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…