Journey to Dublin

Two weeks have passed already. The Irish coins have left my wallet and the postcards I sent have reached their destinations. So it’s about time to talk about my little vacation in Dublin.

Well, the first day was really just travelling. My flight left Munich in the evening and I arrived in Dublin just after sunset. As I have mentioned in my previous post, I saw the most beautiful sunset over Dublin, just before we descended into the clouds. The sky was filled with bright colors, blue, turquoise, orange, yellow and red. The clouds were lit up, as well. It was truly amazing. After that we went down through the grey of the clouds and towards the lights of the city.

From the airport I took the bus to the city. I got off on Dorset Street, a couple stops too early. But usually I miss the last stop on Dorset Street and then have to walk back from Parnell Place. I think it didn’t make much of a difference, distance wise. Walking to the hostel was no problem, of course. I recognized the right way immediately, I’ve been there often enough. I love it how I just recognize all the places in Dublin now and can find my way around without having to look at a map all the time.

Summer in Dublin

So, I'm here, in Dublin. Well, my time here is actually almost over, and it was great! I think I've never experineced such great weather here, as I had the first two days. It was sunny and hot. At least in the city. Out in Howth, where I properly started my vacation, it was of course windy, and the wind was cold. But once I got back off the train in Dublin, a heat wave hit me. So yesterday I left the sweater at home, and took only my rain jacket, just in case. But I didn't need it, even though some clouds started to build up towards the evening. Well, they prepared for today, obviously. For a moment there I had been worried about the unusual weather, but this morning it was raining, so everything is back to normal ;-) I was told that I have experineced the two best days of the summer. I guess I picked the right time.. ;-)

There's something else I haven't yet experienced in Ireland. Well, I've never been here at this time of year, so I never thought about it. But as the summer solstice is just two weeks away, the sun sets at about 10 pm. I never thought about Ireland being that much further north. I was really surprised when I came out of the movie theater at 9 pm and it was still broad daylight. Well, then I did remember that I had watched the most beautiful sunset the night before on the airplane, around 10 pm, just before descending into Dublin airport. It feels a bit weird to have daylight until well after 10 pm. I tend to forget the time, and think it's still early, but it's also quite cool.

Well, enough for now, more details about my trip to Dublin another time.

Almost Ready

So, it's almost time. I'm off to Ireland tomorrow. I think I thought of everything. I have my tickets printed, both flight information and the tickets for the concert. I also have the schedule of the airport bus. I know how to get to the hostel. I've been there before, three times, so that should not be a problem. My plans are made. I know what I wanna do once I'm there. The time will be short, but I'll make the best of it.

My bag is not packed yet, I'll get to that tonight. I'm still not sure which jacket to take. Well, the rain coat, definitely. I checked the weather forecast, and it should be dry most of the time, but you never know. It's supposed to rain on Sunday. My bigger worry is the temperature. It seems to be somewhere around 15° to 20° C, so not too bad. At least better and warmer than it's been here in Germany this past week. But that's not hard. So I guess the weather won't be too bad. And I don't go to Ireland for the weather, anyway. I just have to pack accordingly. And that's my task for tonight.

Otherwise everything is ready. The volcano still seems to be quiet, which is a really good thing. So I'll see you in Dublin! :)

What's New: Leprechauns and LUAS

Now I thought I've been to all the most interesting museums in Dublin. But through a friend who's been in Dubs just recently, I learned about the National Leprechaun Museum. There's a leprechaun museum in Dublin? Why didn't I know that? Ok, simple answer: It just opened two months ago and it's been four years since my last visit. So there's a new item on my list. I'm very curious to see it.

While I looked at the map to check out the leprechaun museum I noticed another difference: there's a LUAS line north of the river. When did that happen? First time I was in Dublin, the entire city was one huge construction site, while they built the new streetcar line. A year later it was finished, two lines, both on the south side of the city. Obviously, they were not finished. The red line was extended and now goes all the way to the Point. Now, that is unfair. Back in '06 I had to walk all the way to the Point and back - twice. There was not even a bus. And now, that I don't need to go there, there's the LUAS. Just not fair! *sulk*

What about the Point, anyway? I heard it closed just shortly after I was there. As far as I know, Face to Face was the last time Westlife played the Point. What happened to it? Was it torn down? In the map there's a theater called the O2 (did Westlife play there, the Love Tour? I think so). Is it the same building as the Point? Or is it something new? Not that it matters to me at the moment, really. More important would be how I'll get to Croke Park. I heard it's walking distance from the city center. Well, like everything, really.

