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Dubliner

First taste of Ireland

By Carl Fisher

May 29^th, 2017

Wildean

One of the most striking things about Ireland is that it is so green, the main reason being all of the lovely wet stuff that falls frequently from the sky. Definitely no drought here. While it did come down quite hard from time to time, I was fortunate that this happened less than about 10% of the time that I was out and about on the Green Isle. Enough about the weather and onto the sights.

One of the main attractions for my first full day in Ireland was downtown Dublin. A highlight was Merrion Square Park, apparently the heart of Georgian Dublin It held numerous charms, not the least of which was a statue of a reclining, lecherous looking Oscar Wilde. As most of you probably know, he's renowned for his wit and exuberant pursuit of pleasure. A true role model. It was hard to walk around the city and not see hints of his influence.

Colorful splashes

Trinity

Trinity College was a must see because of the many distinguished and not so distinguished individuals who graduated from there (including my bf). I'm always impressed by the cloistered nature of institutions of higher learning, which are often just a stone's throw from crass commercial centers. Pleasant oases from the hustle and bustle all around.

Bumping up the step count

It seems like much of my time was spent either drinking, eating, or walking (with some driving, but that's for a later post). It is the best way to explore a city if you have the time for it. When traveling, chance encounters are particularly appreciated, but it does make for a richer experience to have access to more in depth insight. Fortunately for me, I had the intimate knowledge of a former local in the form of my boyfriend. While he hadn't lived in the city for many decades, there was much that hadn't changed and he still possessed numerous contacts that offered additional suggestions for activities.