Dublin- Pubs and Cathedrals

From my Ireland Vacation in May 2010

Transatlantic travel is not easy for me but the reward is well worth it.  This journey took me from Denver to Newark to Dublin and somewhere along the way I lost an entire night which I normally conveniently use for sleeping!  I do think it is fascinating to fly east.  Suddenly it is dark and then boom, it's light again and it's the next day.

My husband, Mike, and I arrived in Dublin at 7 am while it was midnight back in Denver.  My body was fooled by the daylight and the excitement of a new city.  I was wide awake!  Getting through customs and reclaiming our luggage was almost effortless.  Time to get a taxi and see Dublin!  I love taxi drivers.  I almost always find they are knowledgeable about their city and enthusiastically share if asked.  Our driver did not disappoint; with his valuable information or his lovely Irish accent.  He shared very important points such as one can get a beer (I would later come to refer as a pint) in Dublin 24/7 if one should desire.  He also gave us a good layout of the city and ideas of what to see.  I kept asking more questions, I just couldn't get enough of the accent!

Enjoying our 1st Guinness at Dublin Westin

We arrived at our hotel, The Westin Dublin and it was a beautiful and sunny, yet brisk Sunday morning.  The streets were quiet and most shops were closed.  We walked into the lovely lobby of our hotel which was originally a bank according to our taxi driver.  While checking in we were informed a double room was not ready but they would put us on priority and try to have one ready within a couple of hours.  As it was only 8:30 am, I was not expecting a room to be ready but I was quite impressed with the urgency with which she wanted to get a room for us and with how apologetic she was that there was not a room yet.  While she was helping us, a group of smiling Americans came down the stairs and said a hearty hello to the concierge.  They all knew his name and all seemed to genuinely like him.  That is one of the biggest reason I love to travel, people are happier, friendlier and more relaxed while on vacation.  It's a great time to meet new people from all over the world.

Dublin Castle

After checking in and leaving our bags behind, we ventured out on foot to find a latte.  We walked a couple of blocks to Grafton Street, a well known shopping area of Dublin and stopped at Bewlys for our coffee.  The latte was good and I shocked to see that they had Guinness on tap, at a coffee shop!

The coffee kept the sleepless night away for a bit longer so we walked around Dublin in search of the Dublin Castle.  We didn't have to walk long before we found a locked gate to the castle.  I tried to look through to see what I could see of the castle but all I saw was another church.  

St Patrick's Cathedral

So far I had seen almost as many churches as pubs but I was pretty sure the pubs still outnumbered the churches.  We walked past more ancient, beautiful churches made of stone, most notably the Christchurch Cathedral but could not go in the churches unless we wanted to attend mass.  I was beginning to see Sunday morning was not the best time for a sleepless introduction to Dublin.  The shops and tourist attractions were closed and despite the taxi driver's promise of beer 24/7 and my witness of beer on tap at the coffee shop, it was too early for a beer.  I needed some excitement to keep me awake or my room to finally go to sleep, but we still had an hour before our room was supposed to be ready.  

The Famous Temple Bar Pub

We powered through a little longer and kept walking.  I did enjoy the sights and the sun which I wasn't expecting to see much of.  We walked along the river then ended up at the famous Temple Bar, a charming red corner Irish Pub.  We continued down the street and saw a couple more colorful pubs that were all closed.  Few people were out and the streets were quiet and relatively clean.  As walking zombies, we couldn't take it much longer so we headed back to our hotel and found our room ready early!  

The Auld Dubliner - One of my Faves!

After a 3 1/2 hour nap, I awoke refreshed and ready to go.  Outside, I found a transformed Dublin.  The streets were bustling with people and the pubs were packed with people and live Irish music pouring out.  I was amazed at how alive the city was on an early Sunday evening.  We ate at a traditional Irish restaurant and I was pleased to see a vegetarian section on the menu.  As a vegetarian, I wasn't sure what to expect as meatless options.  I chose the vegetable enchilada and it was delicious.  After dinner I was ready for dessert, a freshly poured Irish beer at a traditional Irish pub.  I was chomping at the bit!  This is what I'd been waiting for; time to get a piece of the local life.  We chose the famous Temple Bar, sat down at the bar and ordered a couple of Smithwicks.  A live band of 3, (a guitar, violin and accordion) was playing and every table was full.  Almost everyone was drinking beer and everyone was smiling, including me.  And so ended my first day in Dublin, enjoying a pint in an Irish pub listening to live traditional music with the love of my life by my side.  It was a wonderful introduction to a city that would capture my heart in the days to come!

Click here for more pictures from my Dublin adventure!

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