Planes, Trains and Automobiles and Walking Around

We made it! We had a relatively smooth ride over. Planes on time, limited turbulence and we arrived to some sun.

It didn't take us too long to find the right bus service to take into downtown. It's surprisingly warm, but humid here. We've continued to have strange things happen to us. For some reason, my debit card doesn't work, which was tricky in order to have the cash for the bus trip into downtown. Both Brendan and Cassie's debit card does work!. We can't figure out why and I even called the bank. But we didn't let that stop us! After a half an hour bus ride winding our way from the airport to Dublin, we got off at a few blocks from our hotel. We are staying at a place called Staunton's on the Green. All the doors in Dublin have these beautiful arches above colorfully painted doors.

Our hotel is very close to Grafton Street. It took us awhile to figure out how to open the windows (no air conditioning) and then Cassie and I got locked into our room. Brendan was standing out the door making the usual remarks and finally the hotel guy came up and kicked the door in because the lock was jammed! Strange! After that start, we ventured forth towards Grafton Street.

We mostly have walked around today getting ourselves acclimated. We are all a bit lo-mo since we haven't had much sleep. We walked all along Grafton Street and there were a million different street performers, many dressed in costumes that made them look like sculptures.

Dad took a few pictures and found out that his automatic lens was broken, so all his pictures looked like this:  It looks like Cassie and I are being eaten by a monster! We futzed with the lens and got that working. Thankfully we've been able to overcome these small issues.

We stopped at a pub and had a bite and a beer (or some of us did). Dublin is surprisingly quiet. There was hardly anyone in the pub and since we are across the street from St. Stephen's Green, which is the most beautiful park, it seems to keep the noise way down. We've reconvened here in the hotel's sitting room. Unbelievably we've met someone who used to live in Seattle. She was the original decorator for Bill Gate's house. Now she lives in a castle in Germany and she has an amazing vision for her grounds and home. Beautiful! She showed us all of her pictures. She's been telling us that communism is alive and well in northern Germany. Some amazing stories. She's a real firecracker!

Tomorrow we are planning to take the bus all the way around Dublin, starting of course with the Guinness Storehouse.

More later...