Genelle and Mark are up early and walk over the Liffey, heading North to the statues that are related to the Irish famine. This resulted in Irish moving to other parts of the world en mass. Somebody said that the greatest export for Ireland has been its young people, they have left this beautiful place and distributed themselves all around the world, sort of why we’re here I guess – you know the wedding and everything.

The weather is grey, a slight drizzle, not cold but not warm. There is a breeze blowing

I escort Ken up to the Three Mobile shop to get their mobile phones sorted out with local numbers. We’ve got Lyca Mobile cards as that plan works better with more data for when we go to the continent next week.

This morning Ian and Marie Maidens arrive in at Blooms, they look busted after 20 + hours on planes. Jane is looking a lot better when I see her, Ken, Pauline and Phamy at the cafe where we have breakfast. I didn’t see her last night but I heard about it, so this is good news. Ian and Marie pinch a room and have a shower, ready for the next leg which is a bus to Belfast with the others. But first, they have to go back to Dublin airport for Pauline to return the pram she stole and hopefully get her own back. Apparently it was a trade down as well so not sure how she’ll go if the other person picks up that she has possession of a better and more expensive model pram. The joys of long distance travel with children.

The maxi taxi arrives, whisks them away and we’re again the only people from Dubbo ( that we’re aware of) left in Dublin today.

Genelle, Mark and I head off to the church of St Michans up towards Jameson’s, they have old crops under neath the church with preserved remains of dead people, very tasteful tourism I feel. The priest, we think he is anyway, takes the money and the tour, another Protestant church, apparently they need the money as the Catholics get better numbers and don’t need the money as much to keep their churches running ( That’s a joke if anyone from the Catholic mafia is reading this!)

We split up, Genelle and Mark go shopping, I head to Temple Bar and explore the art and book shops, just generally wandering the streets. I have coffee and apple pie at the Bad Ass Cafe ( a Rick Steve’s recco) and eventually back to Blooms for a beer and a rest. So while sitting in the Vat House Bar and listening to Slade thrashing out Mumma We’re All Crazy Now and other 70’s classics I review my notes and plan for the wedding on Saturday and write up the start of today’s blog. Might actually have something decent to post tonight. I wonder if sobriety stultifies my creativity? Spouse you have to have some to lose it and I feel that I’ve got none so there’s no risk of stultifying anything.

Things might get better when I get to the 2nd pint of Carrig Lager, I’ve given Guinness a break for a few days.

My observations of Dublin 2008 to 2018;

• The place has gone ahead, there are new buildings every where. The GFC of 2008 and concern over Brexit ( even thought they aren’t part of UK)
• The city is full of tourists
• Lots of Eastern European accents heard on the streets
• The airport is old and pretty dilapidated
• Grafton Street is busy but really expensive with great busker

Genelle and Mark are back after an extensive walk and we then head up the hill towards a Saint Stephens Green. Some retail exploration takes place on the way, guess who!

After a long walk we end up back down the hill at Dollards on the Liffey for dinner, fish and chips are excellent. Tonight we pack and prepare for the trip To Belfast.

Cheers for now.

Paul