In a fantastic reversal of fortune since our fated trip to Paris (where we missed our flight and waited all day at the airport with pissed bucks night hooligans), we caught our flight on time to Dublin. No running wildly through the airport to catch a flight that had already left, we simply boarded our flight at the allocated time on el cheapo air (ryanair- horrible uniforms, but a good efficient service). We touched down in Dublin on Good Friday to find all the pubs shut and garda (irish cops) patrolling the streets to arrest anyone trying to sell booze- a very un-Irish wecome- there was no booze to be had anywhere. But as we were staying in the pub area- Temple Bar, the no booze mood did make our first night blissfully quiet, the next night we could hear drunken revellers until morning.
Dublin nice, not as big as had rembered it, did touristy things (sidekick loved guinness brewery), book of kells fascinating. Sampled many fine Irish beers, they do do a very good stout (thick black stuff) there.
Picked up our car on Easter Sunday to begin our car journey of Ireland- Cork, West coast, Galway, Belfast then back to Dublin- all in 6 days. Zippy little Toyota yaris fab to drive, everything powered and motorised so car almost seemed to drive itself. 3point turns were no longer the cardio-workout due to the magic that is power-steering. There were a few minor incidences involving sheep on the road (see below) but here power-steering came to the rescue as we managed to curve around the staring sheep.
The west coast was the highlight of our trip. One magic night in the little seaside town of Dingle involved cheap, cosy B+B accom (with slightly eccentric irish host 'Veronica'), fantastic "bloody hell this is picturesque" scenery of sheer cliffs and green fields dotted with sheep (which we almost ran over), sublime mussels from tiny pub (some effort involved in trying to not lick each shell individually and the bowl at meal's end, sidekick needed to be restrained), finished off with irish music at said pub........ And no sheep were harmed in the process.
Belfast another highlight- palpable sense of history as we drove around the peace wall (covered in graffitti) protestant and catholic areas (covered in religious martyrs on murals) courtesy of our taxi drver/tour guide fred (perhaps not his real name).
Back to Dublin where we found the airport, returned our little car and got on to our flight with plenty of time to spare, quite an achievement.
We are now efficient global travellers- Paris debacle was merely a glitch (perhaps as there weren't any fast-closing doors on trains involved in Ireland).
Onwards to our next holiday!
