Just a little note to say I've added a new link to the left - 'My Photos' - this will take you to my online photo album on Flickr. If you click on the words 'Click here to look at more Photos' - this should let you see all the photos. If you just click on one of the mini photos shown, it will take you to that photo and you will then have to click on 'pegirlintheworld's photostream' which will be on the right of the flickr page. AND... once you've looked at the photos, you should click the 'back button' (at the top of the screen) to get back to my blog.
PS - most the photos currently on the Flickr album are of our flat in Cheshire, which we moved into recently. It's a really old, characterful building with beams and low ceilings and is one of the most spacious flats we've ever stayed in.
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Goodbye Dublin, Hello (again) England
We have now left Dublin for the North West of England. We travelled over on a ferry from Dublin to Holyhead, which is in North Wales. We have now been on 3 different ferries between England and Ireland. The 1st ferry trip, we booked a cabin suite – which was good because we had smuggled little Reggie into the cabin with us. The 2nd ferry, we went as foot passengers on a fast ferry called the ‘Jonathan Swift’. This is a small ferry and only takes 1.5 hours to cross the sea between Dublin and Holyhead.
The last ferry we used is called the ‘Ulysses’. This is a big car ferry – one of the largest in the world. It takes 3.5 hours to cross the sea.
This is a picture of the back of the ferry whilst we were waiting to drive onboard
This time we booked Club Class which means you can sit in an area at the top and the front of the ship. You also get free drinks and snacks which includes tea/coffee, juices, wine, salmon on bread, cheese (brie, cheddar, blue) & crackers, pastries, muffins and brownies. Of course, I love anything ‘free’ and was having wine at 8.30am and probably ate an entire block of cheese.
You can just see the Club Class windows sticking out behind the ferry building
The bar area where you can find all your free snacks
A 'dance floor' area in the corner with the TV - presumably the evening ferry trip is a bit more lively?!
Club Class was nice and empty on this particular trip - which was good (more free food for me!). Around the rest of the ferry there is a shop, a cinema and a couple bars / restaurants.
It was a nice day and the water wasn’t too rough.
Goodbye Dublin
Through the harbour walls and out in the ocean
The last ferry we used is called the ‘Ulysses’. This is a big car ferry – one of the largest in the world. It takes 3.5 hours to cross the sea.
This is a picture of the back of the ferry whilst we were waiting to drive onboard
This time we booked Club Class which means you can sit in an area at the top and the front of the ship. You also get free drinks and snacks which includes tea/coffee, juices, wine, salmon on bread, cheese (brie, cheddar, blue) & crackers, pastries, muffins and brownies. Of course, I love anything ‘free’ and was having wine at 8.30am and probably ate an entire block of cheese.
You can just see the Club Class windows sticking out behind the ferry building
The bar area where you can find all your free snacks
A 'dance floor' area in the corner with the TV - presumably the evening ferry trip is a bit more lively?!
Club Class was nice and empty on this particular trip - which was good (more free food for me!). Around the rest of the ferry there is a shop, a cinema and a couple bars / restaurants.
It was a nice day and the water wasn’t too rough.
Goodbye Dublin
Through the harbour walls and out in the ocean
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Dublin - The End
We are about to leave Dublin and I realise that I have hardly written about the things we’ve been up to in Dublin, so here goes.
SIGHT SEEING
Phoenix Park
Near to us is a large park called Phoenix Park. It is 707 hectares and in it you will find the Dublin Zoo, the President of Ireland’s house, the United States Ambassador’s residence, the police headquarters (police are called Garda in Ireland), a castle, some monuments, some deer, lots of trees, dog walkers and quite a few crazy runners in small shorts with frozen legs.
The National Gallery of Ireland
I was pleasantly surprised to find that Dublin has its own National Gallery. It is quite a bit smaller than the London one but it has some famous paintings. There are quite a few by the Irish Artist, Jack B Yeats.
The National Museum – Decorative Arts & History
The National Museum of Ireland is split into various buildings across Dublin, each housing something different. We went to the one with Decorative Arts & History. The building used to be a military barracks which was closed and re-opened as part of the museum in 1997 - it is still being renovated further. There is an interesting section on Irish history where you can learn about The Easter Rising (1916), the War of Independence (1919-1921) and the Civil War (1922-1923). Otherwise the rest of the museum is about the clothes, jewellery, coins and pottery of years gone by.
