Dublin

My weekend in Dublin... how amazing to fly from France to Ireland for a weekend! It was very fun to see Barbara, we hadn't had time to ourselves like that in awhile. Dublin was also nice - though cold and rainy. We spent Saturday night in the Temple Bar area (contrary to the belief that it is an actual bar - its actually the neighborhood). We went from bar to bar, seeing the different types of music and atmosphere there was at each one. Sunday we packed it all in - we started the day with a train ride to Bray, a smaller town nearer the coast, then we went back into Dublin and went to the Chester Beatty Library, a museum with the private collection of a Brit who gave it all to the city, free and very cool. Then on the the Guinness Storehouse (of course the next logical stop) for a history of Guinness and a free pint. Then a slightly stumbly walk to our dinner reservations at a hotel that showcases live music and Irish dancing each night. The food wasn't amazing, but the show was great. Monday Barbara worked, so I took the double-decker (because they're all double-decker) bus into town and went o Killahaim Gaol (the British prison where many of the Irish rebels were executed or imprisoned) and Trinity College, to see the Book of Kells and the Long Room. It was a busy couple days but it never felt stressed. I really enjoyed what I saw of Ireland and I'd love to go back to visit more of the countryside. Two days is not sufficient, but I know I'm lucky to even have that.