Irish Luck Brings A Beautiful Day in Dublin

Day 117, Grand World Voyage

Sunday, April 30, 2023; Dún Laoghaire (Dublin), Ireland.

I really need to stop shopping for clothes – if for no other reason than I’m not sure how I will get them all home. But today wouldn’t be the day. I had a fun hour shopping in Marks and Spencer in Dublin. The clothes are just that little bit different than at home. And really, I only bought a dress and a pair of jeans.

The good news is that I stopped in the gym this morning, took off my leg brace and shoes, and discovered I have lost 12 pounds in 117 days. I’m afraid some of it may be muscle loss, as I’m no longer taking the stairs. But I did manage to log more than 12,000 steps today – without any pair, stiffness or soreness. Yes, I probably overdid it. But we have sea days ahead.

I also somewhat misjudged the weather for the end of this cruise, as well as the next nine weeks in Northern Europe, Iceland, Greenland and Canada. My jackets are working fine by layering, but I only brought a few warmer tops and two pairs of jeans. Almost all my dresses are summer frocks. These new purchases, plus a dress I bought yesterday in Oban, Scotland, will come in handy.

Dublin has stopped allowing larger cruise ships to dock in the River Liffey near the heart of the city, due to congestion with commercial ships. Now cruise ships go to Dún Laoghaire (pronounced Dun Leery), about eight miles southeast of Dublin.

There isn’t a cruise pier, so passengers tender into the dock. From there it is a short walk to the nearby train station and a 20-minute ride into the center of Dublin. Along the walk was a tourist information booth staffed by friendly locals, who directed us to the train station and provided maps and information about the sites to see in Dún Laoghaire.

Once Elaine and I got into Dublin we walked the half-mile to the Grafton Street shopping area, stopping along the way for Sunday morning flat whites.

After making my purchase and window shopping, we headed to the Temple Bar district, which was packed with people – many students from the nearby Trinity College – enjoying the spring day. Our timing was impeccable, as a brief rain shower hit just after we took our seats inside The Shack Restaurant and ordered seafood chowder and beer.

The Temple Bar area is home to restaurants, lively bars, theaters and art galleries. It’s known for its cobbled alleyways, quirky boutiques and street performers. It wasn’t hard today to believe that four million tourists visit here every year.

The weather cleared by the time we finished lunch so it was an easy half-mile walk to the train station for our return to Dún Laoghaire.

Last time I was here (on the 2019 Voyage of the Vikings) I sketched on the Trinity College campus and walked a bit farther in exploring Dublin.

I’ll be back in early June and may just decide to spend the day sightseeing in Dún Laoghaire. Those who did spoke highly of its maritime museum, shops and bars. Or there’s always the Guinness tour in Dublin that I always promise myself I will take next time.

As we sailed away, a small rainbow made an appearance.