7 Days in Dublin: Day 3

Monday, Monday.
Late start, getting up at 8am. I guess we finally slept, being exhausted from all the walking, 1 hr time (back ) difference and the heat. Single beds are not something either of us want to repeat, but this is all that is on offer right now. At least the shower has good pressure and the shower rose is way above the head. Towels are a bit skinny, but hey, they dry fast in this warmth, lol. One has to find a rainbow somewhere, non?

We didnt buy yoghurt for our breakfast, last night, so it was down to the restaurant on the ground floor for a full 12 euro IRISH BREAKFAST! We opted for the full vs the continental, curious as to what a Full Irish consisted of. We also though a protein brekky would be good for our full day ahead.
Blood sausage, normal little (breakfast?) sausages, lots of lovely meaty Irish bacon cooked just right!, scrambled eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms (both cooked), toast both white and brown, choice of cereals and fresh fruit and yoghurt! Voila! Nothing unusual, but it tasted good. We didnt eat all of the above, of course, but eggs, bacon and one sausage with some fresh fruit to follow was good.

REJOICE! There is sunshine. Oh how we have missed it (yes, it has only been three days of grey!!). The mood in our camp lightened no end. What a great day to get out on the water and make the trip to Howth (Howt) on the peninsula opposite the hotel. We can see the light house on the end of the point from here.

All kitted out and anticipating that the wind might be cool on Dublin Bay, we set off with jackets around our waists and looking forward to being on the water. Sometimes one just has to get back on a boat!
We had seen the Dublin Bay Cruise boat the day before, and their little kiosk on the promenade at the sea wall.
First however, we had to return by bus to Dun Laoghaire (Done Leary). We also thought to go to the Tourist office and see if we could book our tickets there, as we had no printer with us and booking online required a printed ticket.
56 Euros return for the two of us on the boat. Ouch! 22euros one way each plus 6 euros for the return trip. Some people catch the DART back or a bus. We opted for the return on the boat.
In our shorts and T-shirts we were very comfortable on land, and found a favorite Insomnia brand coffee house for our elevenses. The boat was leaving at noon, so we had a little time up our sleeves.


Dun Laoghaire town Coat of Arms above the entry door to the Town Hall.

 It really is a splendid building. Irish Flag on the left and the EU flag in the middle. Didnt see what the flag on the right is, but possibly the town flag.

 Fabulous light stands with hanging baskets. The building has so many wonderful elements, including stained glass windows.

The woman in the Tourist Office was lovely and we chatted away about family being far away, grandchildren likewise and how to enjoy our retirement years. She very kindly called the boat folks and made the reservation for us, with us paying at the boat.  As the office was on the side of the Town Hall, which looks fab on the outside and is glass and modern on the inside, we stepped into the main hallway to take a look-see. What a wonderful surprise it was to find this excellent painting in the foyer.

The textile painting is called "Journey Through the Center of the Earth" by Sadhbh O'Neill (1998)
Dont aske me to pronounce the first name...someone reading this will surely know? Leave me a comment with the phonetics please!

Suitably impressed, we went back out the front door and onto the street which looks straight down to the harbor.
The water looked reasonably flat for our journey towards and then around that point you can see in the far distance.

Before making our way down the promenade, we had 20 mins up our sleeves still, so we decided to visit this Gallery. Full of wonderful crafts by local people, I didnt take photos...you dont! but we were very impressed by the high quality of the products and some very innovative people in these parts. Love the Lavender in full bloom up the path:)

A gentle breeze meant there was a gentle rise and fall on the water, which you can see isnt flat. Nothing to be concerned about...we have battled high seas, the two of us, so this should be chicken feed!

 Such an interesting skyline with a good mix of styles of old and contemporary. I love the building in the middle of the photo...This is the Public Library in Dun Laoghaire. It was designed to look like a Cruise Ship I think. Someone said a Sunken Ship, but I dont see that here. The Dublin Yacht Club is the white building in the foreground where all the masts are. Apparently they have a very active membership and it is often difficult to negotiate around all the kids in the blue sailing learner boats in the middle of summer weekends.

 This boat is definitely bigger than our boat, but not by a lot. We are 57ft, and this is about 75ft....and made of steel!
As always I want to know where the life jackets are, first!....you know, just in case!:)

 We were pretty sure we wouldn't get any rain, but those clouds sure looked pregnant.

 The Maritime Museum is houses in that church with the spire, left. We didnt get there.

 Waiting for the rest of the passengers to board, Waz got our his Sudoku, which he carries everywhere with him. I, of course, was out taking photos!:)

The light house at the end of the Sea Wall as we cruised past. There were the odd fisherpeople on the bay side of the building.

