Twisted Kites

Sorry it’s late…! Posting my journal from my holiday bit by bit.

Saturday
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Nice flight across, Aer Lingus are very good. Sat right at the back of the plane, by the window, accompanied by Nerina Pallot (playing on my iPod). Leather seats too! And the coffee on board was a fair price. Friendly staff, Irish of course. Captain was really good, had a relaxing Irish accent, much nicer to listen to than the English ones. Plus a near perfect landing it seemed. It was quite nice sitting at the very back row, some strange motions obviously and also interesting watching the flaps and actually seeing how they affect the ‘crafts movement.
Some nice views over Staffordshire, looking over at Runcorn, Liverpool then the Isle of Man on the right (I couldn’t what was on the left although obviously it was Cheshire and North Wales, plus some stunning views over Ireland as we approached, I need to find out where it was. Came into the far end of Dublin Airport so there was lots of fun heavy banking as it curved round. Must be something to do with wind direction and all that stuff.
Landed about 1530, my bag was on the carousel fairly quickly (every time I’m at that carousel I always think “will it arrive?!” Does everyone think that?). Quickly out of the airport, via the loo, and at the bus stop by 1600.

1615: Local bus from airport to Busaras was very quick, it only makes two stops in town so no messing about. Even better, where the bus stopped at the bus station, my hotel was almost immediately over the road! And I have a tram stop round the corner. The railway bridge runs behind, and Connolley station is a few minutes away. Nice!
Hotel Isaacs is very nice, room on 2nd floor with no view apart from a little courtyard thing and the backs of other building but that doesn’t bother me. I’m only a few minutes away from the Liffey. Checked in about 1630 I think, not too sure as I wasn’t paying that much attention. Staff seem friendly. Room has a keycard which is great. I much prefer the card locks as that fits nicely into my wallet. No physical keys that have to be lugged around or given to the desk each time, with the fear of losing it.

1700: It is hot and sunny in Dublin today. So after checking out the room, it was a quick change into t-shirt, shorts and sandals. If it’s nice weather I’m making the most! So off out again. First stop (after the information office, for some…umm…information) was a delicious crepe from Lemon, I love that little place. Then it was time for a nice stroll round the city, and the taking of some photos. Nice to see quite a few other people taking photos too, I don’t mean touristy shots but people making the most of the beauty with proper cameras.
Especially in St. Stephen’s Green, that is a lovely little park. A fraction of the size but probably more charming than the likes of London’s Royal parks. I wandered round there, went back into town, checked out the street acts around Grafton Street, of which there were plenty.
1830: Picked up a bag of chips from Dublin’s ‘oldest chipper’, which incidentally has been visited by tens of famous people, including U2 (guess they’ve been everywhere here!), Peter Andre, George Michael’s Band (I guess Georgie isn’t a chip fan) and many other names which I can’t remember, A list and Z list, mostly Irish. No doubt I’ll pop in again sometime, I’ll grab another look at the big board of fame on the wall inside. So I took my chips and went back to St. Stephen’s Green and lazed on the grass in the evening sunshine with loads of other people equally lazy (7pm, still lovely out!) munching and reading up on things to do. Beautiful.

Just that short spell a-wandering round Dublin is enough to remind me why I love the place. The people, the buzz, the colours and the charm. AKA ‘the craic’ so I believe. Hmm in that sentence TextEdit think that ‘colours’ is spelt wrong. Twice now. Anyway, where was I…

2030: Came back to my room for half hour or so for a rest, checked out the wireless networks and my room can get the hotel’s network. Well, just, signal is very low as I’m high up, but the provider’s welcome page works perfectly well so the rest of the net should be fine. Might treat myself to a voucher in the week, we’ll see. Then I started typing this ‘journal’ thing which I’ll probably post to my blog at the end. Yes I guess it will be long, so I’ll probably highlight words and phrases to break the monotony. Just to note, all times I’ve written here are approximate! There is more to life that looking at my watch in Ireland.
As for my room at Hotel Isaacs, it’s pretty nice. The view I’ve mentioned. I have two beds (shame there’s nobody to use the other one!), a TV with a nice selection of channels on some shelves, dressing table, bedside tables, stool, a couple of lamps, drawers, kettle and the usual tea making bits, iron and ironing board, a wooden thing with straps across it (no idea!), hairdryer, my own in-room safe, phone, obligatory bible (if I believed in all that) and a clothes rail.
Plus an en-suite of course, with the usual sink/shower/loo and a bath. A bath!! En-siute has a nice stone-tiled floor.
The hotel is different too, an open staircase and a lift goes up the the rooms, on my floor my room is around a few corners and up a little flight of stairs then past a mixture of normal/glass brick/open stone walls. Very unusual. There is also a cafe, a bar and a full on Italian restaurant on site.

2100: Off out again to catch the Saturday evening buzz. Got some nice pictures as it got dark. Including a drunken Irish bloke who really wanted to be in shot at the bottom of O’Connell Street. Had a nice stroll east towards the docks, about half a dozen French military boats moored up (not full frigate size ones). Returned via the Grand Canal Docks and Pearse Street back into the main area. Temple Bar was heaving. Well it is Saturday night, and full of Brits most likely.
Dublin really comes alive at night. Shops and bars open, thousands of other people all out enjoying it, lots of funky lighting, traffic traffic traffic! yes, whatever you may have heard about Dublin traffic it’s all true. About 2330 and it’s still queueing. OK not rush hour queues but, still.

2330: Back in now, call it a day. I must have walked miles today, I can sure feel it! Not a complaint, I enjoy walking. probably the best way to spend the first evening. Relaxing with a bit of Regina Spektor and a Guinness. Well I have to have Guinness on the first night in Dublin. Think I’ll ’sign out’ for today. Just realised how long these notes are…I don’t think I’ll post it to my blog in one chunk! Today’s will probably be the longest bit, seeing as its the first day. Sorry, I keep extending it…!