It all started on a stereotypically gloomy day in Dublin…
Sunshine in Ireland in summer? Not likely.
We landed in Dublin a morning in early July, stepped outside the airport with our humongous backpacks on our backs to find lots of clouds, and a micro slither of sunshine accompanied by pleasantly cool temperatures.
After a long layover in Canada and an extra 5 hour delay, we were wiped out and ready to check in and rest at the hotel. The kids’ excitement was palpable but they were also beat. We took a taxi to the hotel, checked in within 10 minutes, showered and were all asleep in bed within a half hour. A restful 4 hours and we were ready for exploration.
The reason we stopped in Dublin for 3 nights was mainly a practical purpose one. We didn't have a work exchange scheduled for Ireland. But the furthest north I had ever been to in Europe was London, and as popular as it is, I had no desire to stop there. I really wanted to see Dublin and I thought it would be a great stop to shake off the jet lag before going to Portugal, as well as a perfect intro to a more Northern European vibe, as Southern Europe is completely different.
Chillin’ with Oscar Wilde…yes, that’s how my son poses for photos LOL
It was well worth it, because Dublin is a really superb city. It goes without saying that it’s a culturally rich city, but it’s also extremely diverse and has a very dynamic and energetic feeling to it, without the overwhelming and disorienting aspects of a metropolis. The kids final verdict was a resounding “yes, we liked it a lot”….gloomy weather notwithstanding.
We toured the city on a double decker bus, did the 24 hr hop on hop off as that is always a very good way to get an overview of a city. I would recommend anyone start that way.
I will never forget, we had some insanely delicious Chinese food, the best Chinese food I had since I lived in Italy. And Irish breakfast! Persia had stopped eating pork since she was 7 years old after watching a documentary about a domesticated pig. Well, Irish breakfast killed that 8 year long treaty (sorry pigs).
We went to sleep after 11 pm each night and it was just getting dark, which was a first for the kids.
All in all, it was a phenomenal way to start our adventure. We got to rest and adjust to the time change while also experiencing the right does of sensory stimulation. Dublin hit all the right the sweets spot to get us started on our journey.
