IRELAND HOLIDAYS DAY ONE AND TWO

On Saturday morning I got up surprisingly rather fresh and Mr. G. drove me to the airport. Despite the fact that it was so early there were a lot of people underway and there already was a little traffic jam because of works on the road. The check in went quiet smoothly, we had our pictures taken again but this time I made a big smile because I knew when I put my passport on the scan the picture would be taken. The flight was on time the only hic was that I was sitting in the middle besides a girl who slept during the whole flight and a middle aged man who smelled very badly out of his mouth and I nearly fainted when he yawned. I couldn't even offer him some mint sweets because I had none. But I survived and didn't suffocate.

I arrived in Dublin at time and asked for the Aerbus which should take me to the Hotel. The information was wrong and after erring around for half an hour and my arm nearly dropped off because of pulling my suitcase, I finally took a taxi before I died. It was quite a long ride, far longer than it looked on the map, and that was because there was a highway and you couldn't jump over it but make a tour around.



My hotel turned out to be very nice and the view out of my window was it too. Nothing to complain. I rested for a while and then I had some tea with a scone. The people are all very friendly and when I had my supper, very well served, I chatted a bit with a lady who had a terrible Irish accent and I hardly could understand what she said.  I was so tired that at 8 pm (for me it was 9 pm) I went to bed and watched a movie on my computer, there was nothing on TV. I fell asleep, so I switched off everything and slept 12 h ! Probably all the stress from the last weeks came out and I felt on holidays.



After breakfast I wanted to go to Dublin and make a sightseeing tour, which I always do when I don't know a city and want to see the most important things. The hotel is quiet outside of Dublin and I was told to walk for 10 min (which was already a lot but in reality it was 20 !) to the tram station. Because Dublin has trams. I behaved very stupid because I didn't know how to take the ticket out of the machine, although we have the same system in Brussels, but I am always by car ! A young man helped me explained on which side I have to go because in Ireland too they drive on the "wrong" side and nearly put me in the tram. After 15 stops I finally was in the Dublin city center and another young man indicated me the way to the Tourist office. I don't know why in Dublin young man help me while in other countries they are always elderly women or men. Maybe I looked especially lost.

The tour was interesting I was a bit disappointed I thought it would be a little more old, but here too they play "little Dubai" destroy old buildings and replace them with glass boxes. A part of the city was dominated by Guiness, it was huge ! I don't remember the amount of liters which are produced here daily but it was enormous. That's why probably we also saw two beer corpses laying across the sidewalk.

After the sightseeing I walked a bit through the main shopping streets where no cars are allowed, but didn't find anything special.. When a few drops started to fall from heaven I tried to find the tram stop back, which of course was on the other side now, but where ? Apparently I looked so lost that another young man remembered his grandma took me under his wings and showed me where the stop was, and also bought my ticked (but I paid it of course) when I arrived safe and sound at the Red Cow stop (what a name) I walked my 20 min back to the hotel where a group had arrived and the hotel looked full. Tomorrow I will join my travel group in another hotel guess the name ..... The Red Cow !

Suits me well !