We just returned to our hotel from a day of sightseeing in Dublin. First, getting here...we took the bus and then a train from Jenna's house to the airport in Amsterdam. First, you stand in a line to get your boarding pass, then another to check your bags (which by the way, they charge you for), then a line for passport control and finally one last line for security. I got frisked/felt-up as my knee set off the metal detector. Good thing the security guard was a woman or I may have really felt violated! On Aer Lingus, the Irish airline, you pay $3 for a cup of instant coffee. Unbelievable! Oh, did I mention that gasoline in Holland costs $9/gallon? So we Americans should quit belly-aching about the price of petrol. Here in Ireland, it's even more expensive. So anyway, we land in Dublin fine and take a bus to our hotel. Nice hotel, but in the middle of the night, it sounded like there was a riot going on, outside our window. The front desk clerk said it was just the Friday night crowd from the pub. He promises tonight will be quieter. I hope!
Today, we saw most of the obligatory Dublin sights, that one should see if one only has a day in Dublin. Of course, our favorites were the Guiness Brewery and the Jameson Whiskey Distillery. Gene was chosen to be one of 5 whiskey tasters at the end of the tour. Of course, they had to drag him,, kicking and screaming to do that! They even gave him a diploma, suitable for framing. I'll never hear the end of that.
And it's been raining.
Tonight, we hope to walk to a pub for supper and traditional Irish music. If I can stay awake that long. And tomorrow, we head home! I'm missing my critters and my little cabin in the woods. I'll post my bes photos when I get home, sorry it didn't work out on the road.
Hope all is well with everyone; it's great to be an American!
Love, Joan
