Today started out as a cloudy day but gradually got better and was sunny in the afternoon.
I made no plans for today so I did whatever there was available. I had a quick breakfast and left the b&b at 9:00. I hope on the tour bus and it took me down a few blocks to the shopping areas. My objective was to find a carryon size hand luggage. I went walking around the usual shopping streets. I walked around Nassau Street and then Grafton Street. I didn't really find anything. The shopping there is like the shopping at home with almost the same stores.
After looking around the shopping areas, I slowly made my way to City Hall. There was a free walking tour that started at 11:00 and suppose to last for three hours. It actually lasted four hours and there was a 20 minute break for washrooms and snacks. The guide, Robbie, gave us a run down of Ireland and Dublin's history. It took awhile since Ireland has a long history. Actually, the guided walk was one big history lesson. Every place we stopped at we got a lot of history. First, we went inside City Hall and then to the courtyard of Dublin Castle. The castle is not like the other castles you see. They did preserve a part of it, the tower and the church attached, but everything else was Georgian influence. We walked to the Dublin gardens in the castle and learned how Dublin got its name. Dubhlinn in Irish means 'black pool' since there were lots of sediment deposited from the river.
Then we walked outside of the castle gate, and Robbie mentioned a scene that was filmed in 'PS, I Love You' by the gates and also he talked about Jonathan Swift's work. Then we headed to Christ Church Cathedral, and Robbie talked about the artifacts in the crypts. Then we went behind the church where there was once an old Viking settlement. But in its place now is the Dublin City Council building which had so much controversy before the building was built. Next we headed to Temple Bar for a break. We saw the hotel owned by U2, and we stopped at a cafe a couple door down by the famous Temple Bar pub.
After our break, we headed to O'Connell Street and then to Trinity College. Lots of history in these two places. Then we headed over to the government building and the National Museum. We didn't go inside these but again lots of history. Then we made our way over to St. Stephen's Green to learn about the Potato Famine and more about the rebellion during WWI. After that, it was over and was 15:00.
Since it was sunny, but no less warmer, I took the hop on hop off tour bus for a final loop and try to get all the pictures I missed or didn't take yesterday due to the rain. I hopped off the bus before O'Connell Street and slowly made my way up to find a place that sells luggage. I eventually found and bought a bag and was on sale too.
I went back to the b&b and rested and even had a 15 minutes power nap. I was exhausted from all that walking. I left the hotel at 18:00 to walk farther east around the River Liffey to see the Custom House, the Famine statues, and the Jeanie Johnston Famine ship. It was too late for the tour of the ship so I just took some pictures. Then I went to find food. Since my sister mentioned that I eat a lot of fish and chips, I decided to try for a restaurant instead of the usual pubs or fish and chips shop. I found one, apparently famous for its hot stone cooked steaks (steak cooked on a very hot stone and served that way), and had confit leg of duck. The legs sat on a bed of mash potatoes, cabbage, and bacon. Sounds good. It was good.
Next, I made my way back to the b&b and rest. I'm going to try to turn in early tonight since I have an early tour tomorrow.
Tomorrow's agenda: Newgrange and Hill of Tara tour
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