Dublin Dazed

I’ve been fighting a cold since getting back to Dublin. I blame one part winter cold to one part tour crud. That and a genuine need to do laundry was why I spent the day in yesterday. This morning I woke up feeling like I had turned a little corner, less stuffy and throat less rough. Still I got some cough syrup today to try to keep things easing off.

It’s a wonder I felt better this morning. Oh what a night. I’ve stayed in my share of hostels the last few years. Every so often you get some doozies. The first night there were 5 in the room (out of a max of 6). Two were a couple I barely laid eyes on who left the next morning. The others were a pair of French girls. I would ordinarily say women, but I am definitely describing their relative maturity here. I don’t know how long they had the room but they definitely had laid claim to every surface from bath room counter to desk. Even the radiator was covered with their drying clothes. I noticed it but other than taking note ignored it.

Last night though, there was another guy in the room. He must have come in late as I called it a night maybe 9pm (I know, how sad). In the middle of the night I was awakened by the sound of whistling, high pitched and shrill… It was then I noticed the low rumbling of someone snoring and someone else giggling uncontrallably. One of the French girls was trying to rouse the snorer. How obnoxious! She alternated for awhile between whistling and clapping abruptly. The snoring never changed cadence.

I’m not sure how long it continued, that battle of wills as I turned over and pulled the blankets over my head and drifted back off awhile.

Then an alarm went off, fire alarm I suppose. Before I could even focus, the French girls had the lights on and were very panicked looking. They had opened the door and were looking into the hall about the time I had found my glasses and was half heartedly putting on my shoes. The snorer was doing the same. And then the alarm went off. I pulled my shoes and glasses off and rolled back into bed. The French girls returned to their beds as well but the snorer went out the door. Last I saw of him. I don’t know if he returned later or went to complain or what but he was gone this morning

I have to admit that I rather relished making as much incidental noise as I could getting prepared this morning about 8am. They had left the room by the time I got out of the bathroom. And they are entirely gone now. I may well have the room to myself tonight but won’t get my hopes up. I’ll settle for not being awakened by whistling again!

Once up and moving, I had breakfast and left for O’Connel Street to find a bus. Leaving Dublin last week I saw Glasnevis Cemetery, massive and old. I had to find my way back. I found the supposed bus # last night on the web. Found the stop, hoped on and asked the driver and was given a totally different #. So, I walked to the main bus office which I had just passed and found a route map, yep he was right, the Internets were wrong! I hopped on the correct bus (140) and was confronted with the unwelcome wagon. Wow! I asked what the fare was to Glasnevin. The driver was curt from the start. He punched a few buttons and told me the fare. I fed my coins into the slot and waited. Nothing seemed to happen. I feared I miscounted. The coins under 50 euro cents still confuse me. I asked if I’d put in the correct fare and he pointed down to where a paper ticket had printed and asked “haven’t you ever ridden a bus before?!”. I stood with my mouth wide for a second and snapped back, “as a matter if fact, not here I haven’t, thanks…”

That’s been my only ugly local moment but I thought of a world of things I’d have liked to have said, but I think I said enough without having an ugly toourist moment.

The ride was uneventful. I spotted the cemetery in tine and hit the button to signal a stop ahead and hopped off. Most of the snow in dowtown Dublin has turned to ice or dried, but the cemetery was very picturesque with 150 year old graves emerging from white fields! Perfect! I really enjoyed my wander there. The cemetery is still in use. In fact there was a funeral staring as I left but the bulk of it is Victorian and beautiful. There are tours at 2:30pm, but I was there too early to hang out for it. Perhaps shen I return once more to Dublin.

Afterward, I found my way back to Trinity College yet again. This was my chance to see the book of Kellls, elaborately illustrated chapters of the bible from circa 800ad. It was kind of pricey at 9 euro, but another group similarly laboring over the price commented “when will we get another chance?”. How very true! The exhibit was fascinating, filled with info on the process if illustrating, the history of the book as well as pages from the book itself and some similarly aged manuscripts. It’s not every day you get to see such. The tour also included a gander at the old library at Trinity. Never in my life could I imagine such. The volume and age of those books. Wow is all I can say.

After, a quick walk thru St Stephens Green and a long dawdle around some adjacent neighborhoods. I thought I was close to the National gallery and was sort of. I only saw it after I has stopped by a Tesco’s for food. So later for that. I then took the most scenic route possible getting back here. You could call it getting lost but I was always heading more or less in the right direction just not the best one

That may be it for the night. My feet are tired. I may see a movie or just sit here and read up on Galway, which j figure on going to next. I need to look at bus options as well as accomodation. I’m considering treating myself to a room of my own. The alone time sounds valuable after last night!