Yesterday, after our Intel lecture and plant tour, we strategically got off at the Tara Street stop back in Dublin due to the plethora of restaurants interspersed in the area (near Trinity College and Temple Bar area). We ate at O-bar on the corner of O’Connell Street. We had a wonderful meal there, but not traditionally Irish. More and more of the pubs in Dublin are serving non-traditionally fare these days, so the variety of cuisine in the city is quite interesting and diverse.
The group split into three, as we had the afternoon free to enjoy Ireland on our own. One group went directly to Dalkey—a ritzy resort town on the coast. Another group went back to the hotel to crash and sleep, and yet another wanted to go and shop around Dublin. I took a break and went back to the hotel to organize my luggage and regroup. Then, I took a group of students to Dalkey.
This seems to have been the students favorite experience so far. The village was quaint, quiet, and extremely well kept. The town has two castles—one of which overlooks Dublin Bay and the Irish Sea. There are also several private residences which resemble castles in style and size. (!) We climbed the rocks over by the harbor. Unfortunately, the group I led arrived at low tide, so the seals were not being fed by incoming fishing boats. Still, we saw the seals during rest time. Their heads were bobbing up and down as they waited for the new tide. Luckily the weather cooperated and the sun remained dominant. As we arrived later, we got some wonderful sunset shots of the island, sailboats, kayakers, and swimmers. It was a truly breathtaking scene and an unforgettable experience for the students. They truly had the time of their lives.
On our way back into town from the harbor, we talked with some local fishermen, who were also waiting for the tide to rise again. One of the men was getting married next week and going on his honeymoon to Las Vegas. We wished him the best luck. The other fisherman was telling us that Bono of U2 used to have a boat in the harbor. They had some stories. Let’s just say that the men were glad when Bono decided to no longer dock his boat there. :-)
The group split into three, as we had the afternoon free to enjoy Ireland on our own. One group went directly to Dalkey—a ritzy resort town on the coast. Another group went back to the hotel to crash and sleep, and yet another wanted to go and shop around Dublin. I took a break and went back to the hotel to organize my luggage and regroup. Then, I took a group of students to Dalkey.
This seems to have been the students favorite experience so far. The village was quaint, quiet, and extremely well kept. The town has two castles—one of which overlooks Dublin Bay and the Irish Sea. There are also several private residences which resemble castles in style and size. (!) We climbed the rocks over by the harbor. Unfortunately, the group I led arrived at low tide, so the seals were not being fed by incoming fishing boats. Still, we saw the seals during rest time. Their heads were bobbing up and down as they waited for the new tide. Luckily the weather cooperated and the sun remained dominant. As we arrived later, we got some wonderful sunset shots of the island, sailboats, kayakers, and swimmers. It was a truly breathtaking scene and an unforgettable experience for the students. They truly had the time of their lives.
On our way back into town from the harbor, we talked with some local fishermen, who were also waiting for the tide to rise again. One of the men was getting married next week and going on his honeymoon to Las Vegas. We wished him the best luck. The other fisherman was telling us that Bono of U2 used to have a boat in the harbor. They had some stories. Let’s just say that the men were glad when Bono decided to no longer dock his boat there. :-)
