Dublin Delights ... Pun Intended

Well ... I guess our first week of travel caught up with us! We had trouble getting up and at it this morning ... we were still in bed at 9:00am!! And guess what?? Not a peep outside either! No traffic sounds, no pub music ... no sign of life in Dublin at that ghastly early morning hour!  And so ... at the risk of sounding ungrateful, I must start out this journalling with a gripe! 

GRIPES: So... when we arrived at our flat ...we got the keys to our castle! And ... it takes three of them to get to our room. And although they look good ... they don't work well! We have to fiddle and tinker and pray ... like we are Irish Catholics ... that we will quickly defeat the lock. And so ... I'm griping. The locks are such formidable foes! We forgot something in the room and decided to go without it rather than turn back and risk the frustration of the key turning! 🙄

And somehow, although my cardinal rule when seeking out accommodation was having a private bathroom ... we ended up with a shared loo in this Airbnb!! And ... it's two very narrow flights up the creaky crooked hairpin curved staircase!😫 And of course ... at 2:45am .... someone had to pee! It must have been the Guinness ... because it wasn't me!! So, John was going to make the dark trek up those twelve steps alone. I didn't have to go then but figured I better go for a proactive piddle rather than rouse us both again an hour later! And ... just so you know ... we can hear the toilet flushing in our room! 

Okay ... and just one more wee little groan before I move on ... okay? I love all the nice espressos ... but I sure do miss my cream!! They use only milk. And ... I need a whole cow to it creamy enough. And so ... I'd rather go without. Hence my sad dilemma. 

GASPS: Check out the pic of our electric system! And our low ceiling over head lighting is rather romantic! 😁

GRATITUDES: Sausage rolls and quiche Lorraine for breakfast at The Natural Bakery, and, oh my ... the camera simply cannot capture the majesty of the flowers spilling down in opulent abundance and cascading in sheer generosity of the faces of the pubs!! John said it was absolutely "floretic'. I think he coined a new term here ... but its apt ... because I'm speechless in trying to describe the magic of their display! 
🌼🌹🥀🌾🌻🌺⚘

I'm also grateful that my anxious mind can relax because we got so many loose ends taken care of today! We found a 'print center' that could print out train tickets...we located the pick up for our tour to Galway and the Cliffs of Moher. And we figured out a way to take a train out to the fishing village in Howth without having to take a tour bus!! Woohoo! Oh ... and did I mention how lovely the weather is!?! We were sitting short sleeved on the patio at 5:00pm. Not a rain cloud in sight! 

GRINS: Lunch at 'The Temple Bar" ...which boasts Ireland's largest sandwich collection...92 in all!! We had a #28 and a #29!  Oh ... I would be remiss not to mention that I have been reluctant to let John take pictures with my phone because he will drain my battery taking pics of bridges and statues and things that don't mean much to me. 

So .. a new competition was accepted!! John was armed with the tablet and I with my phone. And ... we are going to let you all vote and decide who captured the BEST picture of Ireland !! I have posted a few from each of us!

GAHS: I wish I was a beer drinker ...because ... the wine is 50% more expensive than the beer. it turns out that I'm an expensive date! And the bus driver on the Hop On Hop Off Bus was a real card! Everytime new passengers boarded, he introduced himself with a different name. He also quoted Oscar Wilde: "The ladies are to be loved not understood". So now John claims he no longer has to understand me ... just love me. Sheesh ... 41 years of training .....right down the tubes because Oscar Wilde and the bus driver (whoever he really is!) said so!! 

And so, later ... when we were at the Bad Ass Bar and John goes to the "toilet". He sees a sign that says " Men to the left ... women are always right!" So ... maybe there is hope that all is not lost! 😉

FUN FACTS: Dublin looks like an old industrial town ... a sign said: "Don't wish for it, work for it." sounds more like a Protestant work ethic than a Catholic rule of thumb ... but ... it seems like hard work is part and parcel of living in the UK over the years! Most interestingly, the restaurants and pubs list allergens by number on the menu! So, for instance, shellfish is 1, nuts are 2, gluten is 3 etc. And then beside every menu item, you get all the numbers to be concerned with. So smart!!

Gosh ... I could go on forever! So many delight in Dublin ... but enough for now ... there is no noise next door so we are going to sleep early!
Warmest smiles to all ... k&jRead more