 Little trainer craft followed us out of the bay

 The light house on the other side of the entry to the protected harbor.

 I thought you might like to see the proximity of some of the places we have been...and will go next. Dalkey at bottom right is for another day.
Black Rock, and above that is Booterstown where the Hotel is located.

This RORO (Roll on Roll off) Ferry has been sitting out in the bay since we got here on Saturday...empty by all accounts and observations. We passed pretty close to her. There were two other ships anchored out there as well.

The boat crossed directly from the harbor to the light house. There is a whole other Dublin Bay to cruise out there. Pity we weren't able to do that!
It looks quite barren on the peninsula, and I guess it is to an extent. The cliffs are magnificent and there were plenty of people walking the many trails around the coast line.
Those dark clouds soon moved in and it got a bit colder. The light became quite difficult for the camera.

 We could see a mix of traditional and modern/contemporary homes on the hills.

 The one in the middle is under construction and looks to be another glass house like the white one to the right of it.

 This is rather a romantic view of the Light House, and one I imagine from books I have read that are set in such places in Ireland.

 Those clouds really are dramatic!

 At the highest point we could see from the sea, was this home with a 360 view!

 When you look at photos of the peninsula you see several cinder cones. This, of course, hints at the volcanic past of the land. The rock faces are sedimentary slumps, apparently, and you can easily see the folds of the sedimentary rocks.

 This all happened during the last Ice Age, according to some data and scientific research I was just reading. You can easily see the white of the Howth Head Quartzite which is particular to this peninsula. There is also a carboniferous Limestone in these parts. (lovely word that...carboniferous!):)

 Apparently there is quite a drop-off from these cliffs, and the water is about 12 meters deep here, which is why the boat could go in so close.

 You will see shortly that the harbor we are destined for is quite a way around the headland into the Irish Sea. Here we can just see the sea wall and the light house on the end...middle right.

 Homes sitting on the rocks as we came around the corner. The wind was really gusting from here into the harbor. We could well imagine that the seas in these parts get pretty rough. The temperature took a turn for the colder, and our jackets were zippered up.

Because of the wind against tide, we had to go out and around the light house to turn back into the protected harbor.

 I have had to lighten the photos or you wouldn't see any detail...so dark was the sky by this time...and it was pretty cool on the water. You can see that there is now a real chop on the water...wind!

 Yes, that dark!

 This Island is known as Ireland's Eye. Plenty of open boats going out there to circumnavigate the island.

 ...and here we come into the safe harbor.

 Turning almost immediately to the right into the Fishing Port where we tied up to the dock.
On board we had found a 10% off meal at a local restaurant. It is now 1.30pm.

 Lovely flower baskets everywhere, and they look especially lovely against this local rock building.

 Ok..this is REALLY touristy. All the restaurants were full up. We walked further down the Quay to find out 10% discount place.

 We found our destination, and a table for two and  he ordered fish and chips...the fish might have been fresh, but one measly piece of fish for 17 euros? and I ordered the fried calamari with salad. Someone had cut the calamari so thin that it was rubbery and fried to a crisp...never mind the coating. I did mention to the waitress that someone needed to remedy this matter...after I had eaten it, of course....we were starving by now! They still charged me 17 euros! They had awards displayed on their walls for THE Best Calamari in Dublin! Well, this punter was NOT impressed!

Off out of there and a tad disgruntled, but determined to warm up...we walked around the fishing port towards the shops that we could see on the other side near the Pleasure craft port.

 :)

 To the right of this building was a kind of open air market where there was a Gelato...Genuine Italian, so they said...shop. Of course we needed dessert, after our disappointing meal for lunch. A small pottle was consumed on our walk the rest of the way, which wasnt far.
Of course this being a fishing port and all, the restaurants were mostly serving FISH!

 Here you go...you can see where the port is now...all the way around the other side. That is the Eye on the right...that little Island. See the cinder cones in the middle of the peninsula?

 I was fascinated to see this worker weeding the bedding begonias, ever so carefully.

We walked to the end of the road. Plenty of walkers starting their trek around the peninsula in the vicinity. There was a public bathroom at the end there...in case you need to know!

 turning to our right, there is the pleasure craft port. Not many motor cruisers, nearly all sailboats.

 A pretty park with some exercise machines for those inclined, but being abused by young adult tourists. We chose this walk back to the wharf.

 The ruins of the Medieval St Mary's Abbey stand proud above the port. It is also known as Howth Abbey. History books tells us that Vikings established the first church here in 1042! Imagine that. Typical of most churches throughout the ages, the original either burned down, was sacked and rebuilt some time later, or it fell down, being wooden, and was rebuilt in various stages, often being added to over the centuries. This ruin is no exception. I believe these ruins date from the 14th/15th century. Around 1630 the congregation moved to another church, abandoning these premises. Fickle! lol

 They boast the freshest fish...well, it is all just off the boat in this town, but when we interviewed some of the customers, they were less than complimentary ...for the price.

