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Published: November 12th 2014
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Today I'm back in Dublin again, well, actually I'm in a suburb called Malahide just to the north near the airport. I got in around noon and went straight to
Malahide Castle. This one was pretty cool, who am I kidding…they all have been. Also a museum like the
Kilkenny Castle, but they let you take pictures inside as long as you don't use flash. The story behind this castle was that it had been in the Talbot family for over 800 years until the last descendant was forced out in the 1970s because she could no longer afford the taxes. The property went to the government and is now obviously open to the public. There are 2 trees several hundred years old on site, those were quite a sight.
After the castle tour, I wandered around town, and even went to the beach. I can't imagine people swim there in the summer, because there were 'dangerous currents' signs everywhere, but it was still pretty. I stopped in a sweets shop and got an ice cream cone. After the school girls left, the owner asked me which of the northern United States I was from. Dang, I sure must sound
The Great Hall
Note the doors in the far right corner. The average sized one is for normal people, but the tiny one is for the castle's jester. He used it to climb up to the balcony and perform. Minnasohtin don'tchyaknow. When I did say "Minnesota near Canada," he said he wasn't sure if it was northern US or Canada but he thought he'd try for US. Funny. Anyway, we chatted for a while, mostly him talking about politics, but I did ask him about something I've been hearing about on the radio and seeing on the news/in the paper nonstop since I've been here: The Water Charges. I keep hearing about "threats to shut off the water if people don't pay" and "citizens are outraged about the water charges." I even saw people asking for signatures on a petition against them. So what is this all about? Well, the sweets shop guy said Ireland has never charged for water. Like ever. It had been always just part of normal taxes. But then something happened and the government wasn't able to pay back their debt, so in order to attempt to get themselves out, they decided to start charging for water usage. Interested, I asked about the threats of water being shut off, knowing that would certainly happen in the States if we didn't pay our water bills. He said the government here would never do that, but instead
they'd put a lean on the property or take them to court. Yikes.
Anyway, after several hours of walking around town, I checked in to my cute little B&B; my last one of this trip. I'm sleeping in a twin bed tonight, and it makes me feel like a little kid again.
After I came back from dinner, I learned that Jason's flight to Chicago is delayed by almost 2 hours. Any further delay and he might miss the flight in to Dublin! I'm hoping all goes well and I'll see him in the morning.
This trip was originally planned entirely as a solo journey. I've really enjoyed the solitude and freedom these past 10 days have given me, but I'm also really looking forward to sharing the rest of my time here with someone special.
One more night in Dublin tomorrow (same hotel as last week), then we're off to London on Friday afternoon.
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