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Ireland & USA 2016

May - June 2016
A 44-day adventure by Trotting the Globe Read more
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  • TravelerIreland & USA 2016
    Day 1

    Hobart - Melbourne

    May 10, 2016 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 6 °C

    This is what we woke up to today - snow down to about 600m on Mt Wellington! Looking forward to leaving this weather behind for (hopefully) warmer climes - well maybe not in Ireland but definitely in the US!! Poor Will knows something's up and we'll probably come home to a big hole dug in the garden. His method of protest at being left behind!!
    Aaron met us at the airport, dropped his car at the apartment and we caught the tram into the city to meet Vanessa for lunch. Had no idea where we were going until we walked into - The Press Club!!!!! Who should be sitting at the table next to us but George Calombaris himself? I guess you can do that when you own the restaurant and aren't busy filming MASTERCHEF.
    The food was divine, the wine excellent and the company the absolute best. Truly one of the best meals I've ever eaten & Ron agreed so it must've been good! It ended with coffee and delicious chocolate squares pegged to a mini Hills Hoist!!
    Thank you Aaron & Vanessa for a truly awesome experience and a meal we will never forget.
    Then to Uniqlo to buy down jackets ready for the Irish weather and off to the airport for a very l-o-n-g flight to Dubai.
    First two shots in Hobart, next three some of our food and the last also shows the chocolTe washing on the Hills Hoist.    Read more

  • TravelerIreland & USA 2016
    Day 2

    Melbourne - Dubai

    May 11, 2016 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Very long flight made even less pleasant because I felt quite ill at one stage - clammy skin, sweats, blurred vision & diarrhoea. As a result I didn't eat anything for about 12 hours until breakfast just before we landed. Apart from that it was a good flight despite the two littlies across the aisle. One poor litttle mite was asleep in the bassinet several times and had to be taken out because of turbulence, which resulted in him screaming continuously. To make the connection to Dublin we had to use two lots of lifts, one train & then walk for about 30 minutes to get to the gate. It was an endless walk with the same layout repeated all the way along. The good thing about this airport is that, no matter which gate you are waiting at, there is always food available nearby.
    A couple of shots of inside the terminal and a view outside from the boarding gate.    Read more

  • TravelerIreland & USA 2016
    Day 3

    Dubai - Dublin

    May 12, 2016 in the United Arab Emirates ⋅ 🌫 10 °C

    A better flight this time - only about 7 1/2 hours this leg, which is bearable. Blindingly obvious why it's called the Emerald Isle as there was nothing but green fields as far as the eye could see from the plane.
    Christine - we waved to you as the plane flew over Manchester, but you would've been too busy packing to see !!!
    Once we got inside the terminal the thing that struck us most was how eerily quiet it was, especially as it was about 12.30 p.m. Caught the bus to the city - closer to the airport there were lots of lovely conjoined cottages all with gardens that were neat as a pin and lots of lovely trees. As you got closer to the city they became a little less neat and there were lots of shopfronts that weren't particularly attractive, with the occasional one that's sign was written in gold lettering on black ( looked typically Irish). Not too long a walk to the hotel, which is next to the main fire station and just around the corner form the main Garda station so we should be pretty safe here!! The hotel foyer is quirky, with purple couches and an eclectic style. Room wasn't ready so we dumped our bags and walked to Grafton Street via Trinity College grounds. They are beautiful and we plan to come back for a wander. The grass was bright green and the buildings magnificent - what a beautiful place to spend your student days. We walked along Grafton Street, the main shopping street. The overall impression of the place was one of disruption because they are laying tracks on the roads and there are temporary crossings on almost every street sO you can't get an uninterrupted view of the area. There were sooo many people - everywhere you looked there seemed to be waves of people coming towards you in every direction. We started to flag pretty seriously so went back to our room which, thankfully, was ready and showered away all that airplane grime! Heavenly. Had a bite to eat in the hotel and then hit the bed for some much-needed proper sleep, as neither of us had really slept on the plane in over 11 hours of flying.
    First two shots are of the hotel, second two of Trinity College and the last two taken on the way back to the hotel, with Doyle's pub and finally the huge Garda headquarters, a very old & bleak looking building.    Read more

  • TravelerIreland & USA 2016
    Day 4

    Dublin

    May 13, 2016 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 12 °C

    TRINITY CITY HOTEL
    Fantastic breakfast, beautiful surroundings, great food (heard of black pudding but not white pudding. Its made with cereals and no blood!) & excellent service. Absolutely everyone, including guests, is so friendly and the lilting Irish accent is so gentle & soothing. The decor of the hotel is rather opulent in an understated way. The view of the restaurant roof below our 3rd floor shows a crocodile, tiger and gargoyles, heaven knows why!!
    The hotel is next to the central fire station, ( actually it is in the fire station building)and just around the corner from the central Garda station.
    Some shots of the animals on the restaurant roof & some views of the foyer.    Read more

