Our awesome friends the Moritzes got up at 4:30am to get us to the airport to catch a flight to Chicago. They even found us a free place to park our car for two weeks!
CHICAGO-MUNICH
From Chicago, it was on to Munich, where I caught a quick nap on the freaky Europcar couch, and our delayed AerLingus flight to Dublin got us in on Valentine's Day at 3pm. Good reviews for Lufthansa who took us as far as Munich. Not sure what First Class could have gotten that we didn't, except for extra legroom, which is actually a pretty good thing.
O'Hare Terminal C
Munich Airport - Naptime!
Bus #748 to Dublin, Wood Quay Stop:
Our apartment here in Dublin is nice, but the service is very compulsory and there are no toiletries or amenities (except internet which we are grateful for). It's close to Christchurch Cathedral which we may check out tomorrow before heading to Belfast.
We picked up our favorites--Dubliner cheddar cheese, tea, and brown wheat bread like they only make here in Ireland and took a nap to sleep off the jetlag.
Since we're in the Temple Bar area where things stay loud until the wee hours, we decided to join the crowds and head out around 11pm for a drink. We chose the Brazen Head-- Ireland's oldest pub, with a history dating back to 1198.
It's a great little place and was packed to the gills with a traditional Irish music session going on. We pushed our way to the front for the last two songs and a couple from Londonderry/Donegal area offered us seats at their table.
Shortly thereafter while Randy was preoccupied at the bar, a man who didn't speak English pulled me up to the front for a dance and we found ourselves the center of attention. I am a terrible dancer and there was no saving me! Fortunately, there was no camera handy.
Collum, Theresa, Randall (as Randy goes by here since his name has other implications in this culture), and I shot the breeze until the bar closed. Collum implored us to vote for Hillary. Yeah. That'll happen--not! Boy, do they love the Clintons here in Ireland--like a second coming of the Kennedys.
Our new friends had been married 24 years, with five children and were fixing up a flat here in Dublin to sell. I had a great time talking with Theresa & I don't think Randy & Collum had a break in their conversation. The pub cultlure of Ireland just can't be beat!
Now, we're back to the apartment where I now sit blogging. I have booked us a last minute room at the Belfast International Youth Hostel for tomorrow. Our youth may have left us, but a strong cup of tea and a weak dollar have led us to believe otherwise, at least temporarily.
Day 2 - Dublin to Belfast
After a quick breakfast, we walked outside to beautiful weather and headed to Christ Church Cathedral. Parts of this building date back to 1030, and there is an ancient crypt in the basement. Creepy! We toured the sanctuary and the treasury in the crypt. Two of my favorite things were this memorial from a father to his musician son in the Musicians Corner:
It reads…
In a vault near this place lie the remains of Richard Woodward, Mus:D: Late Organist of this Church, Vicar Choral of St. Patrick’s Cathedral And Preceptor to the Children of two Choirs DUBLIN His Love of Harmony Equally refined his Taste And regulated his Heart And While it gave Melody To his Voice and Compositions, Added a Consonant Sweetness To his Temper and Conversation So that He lived Eminently Distinguished In his publick Profession And died Universally Lamented For his private Virtues Nove 22 AD 1777 in the 34th year of his Age To the Memory OF whose Final Duty and Affection His Afflicated Father Dedicates this last sad Testimony OF PARENTAL LOVE
That seems like success as a musician to me!
And…while no pictures were allowed, there was a gaudy gold communion set gifted to the church by King William III in the basement।
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