Day 4, Dublin

I've really enjoyed this trip so far. The time to be with my daughter. The people here aren't overly friendly, which I like. They're attitude seems to be "we have our own stuff to do, and it's nice that you're here and all, but we've got a life to get after." Helpful, yes. Saying "hello" to you every 5 minutes, no. I enjoy the chance to just move and learn the city. It's pace. It's sorta like we're gonna be here after you go home so enjoy yourself, have fun.
Our hotel is on the Liffey River, across from U2's "Clarence" hotel (it just worked out that way...lol). It's one of the best parts of the trip to just grab a coffee, and just look at the river, smoking a cigarette. People are scurrying around but within that, one can grab a moment of calm. Dublin in August seems to be about 65, overcast with bits of rain, and intermittent sun. It's out this morning. The sun. Quite a change from a New York or Vegas summer.
We're going to Kilmainham Jail and the Guiness plant today. Kilmainham has tremendous social, political and historical significance. I've been there before, taken some great photos, but I want to see it again, feel that history of the Uprising again. And Guiness? Well, to avoid the stereotype, the brand seems to be omnipresent here. I'm more interested in the views of Dublin from the Gravity Bar on the top floor.
So far, we've been to O'Connell Street, Christ Church (it was closed to film the "Tudors") St. Patricks Cathedral (largest Protestant church in Ireland and burial place for Jonathan Swift), Dublin Castle, Trinity College, Grafton Street (looks like Diagon Alley out of the Potter books), Temple bar area (duh! but a place with tremendous energy), the National Gallery, the National Museum, and Merrion Square (great park, nice architecture around it) among other spots. The nice part is that everything is so close together (relatively) so it doable to walk from one spot to another. Still to come are Phoenix Park (Dublin's answer to NY's Central Park) and the Writer's Museum (we're gonna do a "walking tour" starting there). Like I said, we've been busy.
I've taken a ton of photos already. And I'm actually starting to know my way around a bit. Funny, because I have no sense of direction. In fact, some are surprised I find my way out of my apartment most mornings. But I'm starting to see a bit how the streets connect.
More to come.....