It's been a long time now since my trip to Dublin, but it was the end of a great journey and I've been loathe to write about it because it feels like closing the book and putting it back on the shelf. But, all good things come to an end, as do all bad things, so I must finish this round of my travel blogging adventures.
I flew out of Milan and bade farewell to Rafael, feeling somewhat disappointed in him and myself for the lacklustre evening we had on Friday which was most likely fueled by my own emotional and physical exhaustion. Either way, I got on the Aer Lingus flight after a wild battle with a terribly organized airport situation and a teeming hoarde of Italian high schoolers on an English trip with a harried instructor desperately attempting to herd the kids like unruly sheep. Flashes of many professional experiences flitted through my mind as I felt once again the incredible lightness of travelling alone cascade over me.
Landing in Dublin I was overcome with the incredible green beauty of the place, and excitement at being in a country I've always wanted to visit washed over me. Navigating the bus system with a broken bag and a malfunctioning card loader was not the best time, but I got there in the end and that was the important thing.
Coco had found a beautiful Airbnb with a lovely family and a gorgeous backyard and we chatted and caught up and then we went out to the downtown area to see what we could see. I was freezing my ass off because I had only packed for record breaking heat in Italy, and learned the hard way that next year a jacket and a scarf are required, especially if I go back to France and Dublin like I intend to. So we hunted down a scarf and then some Moroccan food, which was insanely good and which I've wanted to try for a long time. The restaurant was decorated like the inside of a silk tent, and there was a belly dancer which was awesome! It was most of all nice to be with Coco again and to reconnect with home.
Dublin was the perfect was to get re-acclimated to English life, and cold weather. We got a Pumpkin Spice latte (there are not Starbucks in Italy aside from a project one in Milan I think that I never found) and bought me a scarf and went about admiring the local scenery because never in my life have I seen so many beautiful men.
We met up with a guy Coco had met the night before who turned out to be a weirdo, and we escaped him when I very tall and beautiful Frenchman was so drunk he fell like a tree onto his perfect face and busted it open. Coco and I being who we are, we went to get him first aid help and once we saw that his bleeding was under control and his friends were there, we took the chance to dip and escape the weird dude.
Walking down the street, Coco heard some great music coming out of a bar and as we stopped a crowd of fit lads in front encouraged us to come in. Hearing our accent, they asked us where we were from and soon we were in the company of a crowd of lovely lads who had lived in Toronto for a few years and love Canada and were awesome. The band, who were awesome, were called Dirty, Sexy Money and they were lit. We chatted with some of them after and later on at a club while we were dancing we ended up dancing with the lead singer.
On our way home we observed the local drunk Irish folk in their natural habitat, wasted at the Tesco, and Rob helped pick out the best Irish junk food for me to eat at the shop including Bacon Crisps that were lit. We also watched a van roll up with about 8 cops in it, all of them rushing into the shop to arrest a dude who we watched pull sweets and candies out of his jacket like a clown car. It was highly entertaining and everything you want Ireland to be.
The next day we went to the coast and saw the sea and went around downtown again and decided we love Dublin to bits and have to come back again for longer. I decided if I ever choose to take a husband, I will retire for a month to Dublin and after that period of time I will likely have found one. We also got claddaugh rings that we love to pieces. I was tuckered out and headed home early so that Coco could meet up with Rob again and they could have some time together, plus we had to be up at 4:30am to get our flight home and I was at the end of my capacities to live out of a suitcase and walk around all day.
Our flight was nice, we had a stop over in Newfoundland which was also a nice way to slowly dip my toe back into being home because people there sound kind of Irish and it was actually nice to see a Tim Horton's. I am a stereotype.
Home was lovely, my cats were happy to see me in a healthy way that didn't feel like they were panicking about me being gone and my bed and sushi were exactly as good as I knew they would be when I got back.
Already planning next year with at least 4 days in Dublin on the way to Europe, so I will be full of energy and the required exuberance to properly make use of the greatness that Dublin has on offer. And when I do, I will resume this travel blog for you all! In the meantime, I am back to work and school and paying off/saving up for travel!
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