaaaaaaaaaaaayjust hope I can remember to keep this thing updated http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-300249.html From Rome I headed back to London and then a flight to Dublin. Dublin was grand as my mate Eamonn would say. Thanks heaps to Eamonn and his family for hosting me and more than looking after me. Thanks also to those people who received a couple of calls from us at 400am you know who you are after Eamonn and I had celebrated in one of Dublins fine establishments. I spent three days in Dublin http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/blog-299162.html The last weather report some patches of blue sky. Did it really wait until we were packed for us to get blue sky But then I remembered that we had had blue sky two days ago. We saw a tshirt in one of the shops that said It only rained twice the week I was in Ireland first for three days then for four. Mark got a tshirt that says The Four Season in Ireland and it has 4 squares on i http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-298956.html We're in IrelandThursday I had it all planned out for us to leave on a train from London Euston to Holyhead wales. We departed at around 8 due to train delays someone jumped in front of a train and killed themselves at a station so they were all delayed.. We arrived in Wales at 1245 am. We had a 2 hour layover then we boarded this massive ferry more like a cruise ship for Dublin. It was http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-298680.html This past weekend 11 July13 July a huge transition took place. My friend Laura and a bunch of other people that came during the same program left Ireland and returned to the states. My apartment where I live Shanowen Square has gone through a couple of different transitions if you will. When I first arrived there was mostly Irish people living there who attended DCU Dublin City Universit http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-298571.html Hello all greetings from the cloudy and rainy island of Ireland. Chelsea and I are having fun in Dun Laoghaire pronounced dun leery and Dublin. We are staying in a cute BB painted mostly the color salmon pink with creaky old beds and the most confusing shower I have ever use. I broke the controls the first time I tried to use it the look on the owners face was of annoyed bemusement when http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dun-Laoghaire/blog-298543.html Arriving in Dublin the weather of the Emerald Isle was true to its stigma and soaked me from head to toe as well as half my pack while waiting for my friends to finish work.What happened from then on was three days of pure bliss and genuine Irish hospitality that I will never forget.My last three days were mainly in the company of Geoff Fullam and Nicola Connery two dead set legends.From a l http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-298517.html After my wonderful experiences in Wales I was a little bit over it all. I'd spent two nights all alone in the hostel in Caernarfon and was ready to move on. Don't get me wrong I loved Wales and if you look at my Facebook photos you'll see just how beautiful it is. But I was lonely and ready for some excitement.So I jumped the bus to Holyhead the ferry to Dun Laoghaire and the DART train to http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-298328.html Here are the pictures as promised of our journy so far. http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-298154.html Hello EveryoneSo this a week or so late but I want to fill you in on the trip I took to Dublin 3 days after I got back from Nice France. I was meeting Ben Webster so I was pumped. I left Saturday morning. I had planned to catch the Stansted express to get to the airport at 415am. I had my alarms set so I wouldn't sleep in. But . . . guess what. I set them for 330pm. I woke up at 356 http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-298120.html Well ...never kept a blog before but I guess now is as good a time as any as I pack in my job to head off around the world for the yearLeaving Ireland 4th August ... 10am after the Bank holiday weekend .. could be a dodgy I don't want annoy ppl with stories and photos of where i go .. so here is my page which I plan on updating as I travel so if you want to keep an eye I guess just save this lin http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-297535.html Well it's day 2 now but I'll a bit about day 1 in Dublin. We flew in at about 11. I think we were very tired as we didn't sleep much on the plane but didn't really notice until we dropped our stuff in a locker at the Avalon House and went to a pub Toner's for a couple pints. Half cut very hungry and very tired we ate some chips covered in salad dressing it hurt afterward and checked into ou http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-296983.html Greetings This will be my main way of communicating to those I care about while I'm on my trip. So far this trip has been terribly fun and exciting. Also quite exhausting Well I'll be honest getting ready for this trip was a little more stressful than I anticipated. I suppose all the steps were necessary but quitting 2 jobs packing upmoving an apartment and getting details organized http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-296294.html We slept well last night. I think we were both out by 930. I woke up this morning feeling miserable. While Mark was in the shower I called the front desk and said I needed to see a doctor. Note to self when calling the front desk of a hotel telling them you need to see a doctor say ldquoItrsquos NOT an emergency but I need to see a doctor.rdquo They called back in a few minut http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-296134.html Our flights were on time and fairly comfortable. I slept for about 4 hours and Mark slept for about 2miracle that as he usually does no more than nod a time or two on a plane. We arrived at about 9 a.m. The weather was cool and showery kind of what we had read in the forecast. Our bags were 3 of the last off the plane but we had them in hand and were in the cab to the hotel by 1015. The http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-295437.html Off to Ireland I woke up at 400 a.m. with a wicked burning in one spot in my throat. I drank some water convinced myself it was dehydration and went back to sleep. When I woke up at 7 it was all over. So it looks like I am off to Ireland with a cold. I think it has something to do with 4 12 hours of sleep Friday night and 4 hours Saturday night. Ain't graduate school grand I had a bun http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-295427.html Today Mum and I had a lovely sleepin we went to the gym in the fitness centre and then had breakie. When we finally headed out we went to the information centre and booked accomodation for Galway.We then spent the rest of the morning looking at suitcases because of the London suitcase incident. We seriously spent hours doing this Mum and her quick decision making. Finally we bought a suitca http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-295322.html Mum and I spent the day walking around Dublin. But first we investigated how much it would cost to get to Galway. We then walked down to Henry Street which is a major shopping street in Dublin. We didnt buy anything but we spent a fair bit of time window shopping.We then went back to the Information Centre and booked a day trip to Belfast for Wednesday. We crossed the Liffey a river in Dublin http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-294498.html Most of this day was a travel day. Caught the tube to Heathrow checked in waited around for a good while before we boarded the plane because it was delayed. The flight itself was only an hour but by the time we got to Dublin and into the city it was 5pm. We got the shock of our lives as well because it was absolutely freezing and rainy. We couldnt believe that it could get that cold when its s http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-294496.html Sadly the Irish summer is in full swing the River Liffey brims full and people dart under eaves or scamper under umbrellas to avoid the rain the glorious sunny days of May seem to have taken their leave and so we too decide to join them. Wersquore pumped full off vaccinations armed with a pocketful of malaria tablets and are fit to roam wherever inspiration friends or divine guidance takes http://www.travelblog.org/Europe/Ireland/County-Dublin/Dublin/blog-294442.html