Dublin or Bust!

The flight to Dublin was as smooth as it could have been - took off on time, and I sat next to a most charming man who was on his way home for the first time in 8 years. An uilleann pipes player, a plumber, an actor - seems he embodies the best of Ireland and Los Angeles! And he was a pleasantly chatty seatmate for the first 2 hours, and then blissfully sleeping alongside me as we made our way across the globe. The flight was 20 minutes early, and there was no wait at passport control - and then only a short wait for my suitcase which sadly Aer Lingus did make me check... apparently 17.5 kg is too much for a carryon for someone traveling in Coach. OH well!

I arrived to the most charming small hotel, Aberdeen Lodge in Sandymount - a pretty village within Dublin. My travel companion and dear friend Gabriela had arrived early that morning - a story she'll have to tell you, a real pre-dawn adventure! Gabriela was sitting at a small table in the lovely garden, drinking coffee and enjoying the air, the beautiful dogs, and the general ambiance of this quiet oasis in the middle of the city. Highly recommended to future travelers - so long as you're OK climbing stairs - the hotel was very comfortable, with amazing service and a quiet yet accessible location. The bus stop 2 minutes up the street is very handy, and Sandymount Village has all you could ask for including a terrific new restaurant called the Chop House. Soon we were on our way to the pub there, where I enjoyed my first pint of Guinness and Gabriela her first sip of Irish whiskey in its homeland.

On Sunday we were off to Trinity College for a drizzly campus tour and the Book of Kells exhibit which included a visit to the old college Library - but failed to see the harp there as it was crowded and we were on our way to the theater. Something for next time!

"Dancing at Lughnasa" was on at the Gate Theater, where we met my dear friend Patsey. The show was a bit more intense and sad than we'd realized, but it was a good introduction to Ireland and the mindset of country people here in the 1930s. After the show we made our way into the çity center and cruised around through the bustling streets. We had a tasty meal at Chez Max, which ended with a sweet collection of mini pastries. You really couldn't do much better on a first day in Dublin!