Dublin, My Love

Why do I love Dublin? I guess to answer that question I have to go back to the first time I went there. It was in 2004, I was twenty and it was the first time I travelled on my own. I was excited, but most of all I was scared – no, terrified, really. The first time I would be on an airplane, and – more importantly – the first time I would be truly on my own, in a city I didn’t know, in a country I’ve never been to.

Why had I picked Dublin for that adventure? Well, there was just this idea in my head that Ireland was a truly beautiful country, and I really wanted to go there. Ok, there was Westlife, as well. The Irish band I really love and that might have had a part in my sudden interest in Ireland. But mostly, with everything I’d seen and heard of Ireland, I got to the conclusion that it was a place I just had to see.

The trip was planned in minute detail. I didn’t want any surprises. I decided to set my base in Dublin and discover the city and its vicinity for ten days. Despite all my great planning I was really nervous and very anxious whether everything would work out the way I had anticipated. It did, actually, and I just had the most amazing time in Dublin. So maybe that’s why I love the city. Because everything worked out and I had a truly wonderful vacation.

But maybe it was more than that. I did fall in love with the country. I learned a lot about its history in Dublin’s museums, and I saw lots of breathtaking scenery (and it’s said, the west coast is even more beautiful, which is, actually, true). I’ve been to Newgrange, which is simply a very fascinating place. And Glendalough, which is just beautiful.

And, of course, Howth, the peninsula to the north of Dublin, which has become my traditional starting point for every trip to Ireland. Why? Simply because it happened to be the first place I visited that first time I was in Ireland. Up there on the cliffs, watching out onto the ocean, hearing only the sound of the waves and the cries of the seagulls, and of course the wind, I got my first glimpse of Ireland’s unique beauty – and I fell in love.

And Dublin itself? On my first day in the city, it already felt familiar to me, having walked to the right bus stop halfway across town – which took me about twenty minutes. The city is not very large, so most places are in walking distance. For a history buff like me, there’s plenty to discover. The National Museum, Dublinia, Kilmainham Gaol, and of course the main churches, Christchurch and St. Patrick’s.

And of course, there’s the language thing. All the signs are written in both English and Irish, so you can’t help but pick up a few Irish words – even though it’s quite impossible to pronounce them. But it’s quite helpful to be able to recognize some written words, in case the English translation is missing. And it’s great fun, as well. Even better is the new streetcar LUAS, where every stop is announced in both languages. So there you can actually hear spoken Irish. It would be an interesting challenge to actually learn the language…

Dreaming and planning

I love to travel. There are so many places on this planet, that I yet want to see. And most places I’ve been, I want to see again. This summer, I will do both: I will visit a place I’ve never been before, and I will go back to one of my favourite places.


First, I will go to Ireland, yet again. In one month time, I will fly to Dublin for the fourth time. I just love this city, and the entire country. I can’t even say why. Well, there’s the beauty of the landscape – any breathtaking landscape will win me over instantly, and there’s plenty of that in Ireland. Then, there's the friendliness of the people – I love how they greet absolute strangers on the street and yes, they can fit an entire day’s weather forecast into one greeting. Whatever it is, I just yearn to go back to Ireland as soon as I leave, and it’s been four years, so it’s about time.


The second journey this summer will lead me to Finland. Finally! Pretty much exactly two years ago, in a small town in the state of New York, I met L., a young woman from Finland, staying in the US as an au pair, just like me. There, we lived less than five minutes apart. We became great friends and saw each other nearly every day. For more than a year now, both of us are back home. We’ve been talking a lot about meeting up again, and finally this summer it will happen. I will visit her in Helsinki. I can’t wait to see her again, and to see the country and people she told me so much about. I’m curious to see if all the Finns are as crazy as she is, and what’s really behind the sauna…