The Jake Report: Dublin, Wednesday (08.04.2008)

I wasn't quite sure what to expect - or even what to think when we first hit the ground - but I really enjoyed Dublin. It was sort of "spur of the moment". My friend, Roland, and I found cheap tickets through Ryanair and reasonably-priced accommodations at a hostel. With my semester break coming to a close (classes start again on Tuesday), I knew I needed to take advantage of being in Europe lest I forever regret spending most of the last two months in my little corner of Germany. A couple weeks before, I had suggested to Roland that he should come with me to Wien (Vienna) (a city I still want to see before I leave Europe). Wien would have meant flying into Bratislava - in Slovakia, but only about 90 minutes west. Roland is South African, and unfortunately would have needed a visa to get into Slovakia. So he suggested Dublin. Well, we didn't do anything about it, even though I did check ticket prices. But the next week the urge to travel struck hard and without any arm-twisting, Roland and I decided to go to Dublin. My indecision cost us about 40 Euros each, but we were still able to get away with spending less than 150 Euros for the flight and hostel.

With so many Americans claiming Irish heritage, it's a hugely popular tourist destination. But honestly, when I first arrived, I didn't know what to make of it. Dublin is kind of dirty and many of the buildings are drab. But later that evening, I was won over. Dublin may not be the prettiest city in Europe, but it's got personality.

We landed in Dublin just before 11 local time, Wednesday morning. We caught a "double-decker" city bus into downtown - about a 40-minute trip. Our hostel - the Four Courts Hostel - was located right on the River Liffey. It was quite the place - clean and well run. And, I found it a bit ironic that the first time I stayed in a "youth" hostel was at age 32. Though, I was surprised at how many "older" guests like me were staying in hostels. The eclectic decor was matched by the colorful characters who worked and were staying there. I'd definitely recommend the Four Courts if you ever find yourself in Dublin.

Our first tourist stop after we checked into the hostel and dropped off our bags was the Chester Beatty Library. Being aspiring pastors, we really got a lot out of seeing the ancient manuscripts in this collection. It was funny, too, that the only exhibit that is open at the moment is the collection of ancient manuscripts that we went there to see! One of the treats of living in Europe is their insistence on good coffee. And, the café inside the museum served one of the best cups of coffee I've had since I've been here.

After the Chester Beatty Library, we went to Christ Church Cathedral, one of two Anglican cathedrals in Dublin. (They're actually located about two blocks from each other, too.) Christ Church is the cathedral where the Bishop of Dublin sits; St. Patrick's Cathedral at one time sat outside the city walls and is the seat of the Archbishop of Ireland. During "business hours", a tour of the cathedral will set you back€6.50. However, Roland had read online that both Wednesday and Thursday evening the cathedral was offering Evensong, an Anglican evening service featuring a couple readings of the Word, some prayer, and song. Evensong at Christ Church was one of the highlights of the trip. The chamber choir came from the Irish Royal Academy of Church Music, which sits at the Cathedral.

When the service ended, we took a walk through the Temple Bar area of Dublin, the historic - and expensive - pub district. We crossed the river to an area where the attendant at the hostel told us we could find cheaper shopping and dining. The sun was setting and the light on the streets and over the river was incredible. That was, I think the moment that I became really attracted to the city. The pub we chose featured the "James Joyce Lounge" (Dublin was the home of this famous Irish writer). We arrived just in time for the Champions League soccer match between Manchester United and Roma. (Ironically, while the Irish were not afraid to express their dislike for the Irish, they were all rooting for Man U.) At this pub we met Alan, an extremely intoxicated local. When he wasn't about to get into a fight with someone he knew, he ambushed me into a discussion of politics. I tried my best to dodge it, but he insisted on explaining why he though Bill Clinton was the best president the U.S. ever had. During half time, a group of almost 30 Americans - they were pretty easy to spot - from upstate New York arrived, making another stop on their "pub crawl". Most were middle aged and clearly enjoying their trip. While we Americans are easy to spot, and you can usually hear us before you see us, Roland observed that Americans (especially while traveling, I will add) are generally pretty friendly and make an honest effort to converse with the people they meet.

[It had been a while since I'd been in a country where they drive on the opposite side of the road; or, the correct side, as Roland would contend (they drive on the wrong side of the road in South Africa, too).]