Dublin

The train to Dublin was jam packed and standing room only.  There was a group who was either continuing Friday night’s party or had started up again early Saturday morning.  Made worse by the fact that there was a bar on the train.  They weren’t obnoxious, just loud. 

Golem

The city itself was a zoo with hordes of people rambling around, not paying the slightest bit of attention as to where they were going and what they’re doing.  The weather was beautiful, which no doubt contributed to the volume.  It was the first day that I was able to wear a tank top and wishing that I had shorts.  I am hoping that today will be the same.

It’s almost a different country here.  The Euro is the accepted currency, unlike Northern Ireland which takes either Euros or the pound sterling.  As I had only sterling, I ended up having to go the exchange and convert what I had into Euros, even to be able to check into Trinity College, where I’m staying.  It is also the location of the Book of Kells. 

Freddie Lives

Anyway, after checking in, I headed back out again to go over to the wax museum.  It was well done and covered a bit of everything, from famous authors to the Battle of the Boyne and assorted musicians and actors, Irish or not.  Michael Jackson was included –obviously non-Irish and Jack Nicholson – Irish.  After meandering my way through there, I wandered around town for a while to see what I could see.  Like Inverness, the city is interrupted by a river and the port is not far from the city centre.  It wasn’t long before I realized that getting out of the city was going to be the priority, disliking crowds the way I do.

There is a bar a bit away from the campus that features dinner, music and storytelling.  The only night available to book is Monday, so I started to reserve it, then thought twice about the charges.  It’s not that it’s that outrageous – I’m just throwing one of my cheap fits.  That, even though I’m nearing the end of my trip and having been extremely frugal all along, decided that I would be a little less so.  You can take the woman away from the money, but apparently you can’t take the money away from the woman.

Looking Towards the \Port

It’s a habit that comes in handy at times.  Though I hate to categorize and generalize myself with the rest of my sex, I do gravitate towards bling.  There were more than a few pieces that would have ended up in my baggage had I not reminded myself that, outside of the ring and necklaces that are never taken off, I don’t wear jewellery.  Anything that I might have bought would have ended up in my jewellery box and wouldn’t see the light of days for years on end, so there was little point in buying it.  It’s a sad, sad thing.

Tomorrow, I’ll be seeing where I can escape to, outside of the city.  I had thought to head to Templemore, but my initial searches indicated no way to get there on a Sunday.  My ticket for the train back to Belfast is booked already, as is my ferry ride back to Glasgow.  The only thing that I really need to worry about is my hotel stay for my last night in Scotland before heading home.  It’s hard to realize that it’s coming to an end.  It will be good to be home, but now very different.  I’ve been so long here that things Canadian will seem as odd as they did when I first arrived in the old country.  But, I miss everyone and it’s time to get home.