August 6/7
The flight and first day in Dublin
06.08.2011 - 07.08.2011
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Ireland/Scotland 2011
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The flight from SFO to Newark was uneventful until Margaret knocked her head on the underside of the overhead compartment getting into her seat. The movie was Water For Elephants which was entertaining. Food mediocre for first class...maybe that's excellent by their standards. The Continental leg of the flight from Newark to Dublin was much better. This was an updated plane with the seats that had personal entertainment systems and morphed into beds if you could figure out how all the buttons worked. Had 50 movies to choose from. Food and cocktails kept coming and was better than average airplane food.
Arrived in Dublin a little early, about 6am on Sunday morning. No sleep, although Margaret got a little. Arrived to all the Irish newspaper headlines about the S&P downgrading USA's credit rating...shocking and appalling. Much trepidation about what Monday's markets will bring. I predicted Dow down 1000+. We'll see. Arrived at the Merrion Hotel at 7am...a 44 euro cab ride. Amazing how much more expensive everything is over here. Didn't use to be that way. Europeans now go to the US to buy stuff and bring it back because everything is so much cheaper. Room not ready when we arrived. Despite the Irish recession, The Merrion was sold out.
Took the hop on/off bus tour around the city for a couple of hours. No rain. I doubt that there ever is or has been a day in Dublin when there was nothing but blue skies. Back to the hotel around noon and our room was ready. Very nice, old hotel. Everyone incredibly friendly. Got into our room on the Garden wing...beautiful gardens. Relaxed a little and went across the street to Riley's pub for lunch. $40 for a BLT, a bowl of soup and a couple of soft drinks. Still in the jet lag stage. Back to the room for a nap before dinner.
Dinner at La Maison. We got dressed up. Shouldn't have. Dublin's a lot more casual than London. Jeans are okay just about everywhere. Raining when we left. Cabbie didn't know where the restaurant was. Stopped to ask a colleague and we made it. Small restaurant on Castlemark St. where cars are not allowed. Food was good, not great...until dessert...orange crepe souffle which I though was crepes suzzette...but it was a souffle inside of a crepe...flambed at the table. Amazing!! If I can figure out how to get pictures on this thing, I have one of the end of the flambe.
Back to the hotel for a little Jameson...my new best friend...and, hopefully, some shuteye.
Posted by stevencavalli07 07.08.2011 14:54 Archived in Ireland Tagged day1/2
