Planes, Trains and Automobiles (OH MY!)

Ireland 2010

Dublin, Howth, Galway, Connemara, Cliffs of Moher

The time had finally arrived. After ten months of waiting it was time to fly to Ireland!

Have you ever been encased in darkness by a semi-dark light as a feather blanket, with a stench of disgusting food flowing up your nostrils and the sound of a screaming infant booming in your ears? Well I have...on the plane ride to Dublin. It was not pleasant to say the least.

Professionalism ... Ireland airport does not have it. Well the car rental place in the airport. I booked the renal car in MAY because I knew that automatics were few and far between. Well they didn't have the car for us and it would be ready in an hour. So we checked into other rental agencies around and as I figured, nobody had an automatic. So why did I book in May? I don't know. But I thank those agencies for not having the car. It was a blessing in disguise, we would later find out.

Our first hotel (Arlington Hotel Temple Bar) was located on Lord Edward Street in Dublin City and was very cute. Two of the hotel women (wh work at the counter) were very friendly. I think the older one's name was Nicola. I could be wrong, I probably am. They were extremely helpful. We did a lot of walking around when we arrived and then napped for 4 hours followed by dinner and ice cream and then sleep.

Let me tell you about the sleeping. The beds were about as comfortable as the stone beds the Flinstones slept on in Bedrock. The noise coming from the streets was like sleeping on a billboard on the side of a major highway in rush hour. The lights from the apartment across from our room was like sleeping on a broadway stage with the spotlight on full blast right on your face.

The city. Have you been to Boston? Yep, reminds me of there. A lot of very pretty buildings intertwined throughout city like buildings. The coolest thing, the doors were various colors. I liked that.

The food. Pretty great :) I was told beforehand that the food was dry and bland and gross. I mean we basically ate american food so maybe that's why it was so good. Best meals the whole week...Beef & Potates at the Ballynahinch Castle and Cajun Chicken and Pineapple Salad at Hugo's in Dublin the last night.

On Monday we took the train to Howth (a small fishing village in Dublin). That was my favorite day in Dublin. It was so cute and pretty there...overlooking the ocean. We had some ice cream there before heading back on the train with some obnoxious swearing 13 year olds.

We saw a drag show on Sunday night. That was great. I had a lot of fun. Mark caught a drunk guy...saving him from meeting the floor in an unfashionable way. He then kept thanking Mark. He was annoying. We didn't enjoy him. There was a nice guy there though who helped us understand the Ireland version of Bingo. It was sort of the same yet slightl different. Maybe we were in the alternate universe.

Tuesday we drove a car. It did not go well. We promptly returned it (thanks to the very nice Irish man for letting me follow him back to the rental agency or we would still be stuck somewhere in Ireland. We then took buses and cabs.

We ate at a great restaurant that had a wonderful atmosphere in the mountains of Dublin...called Johnnie Fox's.

Wednesday we headed to the Castle Hotel. The scenery drastically changed on our way and it was beautiful. My favorite part of Ireland was Connemara/Cliffs of Moher. The Castle hotel (Ballynahinch Castle) was amazingly beautiful. The hotel rested right on the river (see picture above), and there was a path through the woods that led to a gorgeous seren lake.

The Cliffs of Moher were beyond words phenomenal. I can't even express to you (our faithful readers) how beautiful and breathtaking they were. Mark posted a picture. And as he said...everyone MUST see them at one point in their lives.

Friday we went back to Dublin. The hotel we stayed at was right near Oscar Wilde's house. It was called The Merrion. It is very upscale and high class. The people who worked there were the friendliest. The bed was the most comfortable. The bath was so relaxing.

Saturday we flew back home. I had a great time but was so happy to be home.