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Published: January 13th 2011
So we survived our first day in Dublin! Arriving at what felt like 4 am, we checked out the city and did some exploring until we were allowed to check in to our hostel. There were about 50 pubs throughout the cobblestone streets of Temple Bar, so the decision of where to get our first Guinness was very difficult. We finally decided on "Peter's Pub" to pay homage to our great friend, and enjoyed our first real Guinness while trying to trick our bodies into not feeling like it was the crack of dawn.
After eating some lunch, which included a really weird version of a tunafish sandwich, we checked into 'The Times Hostel' and took the most wonderful nap ever! The hostel is awesome, the people are SO friendly, and everything is surprisingly very clean! Last night we had a lovely Australian woman make us Irish stew with mashed potatoes right here at the hostel! We walked into the kitchen to find the portly woman carrying vats of homemade stew onto a serving table with "free food" signs, followed by the largest pot of mashed potatoes I have ever seen. Just as Jon was saying that he wasn't too hungry, she scooped what seemed like a 2 pound portion of potatoes into his bowl and told him to "help himself" to the stew. It was delicious!
Our first night out in Dublin was spent at 'The Quays'. I had traveled to Ireland a few years ago, and spent my night in Dublin at this exact pub! Located right on the corner, in the heart of Temple Bar, the pub is intricate and true to the irish style with dark stained wood tables scattered about, intermixed with bar stools and worn ledges for leaning. When Jon and I stumbled across it on our way to 'The Temple Bar' we decided to stay for "just one". Well... 4 hours, 2 bands, and many river-dancing Irish girls later we still found ourselves at our stools at The Quays. One group that stampeded into the pub was especially entertaining. It was a group of 8-10 fairly "sauced up" ladies all dressed up, and out for a birthday celebration. Their crazed drinking and singing led to a river-dancing duel in which one of the girls threw off her 5 inch heels and proceeded to river dance her little Irish heart out in leather spandex...a fashion decision that Jon and I deemed "interesting". All of the action caused the jovial 2 man band to surrender their guitars,and take a seat to enjoy the spectacle themselves. A new band took their place and the night continued on...needless to say, we then slept like babies 😊
Today we woke up just in time to miss the free breakfast at the hostel. I was secretly thrilled by this, because the day earlier we stumbled upon a bagel place but decided that it made the most economic sense to save our money each morning and eat the complimentary toast and cereal...well not this morning! We've now found ourselves back at the hostel to gather an extra jacket, and plan out our day. Hopefully the rain will hold off while we walk along the river towards Heuston Station to check out a pub recommended by Fitzy, and gander at what the hostel receptionist claims to be the "largest park in all of Europe".
Hope all is well with everyone!
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Tranquility
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Advice on Dublin
Sounds bloody great, I am travelling to Dublin shortly and any advice would be great! I will be staying at the blooms hotel in Temple bar. Hows the weather? After this I think I might move on to mainland europe and some tours...... I received an e-mail from a friend yesterday about a tour in croatia ( www.croatiatoursgroup.com ) has anyone been with them? what are they like?. Has anyone been on a tour there and advice would be great!