exploring & escapades

One day in Dublin, better than no days in Dublin for sure.

Ireland is so close to England that it’s often very easy to find insanely cheap flights back and forth between the islands – sometimes within the same day. That was how I found myself at the Cliffs of Moher on a random mid-week afternoon last year and also how I found myself wandering the streets of Temple Bar  last Wednesday. The flight cost $16, which for anyone keeping track, is less than half of what it would cost me to go to London from Cambridge for the day.

Of course, one should spend more time in Dublin if he/she can, but if  not, it is actually possible to accomplish quite a lot in ten hours. After we landed just after 11:00 am, we took a bus into town, visited Trinity College Library and the Book of Kells, walked around Temple Bar district, had a delicious lunch as a hipster cafe across the river, and managed to squeeze in even more wandering past the castle and famous cathedrals before the sunset. Then, it was on to the Guinness Storehouse, because “when in Rome/Dublin.” I admit, I was initially turned off by the idea of giving my money to something that was so obviously a tourist trap, but actually Guinness ended up being my favorite part of the day. Beer can make anything great. The panoramic views of the city at dusk also helped.

By 10:30 pm that evening, we were back on the ground at London Stansted, exhausted, but happy to have made the trip. A wonderful Wednesday adventure, something I would definitely do again.