Patti World

Ireland, Day 3: We Become Dubliners for the Day!

We woke up a bit late, but had to scamper because our walking tour began at 11. We decided to take the bus (!) and keep the beast of a car out of the big city. The bus stop was a half block away and the ride, on the top level of a double decker bus, was awesome. The racing around narrow corners was like riding in JK Rowling’s Nightbus from “Harry Potter.” It seems to squeeze in and stretch to glide through tight spaces. I imagined the driver was steering with one hand, while eating a ham sandwich!

We don’t look a bit worried. I did ask at one point, do these things ever tip over on a turn?
Notice the sign in the window. Oh to drive the “nightbus” around tight corners for a living….
Across the wetlands, near our hotel is the great and glorious Portmarnock Golf Club.

In town, the Spire was easy to find. It was 100 metes high and right in the center of a major intersection. Getting there, we found James Joyce so I posed with the great one and thought of “Prufrock” more than “Dubliners.” We had a “tasty bite” at Starbucks and met our tour guide, Marti, with a minute to spare. 

Marti, from Guru tours, was terrific. He was energetic and cheerful for the entire 2 1/2 hour tour, moving among us to learn our stories, following up as he came back our way. And he looked after those who were lagging. Great guy. And smart too.

At 100 meters, the Spire is meant to be the great meeting place. Instead it is nicknamed, “The Stilettoin the Ghetto.”
Marti tour guide
The Temple Bar. I didn’t want to leave—they were playing live music! My favorite thing!!
Temple Bar flying TCU and North Carolina flags for the football game being played here. Every other person was wearing either powder blue or purple! (North Carolina
Christ Church Cathedral remains Protestant.They say it’s haunted! Marti said he’s never been inside because he’s Catholic—but they do give tours.
Time for a song: Molly Malone, was a real person. And check out her shiny figure—rubbed for good luck by many a young lad, they say.
Love lane is actually quite long and at night filled with the names of lovers who have found a place for a bit of private snogging! Reminds me of the beginning of “Angela’s Ashes.
Trinity University is still not catholic but does have the Long Room with the Sacred Book of Kells. There’s a destination!
City Hall, where they have weddings on the weekends
St. Andrew’s Church where Molly Malone pushes her wheelbarrow.

At the end of the day, he took us to Lundy Foots, a place with terrific food and at 4 pm, the live music was about to start. Sadly, we had to go, but highly recommended.

We were revived enough to tour the National Museum and do a bit of shopping. Then back to out lovely hotel for a small dinner and early bed. Tomorrow is another adventure after all. 

Thanks for reading!  Good night.

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