I couldn't sleep, but rested my eyes a lot. My seatmate was a young man from Belfast named Aidan. We enjoyed each other's company. During the night, the full moon reflected off the ocean to the south of us. One time when I looked, 2 ships with lots of lights on them (...cruise liners?...) showed up like two tiny rows of speckles off to the west of the moon streak.
As we came over the Irish coast at dawn, starting our descent, the land was covered with low clouds that frothed up where there were mountains. Coming over central Ireland, a little town showed through the clouds for a moment, picked out by a double line of street lights that expanded into a "bubble" of them near the center of town and dwindled to a string again going out. We came in low over a farm and suburbs of Dublin. The landing was as smooth as silk; some passangers broke into spontaneous applause. Landed at 5:55 a.m. Irish Time, in a light drizzle, with the temperature at 60 degrees F/15 C.
Came into town on a shuttle bus [1.50 Irish punts after the Aer Lingus discount] and the bus driver pointed out hostels on the way to the city center bus station. I've reserved a bed at Jacob's Inn, the closest to the middle of Dublin, and parked my backpack in their locked baggage room. They served a big Irish breakfast. I was ravenous, so had no trouble tucking into 3 sausages, 2 slices of "black & white pudding" (more sausage, actually), an egg, 2 grilled toasts, fried potato cake, half a tomato, orange juice and a mug of strong coffee. It's enough to send one's cholesterol count way over the bar! I plan to hike around town so's to get good and tired so I can sleep tonight!
1:50
p.m. --
(sitting in a cafe, resting my feet) Went down to the quay
and took pics of boats and buildings. A nice drunk panhandled a
Swisher Sweet [little cigar] from me and took me over to Trinity
College to see the Book of Kells. His name was Danny Browne. He
would have guided me all over the country if I'd have bought him
a pint of Guinness, but No way, Jose! So much for that!
I happened upon the Dublin Tourist Board, in a converted neo-Gothic Episcopal church (St. Andrew's). Found out that I can get a rail/bus pass good for a week for 60 punts(~$75). Also tried to send an e-mail to the kids, but the server wouldn't recognize the computer, someone must have reset one or the other of them, and the attendant was no help at all. So I paid a punt(~$1.25) for nothing.
About the Book of Kells: It's a marvel of artistry as are the other books on display there. It is truly amazing that these books survived! Some are as early as 500AD. Knowing firsthand how much work goes into preparing and preserving a skin, I can appreciate the enormous labor to make the surface [vellum = calf skin] upon which all those precise letters and beautiful works of art are inscribed.
I took a slew of pictures to finish up Dad's roll and practice getting the f/stop and focus right. There were some skateboarders beside College Gate Apartments along with a statue of Countess Constance Markievicz and her little dog. She was an Irish patriot involved in the Easter Rising of 1916.
9:10
p.m. --
Also took several photos in this neighborhood of chimney
pots, statues, old and new buildings (the contrast is striking).
Just back from a large supper of Penni Arabaitta, a spicy & cheesy "Italian" dish with garlic bread, eaten at the Isaac Butt, in the Isaac Hotel, 5.50 punts. A bit underdone, the pasta was, but it went down well. After starting to eat it, I realised I was "carbing up" for tomorrow's walking. The bannister rail at Isaac Butt was beautiful, with a series of framed compass roses jigsawed out of large planks stained oak-brown. The cellar restaurant was picturesque, too,... arched brick ceilings and the hot-air duct was decorated to look like a pink Chinese dragon, sculpted from what appeared to be polyurethane.
There is so much to see here in Dublin, and I need to get a pair of canvas walking shoes that tie up (or fasten with Velcro) to give my feet better support. My socks slither around and bunch up in my loafers.
The sun is just going down at 9:15 p.m. and I'm back in the hostel, in my top bunk which is nice pine with attractively turned corner posts.