Ireland Train and Bus Trip Fall 2010

Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin, Ireland

Sacramento, CA to Dublin, Ireland Sept. 1, 2010

Took the Fast Taxi (Nevada City Taxi) from home at 5:30 AM to Sacramento (SMF) airport. To Chicago via Orange County on FREE SWA tickets. At Midway, took a van to Marriott Courtyard near O'Hare, where we would fly out. Took the hotel van to Nicks House of Seafood. Splurged! I had lobster and Larry King crab legs. Long day on Sept. 2 until 6:15 PM flight. The plane was HOT. Slept some. Close to landing breakfast was served but they forgot us!

Dublin, Ireland Sept. 3

Marky's birthday! Arrived in Dublin late AM. Larry had booked a Marriott Hotel 1.2 miles from airport. Turned out to be a website typo: it was 12 miles from the airport. Good thing we got some Euros before we left home. Hotel turned out it is the classiest old hotel in Dublin: established in 1824: the Shelbourne at St. Stevens Green. Walked two blocks to have breakfast at Foley's Pub. Then we implemented the method we developed when traveling with Peg & George for adapting to the new time after a long flight: two hour nap, bath, and double-decker bus tour to get the big picture of sites we will want to go back to. After the bus trip, walked down the street to O'Donoghues.

Many cops were outside the Shelborne on our return. We asked at the bar why: Its a secret. A famous person is visiting. You would know the name. Next day saw in newspapers it stated that Tony Blair had a book signing in town. We walked back to Foley's for early fish and chips dinner. Had a drink at O'Donoghues where The Dubliners (Irish rock band) started. Walked another block to Larry Murphy's Pub, asking there where the B&B was that we move to tomorrow. It was just across the street!

We were both awake 3 AM at Shelbourne: Screwed up body clocks. I had bought some secondhand books at Hospice Thrift, one because it was about a poor landed Irish gentry boy in 19th Century.. He goes to Dublin and stays at the Shelborne!! We went back to sleep until 10AM. Dashed out to get free breakfast at the classy hotel restaurant. Larry ordered Eggs Shelbourne: beef steak and Hollandaise. I: Normal Benedict. We walked dragging bags to the Fitz William, our next B&B. Took an on and off red tour bus. Sunny day! I got sun burned. Went to Guinness five storey former brewery, now tour museum. Last stop: 5th floor view of all of Dublin. Next red bus stop; Jamison. Afterward we walked to Brazen Head, the oldest pub in Dublin, established in 1198. Dinner at Porterhouse Pub. Met couple from Mountain View, CA. Then to Temple Bar area, party pub area. Saturday night! Crowds of people. We said it looked like Bourbon Street in New Orleans!

Murphy's Bar, Dublin

Back to B&B area, and Murphy's Bar. Deserted! Larry, I and bartender were the ONLY ones there. Soon another guy arrived, Frank. He asked us to join him outside so he could smoke. (Yes, Ireland has banned smoking indoors, even in bars! ) He was from Tipperary, here for the Big Hurling Game with Kilkenny tomorrow. Kilkenny had won 4 championships in a row and had never won 5. We asked Frank if he would bet on the game, and he said no. (But next day his team WON! Odds 9 to 1 !!) He insisted on buying ALL our drinks for the rest of the evening. He said thank you, thank you Americans for keeping Ireland afloat with our tourism dollars, especially in the past before they got on their feet economically. He was there not only for the game, but as a treat for his workers, who were gambling around the corner. Soon they showed up but not for long. They wanted to go to the prostitutes (!) and Frank gave them a handful of money. Frank said he raised trees for a living and had a 100 acre nursery.

Sunday, Sept. 5, Dublin

Walked toward the archaeological museum and had breakfast. The Fitzwilliam is the only B&B we stayed that did NOT serve breakfast. Museum was not open until 2 PM, so we walked to the Grafton Street shopping area, which was several streets of shops closed to cars. We bought Larry a jacket to replace the one I left on the plane. Spent two hours in the museum. Lots on pre-Celts, Celts, and Vikings. After naps, drink at (Foley's), then a short walk to Pembroke Street to the steak restaurant recommended to us at Brazen Head pub, FX Buckleys, whose owners run meat shops. I had smoked duck and cauliflower soup (wonderful!) and Larry a filet, which the Irish pronounce, fil ette. Back to Foley for trad (traditional) music by a trio that looked college age: guitar, squeeze box, and fiddle playing old Irish balads. They looked surprised when we clapped! No tips are allowed for them, so we bought them a round of beers.

Twice today people asked us for directions! First as we finished breakfast we were asked where St Stephens Green was, and I pointed down the street. Second time I said, We are from California! Guess Larry looks like a colorful local in his dark suit and me in my old lady hat.

Light rain all day. Bought wine at a grocery store near the Fitzwilliam. Reading my guidebooks, I learned that the Vikings here were from Norway. Britains Viking invaders were from Denmark and Sweden.

Monday, Sept. 6, Dublin

Heavy rain and wind. Slept until 10:00. Breakfast at tiny Cafe Boulevard two blocks away. Returned to the room and booked a Galway B&B and train for tomorrow. Larry found a great special on the train fare: 10 Euros each to go from coast to coast!

Saw on the map we were only a few blocks from the Grand Canal, so we set out in the wind and rain. The main part of Dublin is situated with the River Liffey on the north, and the canal running across the south. The canal is narrow and overgrown not utilized. After only a short while, we gave up walking in the driving wind and rain and dashed into Wellington's Pub for a 2PM pint of Guinness. Well dressed young businessmen were having lunch, no drinking. Dinner: Indian food in a restaurant entirely below street level under a shop. Mediocre. We were the only patrons.

Red Bus, Hop On/Off Tour

Tuesday, Sept. 7, Dublin to Galway

Today is the 70th anniversary of the Blitz, per BBC (on a rare occasion when the TV was on.) Taxi to the train station. Sunny! Taxi driver said, We have four seasons in any one day. Carry your umbrella even if there is sun in the morning. We found that we could be rained on at about any time of day or night, but most showers were brief. On the entire trip, we had only a couple of heavy rains, and we tried to time travel days for when that was expected!

Very modern, quiet, clean trains. Mostly tourists, some students.

Gallway, County Gallway. Took a taxi to the Atlantic B&B, which was between old Galway and Salthill, about a 20 minute walk, mostly along the shore. There was a row of B&Bs amid homes and apartment buildings. The B&Bs looked so similar that one night we walked into the one next door by mistake! Ours had about 10 rooms; ours upstairs and small, but quiet, with flower pots on the tiny balcony and a sea view!

Walked back to old town. Medieval Galway has three parallel streets, pedestrian-only. There are window boxes and baskets of flowers on nearly every old building. The sun was shining, and most restaurants had seating on the sidewalk. We had Guinness and Atlantic Chowder at the Quay Pub on Quay Street. This was the first of many bowls of Atlantic Chowder, but each place had a different recipe. It was always good. A sign said the Quay Pub had Trad music.