Dublin Shots from My Walk With Leo

I didn't have these in the right place to add them to yesterday's post, so they get a post all of their own.

Those who know me know that I am not a city person, but for a countrywoman like me, a visit to a large city is filled with fascinating things to see. I suppose if I lived in a city I would worry about crime, litter, homeless, traffic, and so on, but as a visitor these things do not capture my attention--I know they exist and are real problems, but there is so much beauty that enthralls me.

So, here are the last (I promise!) of my Dublin photos:

First is Number One Merrion Square, the childhood home of Oscar Wilde. I just read a brief bio of his mother, who used the pen name Speranza for her poetry,  last night in the book Wild Irish Women, and it was clear where he got his abilities from. I didn't realize we were in his neighborhood until I saw the plate on the door--hard to read here.

Our hotel in Merrion Square, the O'Callaghan-Davenport Hotel. This was a fine place to stay--beautiful, with excellent, friendly staff and comfortable rooms. This was the place where they prepared a breakfast (for free, since it came with the room!) at 2:30 in the morning before we were to fly out. We came down to find hot tea and coffee, oatmeal, toast, yogurt, jams, fresh fruit and juice all waiting for us--and our taxi called for and at the door. That's service.

 The interior was elegant, and my photos do not do it justice.

I took many of these photos during my walk with Leo--I believe I caught his head in this one! I was snapping fast with my phone so they won't be the best quality.

This is one of those sidewalk grates I referred to in my last post. This is glass and cast iron, and the glass looked like it was an inch thick. These light the underground storage areas of the buildings along the streets.

The annual sidewalk art show was in progress on this day. Paintings were lined along at least two of Dublin's public parks, this one at Merrion Square Park.

Busy, busy streets at an hour of the day. As you can see, it had recently showered but that doesn't slow down pedestrian traffic in Dublin.

One of the many beautiful buildings, former homes converted to shops and flats.

This storefront was awesome!

A former gentlemen's club was once housed in this building, and Leo pointed out the figures on the columns--this one is of a turtle, I believe, playing a fiddle, and there is a mouse up to something as well. Another was frogs playing cards. I would not have noticed these on my own.

A gelatto shop, with bright, fun lights.

Earlier Theresa and I window-shopped at this all-Ireland store. Crystal, oh my! Both of us love the sparkly things.

This place made us laugh--it really is a shop full of doorknobs and door knockers, though.

There are many ways to get around in Ireland. These tourists were on a foot-pedal bus. They were singing and laughing and made me want to jump on board with them.

Then there are the trains--fast, comfortable and an easy way to get almost anywhere in the country.

Of course, you can always go traditional and take a horse and carriage ride, or a double-decker bus,

or travel by bicycle,

Or take LUAS, the citywide tram system. That and bikes were about the only ways we did not try during our stay.

I'll finish with this quick video of a street band, playing on a Sunday night on the crowded O'Connell Street.

As I said, it's a busy, fascinating city. Tiring too, for a country mouse like me, but I would go again in a minute.


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