Denver to Boston, Boston to Dublin.  Almost a year of talk, talk, talk – Marathon #100 here at last.

Long travel day…but not like New Zealand long.  All ‘bout perspective.  Met up with Stephen in Boston so had a travel mate for a leg (‘though in reality, slept the entire 2^nd flight).  Early 5am touchdown. Ireland’s morning, my 11pm.  Ugh.  Gonna be rough Day One.  Taxi’d downtown THEN best luck ever – super early check-in at The Conrad.  Room available.  FAAAANNNNTASTIC!

11am sleeps, quick shower, sit-down breakfast off St Stephen’s Green.  GREAT holiday start!

Walked 5 streets to find pedestrian-friendly Grafton.  The Plan?  City sightseeing.  Specifically, thinking double-decker tour bus.  Did that in Auckland, good way to get acclimated.   But first, an Irish haircut.  New town, new country.  Why not?  Located a trendy spot on Grafton.  Waited my turn, greeted by possibly the oldest coiffeur in Dublin.  Been working at this SAME location since 1964.  9-to-noon/3 times a week; wife’s in a nursing home.  Other than that – no idea, [I’m] horrible with accents.  Just smiled & nodded.  It’s only hair – luckily I packed a cap 🙂

Hop On-Hop Off, bought a 2-day bus ticket.  Trinity College, National Art Gallery, Phoenix Park, Glasnevin Cemetery.  I’m sure I passed all these stops.  Reviewing my pics: old churches & beer.

Appears I was completely fascinated with the art of brewing (‘though I don’t booze beer these days).  And when not focused on fermentation, I snapped pics – tens & tens of pics – of Catholic cathedrals (nope, not Catholic either).  An unlikely combination, both found in abundance in Ireland’s capital.  Not making excuses.  HUGE FAN of both history & science.

Gothic cathedrals founded centuries ago, end of the Roman Empire.  Hops, natural spring water from County Wicklow.  Churches & beer.  Aside from the science of making beer, spent an hour+ viewing old-era advertising.  ‘Whistling Oyster’, a bicycling fish & Guinness’ lovely day Toucan.  A lifetime past, I worked in New York media.  But never ever, a bicycling fish.  LOL>

St Patrick’s Cathedral, Christ Church Cathedral, the Dublinia.  Finished the day walking Dublin Castle.  Bus-abandoned somewhere near the river Liffey, service stopped at 6pm – who knew?  3-mile walk thru city neighborhoods & 2 seedy back-alleys (alive with drunks & shouting police).  Picked up the pace, made no direct eye contact…a Google-map death wish.  Yikes!

Tomorrow, Sis is arriving from St. Louis.  Let the games begin ❤

Bicycling Fish & a Whistling Oyster (Guinness Storehouse)