  • TravelerIreland & USA 2016
    Day 4

    Dublin,

    May 13, 2016 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 11 °C

    TRINITY COLLEGE
    Great night's sleep followed by an excellent breakfast this morning. Beautiful weather this morning - blue sky and the temperature was very pleasant. Made our way to Grafton Street & decided to have another look at Trinity College on the way, as the sun was shining and great for taking photos. The grounds are beautiful, perfectly manicured lawns, playing field & beautiful garden areas for students to relax in. Not all buildings are old - there are also the necessary modern, soulless ones theought the grounds. Exciting atmosphere with students racing all over the place in earnest. One bit of excitement - saw someone in military fatigue trousers handcuffed and being led away by police officers - all very lowkey. Love the bicycles - reminds me of Oxford. Last shot is of people queued to get into The Book of Kells.Read more

  • TravelerIreland & USA 2016
    1
    Day 4

    Dublin

    May 13, 2016 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Walked half of Dublin to find Dublinia, a museum about the history of the city from the Vikings through the Medieval Ages & how archaeologists have discovered the events of the past. It is in an old church which is joined to Christ Church Cathedral by an old stone arch over the road. It was all explained in a way that was very easy to grasp - Ron was in his element learning about his 'an editors'. They were a hardy bunch those Vikings!! No photos allowed except on the Viking level the medieval section was also interesting but the fascinating section was about how the archaeologists dig, determine the age and preserve what they unearth. In the 1970s the Dublin City Council decided to build its new offices on the dock are! Which was known to be rich in archeological treasures. After a public outcry some of the land was saved for excavation but most was simply built on. What a tragedy when you consider how rich in history this area was.
    We crossed the bridge into the cathedral. The ticket gave us entry to the crypt and it wa amazing. The area was huge and contained the treasures of the cathedral, including illuminated books, gold and silverware, costumes from The Tudors ( some of the series was filmed in the cathedral) & a case,containing the skeletons of the cathedrall's cat & rat. There was a tiny shop (of course) and chairs to sit on, almost like a cafe, which seemed a bit bizarre.

    Dinner tonight was Irish stew with Guiness at O'Neills pub - delicious! Then, after walking all day, bed!!!    Read more

  • TravelerIreland & USA 2016
    Day 4

    Dublin

    May 13, 2016 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Next stop the free museum in the Chester Beatty Library in the grounds of Dublin Castle. As the grounds are extensive it took us a while to find it but when we did it sure was worth it! Chester Beatty was an American mining magnate and collector of paintings and books. The two exhibits were The Art of the Book and another on a Qur'an. The illuminated and illustrated pages were beautiful beyond belief. The 350 page Qur'an had been unbound in order to display certain pages and after the exhibition closes it will be rebound. Worth googling Chester Beatty! We had a much- needed lunch after having walked Dublin for some hours. Unfortunately we couldn't take photos which was a real pity. Next stop the Dublin National Museum of Archaeology. Again this is a free museum and an absolute gem. It has exhibits from prehistoric times and includes a section on Ancient Egypt and, of course, the Vikings. One of the most fascinating exhibits was the two bog bodies that were discovered almost fully preserved in peat bogs. Didn have much time there but we had been before so were selective about what we chose to see.Read more

  • TravelerIreland & USA 2016
    Day 5

    Dublin

    May 14, 2016 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    Last day at this hotel - really love it here. Off out for a walk to Temple Bar area just to have a look around the other end of town (& no doubt we'll see some people with VERY sore heads there!). Its definitely the livelier (i.e. younger) part of the city. Walked to the GPO and back, had a snack in Marks & Spencer then checked out and caught a taxi to Clontarf Castle Hotel.
    What a sight it was driving up the beautiful tree-lined drive to see the imposing castle at the end. A very classy establishment in a very affluent area. Pretty much every house has a luxury vehicle in the driveway! After checking in we walked to the 'village', about 10-15 minutes away. Apparently there were confirmations on in the town today - lots of little girls in very fancy dresses and some boys in suits going to functions with their families. Had lunch in Picasso, an Italian restaurant which is just across the road from the waterfront. The area has a real 'seaside' feel about it and as the weather has been so nice lots of people were in shorts & summer gear. Just didnt feel like we were still in Dublin.
    Ron went for a look around the grounds and came back beside himself - he got to sit in the driver's seat of a VERY expensive Ferrari belonging to someone in the hotel.
    First two shots are of the hotel, then the road leading up to it, then what looks like it may have been something like a gate-keepers cottage, then our beautiful room and lastly a typical house in the area.    Read more

  • TravelerIreland & USA 2016
    Day 6

    Clontarf Castle Hotel

    May 15, 2016 in Ireland ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    Clontarf Castle was built in 1172 as part of an inner line of defence sites protecting Dublin. It was demolished in 1837 and completely rebuilt as a castle. In 2006 it underwent a €10 million renovation and it's easy to see the results of that throughout. Some shots of the interior (& Ron's new best friend!). Note the ducks hanging from the window next to the banners. The last shot is looking along the street at the back of the hotel.Read more

  • TravelerIreland & USA 2016
    Day 6

    Clontarf

    May 15, 2016 in Ireland ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C

    Only 5 degrees when we went for a long walk into Clontarf after breakfast but the sun was shining and there was no wind. The esplanade along the water is wide and there's a separate path for cyclists, which makes for a very pleasant walk. People were out in droves, cycling, jogging, walking, making the most of the beautiful weather. We have been blessed since we arrived - so far pretty much only one season each day instead of four!!
    Some shots from our walk this morning.    Read more

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