 We love the colors associated with Fishing vessels. Paraphenalia is always fascinating...

 As are those that watch over things:). This is a bag of new nets.

 These are the little Oyster boats. Much smaller than their fishing cousins.

 This was a bit of a hoot. Of course I had to find the footsteps...

 Voila! But...his feet were so small! and skinny...I took a photo of my clodhoppers next to them, but am too embarrassed to show you.

 I shouldn't have looked! Seriously...there were trash cans everywhere, and recycling too. WHY????

 These birds are so pretty. They were such scavengers though. I'm not sure I know what it is, but it looks like a European Starling.

 Enter the speed freaks. These folks who I think had been diving, didnt slow down to slow wake speed as they entered the harbor...Cowboys!

 This ampitheatre of steps looks out to the Irish Sea and the Ireland's Eye island just to the right. Most of these folks would be catching buses or trains back to Dublin center.

 We had booked the return trip on the boat. Here she is coming back into Port. We didnt get much time to explore, with the boat leaving again at 3pm.

 An oyster boat returning to pot.

 Back on the boat. You can just see waz at the table inside the right hand door...Sudoku already on the table. I got talking to the deck hand. Interesting man!
We talked all the way back to Dun Laoghaire.
His story...
Brexit is the pits for Ireland. They want to remain part of the EU or course, and this is unbalancing for everyone concerned. He wasnt sure that Brexit would actually go ahead. We will see!
He told me about his growing up years.
The eldest of ten children born in Derry, up north, his mother died when he was only six. He learned some years ago that he had an elder sister who died at a young age. His new stepmother was a brute. No shoes for these kids, and they were practically starved. She wasnt suited to bringing up someone else's kids, and made it very clear that she didnt like them.
They lived in a 2 room house initially with a dirt floor, and as more children arrived (the second wife obviously having more children by the father) the house was extended. There were no inside sanitary facilities and no electricity. They finally got that put on in 1963! WOW!

Our man was recently retired, at age 68. His neighbor owns the boat and asked him if he would like to fill in a couple of days a month...6, actually. Why not? Our man did the necessary courses and got the piece of paper saying he could crew. He loves the job and meeting people from all over the world.

He spent 47 years in the same company before feeling a bit pushed out by the up and comings. Wished he'd seen the writing on the wall years before.
Because he is over 67 he, like all others over that age, can ride public transport for free...all day and night!
He told us a great story about his father: As a small boy of about ten, his dad and a friend were outside playing when a plane landed in a field nearby. Being curious, the youngsters went to investigate and found a young woman exiting the plane. She didnt know where she was, thinking she had landed in France. It was Amelia Earhart, and I cant remember the name of the place...his Irish accent being a bit thick and all...but he has a newpaper photograph from that time with the boys standing next to the plane and Amelia.
He said he got a real buzz, when he went to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in DC, looking at all the memorabilia about Earhart, knowing he had a family connection. We encouraged him to let the Museum know!

He grew up salmon fishing in the north Irish Sea, leave home once school finished for the summer and only returning home with his Dad when school was about to start again.
He has spent many summers camping in France with his wife and kids when they were young, and loved it. He was fascinated by our story of how we came to be living in France, and by now the boat had docked and he was required to throw the ropes to a helping hand.

I was thinking about the contrast with this man, that we enjoyed as children. I am 61 and was born into a home built by my parents that had all the modern conveniences of the time, including an indoor toilet and bathroom with running water, and electricity...this was 1957. We were fortunate then!

However, our Lancashire born Grandmother in NZ still used a Copper for boiling her laundry, when I was a child, and didnt like the new wringer washer Dad bought his mother, at some stage. She felt that the copper got clothes cleaner. She was probably right! She also used a Coal Range stove top and oven in their little house. She could tell the temperature of the oven by sticking her elbow into the cavity she was about to put fresh scone dough into. I was always fascinated by this voodoo!:)

A fascinating day, and we were pooped!
We returned to the hotel in time for some dinner. Loaded Fries! Dont turn your noses up until you know what this is!
Actually on the menu as a starter, it was more than enough food for me as a meal. French fries smothered in bolognaise sauce! Seriously good!!! You should try it some time:) They offered chicken curry too, but the bol sauce was great.
Waz tried it and then it was all over! he is a fries man through and through, and he was in heaven with this concoction.
An early night and it was as hot, if not hotter in the room, this night. Something has to be done!!
Stay tuned for that one!