Dublin's Fair City

Well, after several flight delays, I made it to Ireland. I took a city bus from the airport to O'Connell Street (the main drag). A very nice lady on the bus helped me figure out at which stop to get out and even gave me directions from the stop to my hostel. The hostel is great. The staff is very nice and helpful. My bed is an upper bunk and looks fine to me.

I rode the double-decker sightseeing bus all the way around the circuit and just got out at the Irish Museum of Modern Art.

I've spent very little on food today and had a good time doing it too. I went to a local bakery and the nice Irishman made me a ham sandwich - very homemade - like something one's mom would pack for a trip. I ate that for breakfast and lunch then I went to the local pub for dinner. I had a student special... bowl of onion soup, free bread and butter and a pint of cider. I sat up at the bar and everything!

I went on the Guiness tour. The tour is 7 floors of more info than you ever wanted about stout. At the end of the tour, you get a free pint of Guiness in the Gravity Bar. The Gravity Bar is on the top floor of the old beer factory and it is a glass room with 360 views of the city. There were these dorky Italian guys trying to take a picture of themselves. I told them I'd trade them and take their picture if they'd take mine. I really wanted a picture of me with my pint of Guiness. They just got my face. I had one of the guys get in the picture with me. They thought I was crazy.



Everyone I have encountered has been pleasant and affable - bus drivers, bus riders, hostel attendants, man in the deli... So, things are good so far.