Ireland ’22 – Day 1

Part of any good trip for us rests in the planning/decision making leading into liftoff. In short order, we had most transportation & accommodation reservations settled up. However, I do note that the setup wasn’t without issue prior to departure. This time around it all felt a little rusty!

First “hiccup” coincided with VISA issues (suspected fraud) Sunday morning. The resulting “card declined” pop-ups while planning were troublesome. In the end that required an 1 1/2 hr fix with VISA on the phone 💳. We used to be able to “tag” a note that would indicate we were about to travel to avoid card holds while abroad. Algorithms do the work now, apparently!

To further our turn of luck 🍀, I also fouled Seat Selection so we couldn’t complete Check-In on the WestJet App/Website. Janie made the call while we were leaving Antigonish and had the conundrum all cleared up by the time we got to the Speedway. That support guy was awesome (I think we owed money for selection but he just pushed it through 🤓).

We boarded our red-eye flight on time. We Canadians love to poo poo our airlines, but cudos to those folks at WestJet for some of the direct flight departures they’ve instituted originating in Halifax. It’s such a treat not to fly an hour and a half in the wrong direction before crossing. Maybe next year we can try Edinburgh 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 ! Our flight was smooth, but only a couple of hours sleep. I used the “in-flight” section of the App quite successfully to track our progress across the Atlantic ✈️!

Landing was as expected at Dublin Airport, just north of city centre. No “Emerald Isle” views today with extensive cloud cover. We navigated Irish Customs check easily and were off and running. The pace of the airport was actually relaxed and the commute to city centre slick. We had just missed the Dublin Express (7€ each) running hourly from Dublin Airport (Coach Bus – AC/Wifi) when the service employee gave the next driver a “bell” (phone call) and we ended up gone in 10 minutes. 

So in short order (25 minutes) it was feet on the ground in Dublin. Step one was a bag drop to lighten our load at our digs for the first leg of the visit, the Maldron Hotel Kevin St 👍. Basically, the Maldron proved a straight up / no frills city accommodation. Efficient, helpful, no nonsense problem solving staff at front desk had us happy and headed to our first attractions. 

After coffee (Cafe Tri Via) and an exploratory walk, we got oriented and arrived for timed entry at EPIC – Irish Emigration Museum. Somewhat unknowingly, this site served as a great way to start the Dublin adventure with a well rounded muse in regard to the sometimes horrific history of the Irish people. Guided by the universal theme of connectedness, it provided an excellent introductory glimpse at elements of Irish history, from the ongoing diaspora, through to political and military upheaval, and on to cultural themes (dance, religion, education, etc). Interactive, information packed, and foundational!

Then a quick ticket purchase and Guinness & grub @ the Ha’Penny Bridge Inn! This we enjoyed… whether it the simple homemade sandwich, the banter of the weathered bartenders, or the smooth, creamy, excellently poured pints. Methinks much time will be spent watching the “going’s on” in venues such as this over the breadth of this vacation. 

We opted for the Dublin Discovered Boat Tour (at 2:15) and a sail on The Liffey, which loaded right on time. Pig of a vessel… but indestructible! Running on only a couple of hours sleep and feeling it’s effects, this laid back, humorous guided tour of the river and it’s history left these suckers for an accent feeling like part of the tour. In short, it was time for some much needed “sit & get”! We particularly appreciated the guide’s focus on Canadian connections with “The Famine Memorial” (see link). A plaque with the following commemorates the sculptures… “In memory of the victims of The Great Famine and for their descendants who have done so much to build Canada – Jean Chrétien, Government of Canada 🇨🇦”. The tour proved an hour of entertainment and recuperation.

Then homeward for Check-In (by way of a busy Grafton St.), a shower, a kink, and pause to regroup!

In our write ups during our last few trips we have “featured” an item for obsessing… Jamaica – Fish, Costa Rica – Birds, and so on. This trip we’re giving a travel tips section a go. I think I’ll italicize an item for each day in order to highlight.

Tip: Install Google Maps App and download the maps of areas you intend to visit prior to departure. They will work on your iPhone whether you are online/offline for purposes on the ground (Easy Google for instructions online).

So, after a little bit of quiet 😴, off to O’Donoghue’s in search of grub and some traditional music. Monday evening and full on… absolutely part of the culture here. We arrived at about 7:30 for “people watching”! By about 8:30 we were blessed with songs levied by two established gents (at least 130 years between them) that had a special garnish, both in the simplicity of sound and the earnestness with which the songs were delivered. In short… my Mom would have loved the selection (from Wild Mountain Thyme, through Rare Old Time, Dirty Old Town, & Spancil Hill). Sláinte & Good Night!

…Ireland ’22 – Day 2