SWITZERLAND A ROAD TRIP TO JOHN SWITZER Dublin
Today’s road trip started at the Ottawa Airport (and lounge area), where I got to hang out and watch all the arriving travelers because my (cheap) ticket only allowed me to fly late at night. As no one wanted to drop me off at the airport on a Sunday night, I got to talk to all the nice airport sales people who were bored to tears and would talk to anyone (even me).
I am reaching the (realization) age, when the song “we are here for a good time not a long time” resonates loud and clear. So, since I have always wanted to go to Ireland (100% Irish descendant), I got my wife to search for a ticket and away I went. The flight was uneventful until I watched the dawn come up at 32,000 ft. on a rolling ocean of white cloud. This spectacular and unworldly panorama was worth the price of the ticket right there. Heathrow Airport is modern, “big and busy”, and, more importantly, well laid out with lots of friendly folks to help you along to Terminal 5 and then a quick hop to Dublin.
The Dublin airport is just another airport and if I did not love the sound of the Irish lilt so much I would not even have remembered it. I do remember that I stood at the wrong carousel and was totally pissed when my suitcase did not arrive, and then was politely escorted to pick up my bag at the right carousel. I grabbed an AIR LINK bus into the city and the fun started when I asked the driver where O’Connell Street was. When we arrived at this major thoroughfare I was inundated with helpful locals telling me it was time to exit the bus. The driver also called out the stop on the (scratchy) intercom but he sounded just like my old Irish grand- mother and I never did understand a word she said. I finally arrived at the GRANARY, a wonderful “AIRBNB” accom- modation located in the downtown area, but not until half of Dublin insisted on helping me find my way. My first day’s adventure started out with a great Irish breakfast with blood pudding (sausage) and lots of other great breakfast stuff. I then jumped on a “Hop on – Hop off” bus tour (the green one not the red one) to get my bearings, until I felt comfortable with finding my way around town. I walked to DUBLIN CASTLE (well worth it) then off for anther meander about central Dublin. Finally, I meandered to the TEMPLE BAR DISTRICT, akin to our Ottawa Market area but with more music and pubs, for a refreshing beverage.
The next day dawned (too) early and away I wandered again. First to find the statue of Oscar Wilde of “women are meant to be loved, not understood” fame, then got lost for a while. The city is easy to get around contiinued on page 26
20 BOUNDER MAGAZINE
www.bounder.ca
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64