The Emerald Isle for the First Time Traveler

Dublin, the capital city of Ireland was another memorable trip with my family. We flew non-stop from Chicago O’Hare Airport to Dublin International. As we circled to come in for a landing. I watched the faces of my family to see their expressions when viewing the rolling hills of Ireland out the airplane window. I imagine the look on their faces was just like mine the first time I arrived on the Emerald Isle. Expect to be awed by the spectacular view of green landscapes as far as the eye can see. The rolling green hills with interspersed waterways start this trip off in a quiet, serene manner. You forget your jet lag & just want to go out to enjoy the beauty of the Irish countryside.

Passports Out: Everyone Goes Through Customs

After customs, we proceeded outside to catch a bus into the city. The day was pleasant with a slight breeze. I wished we had reserved a car ahead of time because all the vehicles were taken. What luck. Now we would have to rent a car in the city. The plan was to stay in Dublin for a week then drive from one tip of Ireland to the other going from the southern cities proceeding north. We claimed our luggage, then it was an easy step outside the terminal to catch a bus for a quick ride into the city.

When we arrived in Dublin city our bus stop was on the main street. Consequently, we had to hike up a small hill 2 blocks to get to our hotel. The hardest part was dragging the suitcases over old-world style cobblestone streets. It was tiring & since it was morning, our rooms were not ready for check in. So, we went into the hotel pub for a bite to eat while waiting for early check in. I curled up on the booth seat after enjoying a breakfast of eggs and potatoes. Jet lag had set in & I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer.

Front View of our Deluxe Accommodations

Rest/Relax/Restore before Site Seeing

The next morning while the family slept, I went for a walk along the grand canal which connects to the River Shannon. I watched the boats transverse up and down the waterway until it was time to go back for breakfast. Day one was all about sightseeing. Our hotel had plenty of brochures to help us pick and choose where to go. We went to the corner market to purchase a 2-day pass for the ever-popular Hop On/Hop Off sightseeing tour bus.

Our first starting point would be Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. It was within walking distance of where we were staying. Although the brochure says it’s a 1–2-hour self-guided tour, it took most of the afternoon to enjoy this impressive architectural beauty & the surrounding area. We were even able to catch one of their daily choir sessions. Check out their website: www.stpatrickscathedral.ie

#Travel Tip 1

The small entrance fee for St. Patrick’s Cathedral is used to pay for upkeep of the building. Donations are always welcome too.

It was later in the day when the tour was over, so we walked to the Brazen Head Pub for a good Irish dinner. The Brazen Head Pub is Dublin’s oldest eatery, est. in 1198 A.D. and boy it did not disappoint. The local musicians were in excellent form playing upbeat Irish folk music.  It’s the type of music that makes you want to clap your hands & tap your toes. My mom sang along to many of the tunes being played. Email: [email protected] to learn more about this wonderful pub in the heart of Dublin.

#Travel Tip 2

Don’t miss out on experiencing this wonderful pub/bar right in the heart of Dublin city. Plan on kicking back and staying for a while as everyone makes you feel like family.

Hop On/Hop Off Tour Bus

The Hop On/Hop Off bus pass is the best bang for your buck as you can buy a multiday pass, then plan the best sightseeing strategy. You just hop off the bus at the closest stop to your destination. Then hop back on once the tour is over.

On day 2 of our journey, we decided to stay on the tour bus all throughout the city. We appreciated the interesting stories & jokes out driver was telling. When you’re ready to sightsee, just hop off the bus. We first decided to hop off at the Guinness Storehouse for a multilevel tour of one of the best beer factories in the world. Our tour guide was very informative and answered everyone’s questions along the way. There was so much to learn about harvesting, processing and finally bottling. The tour took a few hours to complete as you have 7 levels to get through in the factory. When we were done, our guide presented each member of the group with a small drop of Guinness in a plastic keepsake. I use it as a paperweight on my desk. The tour guide then ushered the lot of us into their tasting room.

Guinness – So Many Choices/Not Enough Time

The tasting room had a central bar that you could stand at to order your beer. You could choose to stand, or they had plenty of tables to sit down. Your beer choice was served out of a tap into large logo beer mugs, cold & foamy. My choice was a light brew. We also ordered from their food menu. Now it was time to sit down, kick back and relax. What a great finish to a wonderful afternoon. Book your tour at: www.guinness.com.

#Travel Tip 3

One drawback about staying so late into the day was just missing the next hop on/hop off bus. It seems to take forever for another one to come along as the afternoon rush hour traffic causes delays. By the time we made it back to the hotel, it was dinner time.

Traveling by Car

On day 3, we tried to rent a car. Finally found one on the outskirts of Dublin. This required taking a city bus to get to the car rental agency. No problem! Local buses inside Dublin City are easy to catch since every other block has a stop. This was a great way to see the residential parts of Dublin. It gave us a different view of Irish life. I loved the fact that so many houses were painted yellow, my dad’s favorite color. He must be Irish!

“Damn S.O.B.“

Unfortunately, the only car available was a stick shift & to put it mildly, the car was a lemon. Every time my father would shift gears, it would sputter & stalled. It took a long time for him to get a handle on driving it. Every time the car dropped out of gear; he shouted, “Damn S.O.B”! Once we were back into Dublin’s inner city, the car stalled as we crossed train tracks. I jumped out to the sidewalk while my dad struggled to get the car back in gear. The train conductor was sounding his horn & a local police officer came to stand by me. I told her that I got out of the car because my family has a history of dying on train tracks.

Luckily, my dad was able to shift gears at the last second to get out of the way of oncoming traffic. He didn’t want to lose this means of transport which took so long to find. I suggested taking it back, but my dad said he could get it to work, just give him time. During our months long journey, we all lovingly referred to our car as that “Damn S.O.B.” It’s still a funny story that we tell over & over again.

#Travel Tip 4 Dublin City

Dublin can be extremely congested with cars all day long and parking can be difficult. Walking is really the best way to get from site to site easily. We decided to either walk or use the transit system for most of our excursions.

Trinity College and the Book of Kells

On Day 5, I finally had a chance to go to Trinity College to view the book of Kells. It is a Celtic illustrated gospel book in Latin dating from the 9^th century. Trinity College is one place where you can spend all day touring their great halls. A few hours were not enough & I was disappointed we couldn’t stay longer. We needed to get on the road to our next destination. Trinity College is a definite thumbs up. I recommend putting it on your list of places to see. For more Info go to: https://www.visittrinity.i.e.

The Trinity College Library has an extensive collection of genealogy books spanning the ages. If you want to know about your Irish heritage, this is the best place to do it. I made a mental note to one day return and do more research on my Irish ancestry.

Historic Dublin

It is the hometown of the rock group U2. Everywhere you go around the city, they are lovingly referred to as our boys. Posters of them are everywhere. A grand St. Patrick’s Day festival is held each year. Dublin castle is one of the world’s oldest landmarks. Vikings established settlements as well as the Anglo-Saxons. The inner city has many lush green gardens to tour. Dublin has two grand canals & is bordered by the Dublin Mountain range. Bridges span the grand canals making it easy to access different areas of this majestic town. There is so much to discover about Irelands capital that one week of vacation was not enough. Plan to return here more than once.

Travel Tip

Since there is so much to see and do in Dublin, I recommend taking the time to plan out your schedule, especially if only spending a day or two visiting. If you’re planning to rent a car, definitely book far in advance of departure. If you should have time before leaving, go to an empty parking lot or to the desert & practice driving on the left. It always takes me a few days after returning home to normalize driving on the right side of the road. Happy Travels!