It is nice to be nearer home these days, just a skip and a hop across the Irish Sea. One of the drawbacks is that on such a short flight, British Airways offers a derisory pack of crisps and one wonders why the airline even bothers with it, considering the logistics of getting these fragile things on board. To complement these token snacks, they were served by probably some of the most surly stewardesses you can find on a carrier whose motto is "To fly, to serve".
There is no doubt that Ireland is a beautiful country and the taxi drivers never stop telling the passengers what a great country it is outside Dublin. But it was a shock to come back from East Africa to temperatures below 10C in early spring and I did not bring enough clothes to allow me to roam the city in warmth. In the end I had to buy a hat.
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| River Liffey, Dublin |
On the way from the airport to Ballsbridge, I passed the River Liffey. On a bright sunny day, the Liffey gleamed and sparkled, quite unlike the time when I took this photo. By then, it was cold, dull and grey. I love the sea horses that entwine the lamp posts.
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| The most iconic pub in Dublin? |
There must be at least 1,000 pubs in Dublin. I remember the taxi driver proudly commenting on football matches: "Win or lose, it's the booze". How much do the Irish really drink? Here are the facts in Alcohol Action Ireland. The Temple Bar area was packed with tourists and that was on a Wednesday evening at around 6 p.m. I did not venture into the place because drinking is not my scene.
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| The Chester Beatty library |
I was lured to this library because of its ranking in the Tripadvisor web site. There is no doubt about its cultural heritage given the collection of Egyptian papyrus texts and the beautifully illustrated manuscripts including the Qur'an, the Bible as well as European medieval and renaissance material. Not only was the collection interesting, it was also a great place to shelter from the cold and the wind. I saw one of the best Islamic collections of manuscripts outside the Pergamon Museum at Berlin. Alas, no photographs were allowed.
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| Dublin Castle |
I wasn't intending to visit Dublin Castle but the Chester Beatty library is located within the grounds of Dublin Castle. Enclosed behind the Castle is the Dubh Linn garden, a piece of landscaping with a touch of Celtic nationalism. The lawn is circular and beautifully kept, with benches on one side of the lawn where tourists or visitors can relax and enjoy the garden. Such a peaceful place right in the heart of Dublin.
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| Modern sculpture, Dublin Castle gardens |
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| Brightly painted houses near Dublin Castle |
The sight that captured my attention were the brightly painted houses near Dublin Castle. Is there anything more photogenic than a row of multi-hued houses? I am looking forward to seeing more these in Ireland.
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| Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin |
Being in a Catholic country, I was looking forward to visiting some churches in Ireland. The Christ Church cathedral was located near the Dublin Castle and I dropped in to pay a visit and do what I normally do, which is to sit on a pew and have a few quiet moments of reflection. I am always drawn to churches although I am a lapsed Catholic. This church however charges €6 for the privilege. And on that note, I beat a hasty retreat.
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| Last page of James Joyce's Ulysses |
On the day I visited the Little Museum of Dublin near St Stephen's Green. This place contains some interesting objects and one of them is James Joyce's Ulysses turned to the last page. Well, I remember this book on the A level syllabus but somehow I managed not to choose to study it at all. It was a hellishly difficult book for an 18-year old who could not fathom out the dense prose and the obscure puns. To this day I wonder how I ever appreciated English literature when I had no connection whatsoever to the country, the people or the culture when I was growing up. But I chose English literature for my studies. Come to think of it, there were no Chinese literature on the syllabus and we were not given the chance to study any of the great Chinese classics.
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| How about this for advertising? |
I love spotting something humorous. Look at this, a chimp and a lady riding a bike at the entrance to a bike repair shop in the Temple Bar area. The painting is a bit naive but it grabbed my attention.
I will always remember the warmth and the friendliness of the Dubliners. I am hopeless with maps and rely constantly on asking the way. The Dubliners obliged at each and every turn - the road sweeper, the shop keeper, the stranger. In fact one of the hotel guests even volunteered to hoist my luggage down a flight of steps and deposited it with the taxi driver. Where would you find such hospitality?
