DAY 1.
I will only mention a few things about the start of the trip, as it does not directly apply to Ireland. As we boarded our Northwest flight in Charlotte, after a long taxi, wait, and more taxi, we were told there was a glitch, and we had to go back to the gate for a minor repair. After a long wait, we were told to de-plane, as the repair required the engines to be shut down, and it would be warm on the plane. We gathered all our belongings, and went to wait some more in the gate area. Finally, we were notified that the flight was cancelled-the luck of the Irish! After much turmoil for everyone, and being ticketed to 2 flights that would not even have worked due to connection times, 4 hours later we caught another flight to Atlanta, another 4 hour layover, and finally overnight into London for our Aer Lingus connection to Dublin. Of course, we missed that flight due to all the delays. As the Aer Lingus flight was not part of our original ticket purchase, we had to purchase more tickets for Dublin. Two last minute tickets set us back an unexpected $600, but we finally made Dublin, if half a day late!

DAY 2
As Ireland is very green, the only way that is possible is for it to rain. On the way to the hotel, our cab driver talked to us about the Wicklow Mountains, which, on a clear day, are easily seen from Dublin. He told us if you could not see the mountains, it was raining, and if you could see them, rain was on the way. But a rainy day in Ireland is far better than a sunny day at work!

We started our long awaited trip with a four day stay in Dublin, at the Arlington Hotel. It is located right in the center of town, on the River Liffey, within walking distance of virtually every main tourist attraction. Dublin is a large city, but almost everything that is of interest to the average tourist is located in a very small area in central Dublin. Our first day was shortened considerably due to the flights, but we still wandered around the area close to the hotel to familiarize ourselves with our location, met many wonderful, smiling, Irish people, had a wonderful Irish dinner at our hotel, and then settled into our room to catch up on some sleep, and prepare for our first full day in Dublin.

DAY 3
The Arlington hotel, as do most hotels and B + B s in Ireland, offers what is termed a "Full Irish Breakfast, generally included in the cost of your room, and it is an excellent value. If you take advantage of it, you just about can skip lunch, and save those Euros for sightseeing. At the hotel, you will find a full buffet, with more than you can possibly eat. You will also find one of the best dining room managers that you will ever run into, a wonderful lady named Carmel! Carmel has to be one of the most friendly people you will ever meet, (and you will find Ireland is full of friendly people), as she will remember everything about you, what you like to eat and drink, and make sure that your every need is taken care of. When you meet her, tell her hello from Dave.

First, a quick note, 3 things that can save you money and make your trip more enjoyable. First, in Dublin, they have a hop-on, hop-off bus that runs a continuous loop through the city. It is an excellent way to get your bearings in town, takes you to most of the things that you will probably plan to see, and the drivers have some interesting and funny commentary. Second, there is a Dublin Pass. It can be purchased for 1,2 or 3 day periods. It will give you free entry to many sites in town, and in the areas close to Dublin. Third, if you are going to tour the Country, there is a Heritage Pass. This also gives you free admission to sites all over the country. On line you can find out which specific sites they cover, check the normal admission cost, and see if they will be a value to you during your travels. Usually, if you plan to see about 3 or 4 of the sites, the pass is a good value.

After breakfast we started walking, first to the historic Trinity College, a fully functioning college, which is only a few minutes walk from the hotel. It is one of the main attractions in Dublin, and houses the world famous Book Of Kells, the oldest book in the world. From there, we went to the National Museum, the Architecture and History division. It houses unbelievable historic items that are up to a few thousand years old. Even without your pass, most of the museums in the country are free. We then went to St Stephens Green, which is a beautiful park right in the center of Dublin. Lakes, wonderful flower plantings, ducks, walking paths, and once again, the wonderful Irish people are to be found here. There are gazebos here, and many of the locals come here to enjoy the park, bringing there sandwiches for lunch. You will usually find they have no problem talking with you, and can answer questions to help you on your way. You can also find horse-drawn buggies near the park to take you on a fun tour. Then working our way around, we went to St Patricks Cathedral, (don't miss stopping at Marsh's library while you are there), Dublin Castle, Chester Beatty Library, Crist Church Cathedral, city hall, and the area known as Temple Bar. It is not a bar in the normal sense of the word, but an entire area that offers restaurants, pubs, retail, most anything that you could want. It is the happening area of town, during the day, and party central during the night.

After a full day of exploring, we attended the Irish Show at the Arlington Hotel. Every evening they have a show that has the Irish step-dancing, musicians, a wonderful meal, and an all-around fun evening. It may seem a bit touristy, but it is very representative of their culture, and everyone has a great time! After covering many of the city's sites in the first half of our Dublin stay, we retired to prepare for the second half, the wonderful attractions in the surrounding area of the city.
Next, we finish Dublin on days 4 + 5.