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| Favourite Boulangerie for cafe & pain aux raisin |
Fun with the cases down the six flights of stairs & then bit of a drama on the RER to CDG as the line was closed & we had to get off the train at Gare du Nord & get to another platform, which one wasn't clear but we followed those with cases, pandemonium reigned supreme but it all came out in the wash & the Aerlingus flight was delayed anyway. Arrived Dublin airport (all very spiffy) at around 4pm ilo 3. Taxi to accomodation, driver gave us his version of Ireland today & reassured us the about our ancestors who came to Australia, they were not criminals, the criminals sent them, we didn't mention that we descended from free settlers, (as far as we know) He was also pretty vocal on the "feckin nigerians"
First impression of Dublin, ....yikes....could just be where the hotel is but pretty dire, of course we had no idea on nice areas to stay & this area Phibsboro is only 1 k out of town. Hotel itself is fine & we are very happy with our room etc. We walked into O'Connell St & had a look around but impression not improving, all so GREY, so many buildings of dismal grey granite & rubbish all around, I tried to make M feel better & said just like Italy, but she was looking at the people & thought that they looked the same, sort of dismal, look we have just come from the most beautiful city in the world & even Paris has it's ugliness! (Musee Rodin - according to M!)
Settled on O'Neills for tea, just down the street from Trinity College, there has been a tavern on the site for 300 years, present day pub from 1800's I think. Anyway lots of action & when we got inside we saw why, carvery which served meals you could not jump over for 12 euro, we had roast beef with yorkshire & 100 veg. Very atmospheric pub, all wood & little nooks & crannies, bulging with people - high excitement over soccer match blasting out from 3-4 big screens- MU & Barcelona - what that's got to do with Ireland I don't know. We made a decent dent on the giant's meal in front of us & staggered back to hotel, tucked up by 9pm
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