We set off early this morning to Glasgow airport for our flight to Dublin. I was proud of James, who made his way through security with ruthless efficiency due to his very frequent flights for business. We took a bus to the Gibson Hotel which I had chosen to be near the Bord Gaís Theatre for our concert in the evening. We then fancied some fresh air and a brisk walk, so decided to walk along the River Liffey into the centre. It was a fine day for a walk and I found myself feeling ever more Irish as I revisited the land of (some of) my ancestors. We wandered up Grafton Street to St Stephen's Green which is a very attractive wee park, and then zig-zagged back to Trinity College. On the way we popped in to Hodges Figgis bookshop and a very friendly lady who worked there asked me what a "smorgasbord" is. I thought she was kidding at first but then she pointed to a book display sign that said "Dublin, a smorgasbord of culture". I explained that it's a sort of Swedish buffet with lots of different dishes, and she was delighted, and said, "There, I asked the right person!" We went on to pay our respects to the Book of Kells, then explored the cobbled streets of Temple Bar which were busy and bustling. We grabbed a quick lunch there sitting outside a pub in the sunshine; it felt very European. Onwards we walked to visit St Patrick's Cathedral which was full of history, including the story of its former Dean; Jonathan Swift (of Gulliver's Travels fame). Then we crossed the river and jumped onto a tram which took us right to the door of our hotel - very convenient!
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