St Stephens Green
St Stephens Green is a rectangular park in the city centre near to Dublin’s main shopping street, Grafton Street and the shopping centre called St Stephens Green. There is a large lake and some statues and pathways all around and through the centre.
We didn’t spend that much time in the park, just walked through it to get to the shops. Once we walked through on a really cold day (26 December) and the water had frozen in the lake and the seagulls were crash-landing onto the ice.
Royal Canal Park
The area we live in is called Royal Canal Park and there is a canal that you can walk along. There are two big swans that live in the canal and a few ducks that we regularly go feed. It's nice to have some wildlife nearby.
Last week another swan appeared – it has some brown feathers, so maybe it’s a young swan.
SHOPPING IN DUBLIN
Dublin has a few shopping centres - these are the ones I have been to:
Blanchardstown
This is the one that’s closest to us. It’s quite nice and has a good choice of shops. It also has a cinema and free parking -which you don’t find very often these days.
Liffey Valley
This one is a bit bigger than Blanchardstown and bit further away. It has similar shops – a big Marks & Spencer and there is also a Spur! There is also a cinema and the parking is also free here.
Dundrum
This shopping centre is on the south side of Dublin. There are some different shops to the ones above, like Harvey Nichols and Hamleys (the famous toy shop). However, not all the shops are under the one roof and we found ourselves running across to the other shops in the pouring rain.
I still don’t understand how in the UK and Ireland, where it is so cold and wet all the time, shops are still out in the open.
Parking at Dundrum is a bit of a nightmare. We went there close to Christmas and spent absolute ages trying to find a parking, and then when we wanted to leave, we couldn’t find where we had parked! And you have to pay per hour.
St Stephens Green
This one is in the city centre – at the end of Grafton Street, which is a popular shopping street. It was built in 1985, in a style that makes it look like a big Victorian greenhouse. Unfortunately the shops aren’t that interesting. We did, however, find a nice Chinese buffet on the top floor which had lovely views over St Stephens Green.
EATING AND DRINKING
In the City Centre
The city centre is quite large and similar to London. The River Liffey runs through it and there is shopping, eating and drinking to be done on both sides.
I’ll start the journey North of the river in a street called Parnell Street. Here we found a butcher that stocked biltong – yum! There is also an Australian Sports Bar called ‘The Woolshed’ which has South African beer and boerewors rolls on the menu. There are many different areas in the bar to sit and watch sports on loads of TV’s and projector screens – like all good sports bars should have. Unfortunately the boerewors roll was disappointing and the bottle of Castle was warm and cost €4.60! We were there when England lost to Ireland in the 6 Nations rugby and realised it was completely full of Irish fans (even though there was Super 14 rugby on at the same time). I’m not sure how authentically Australian the rest of the menu is – they offer things like an Aussie burger –which has lettuce, tomato, beetroot, pickle and cheese topped with a fried egg (?!), also a ‘Chook Burger’, ‘Fiddly Fingers’ and ‘A Bloody Good Steak’!
You can then head down O’Connell Street which is the main street that runs from Parnell Street down to the river. It is a really wide street (49m) and has nice wide pavements to walk on. There are some interesting old buildings on either side, some converted into shops. Down the centre of the street there are monuments and statues of political leaders. Right in the centre there is ‘the Spire of Dublin’ – which is a 120m high sculpture that looks like a needle. On our first day out into the centre, we popped into the Gresham Hotel for a drink. This is a 4 star hotel on O’Connell Street with a lovely seating area with big leather couches and chairs.
At the end of O’Connell Street, you cross over the river on O’Connell Bridge which is the bridge that is as wide as it is long.
The next stop is Temple Bar
Temple Bar is ‘Dublin’s cultural quarter’. It is also the main drinking area for tourists – everyone heads here. There are many traditional Irish pubs to go to and a number of restaurants. The streets throughout Temple Bar are narrow and cobbled.
We went a couple of times to a pub called ‘The Temple Bar' that has live music in the afternoons and evenings. We also went to a restaurant called ‘Frankies’. This restaurant is owned by Frankie Dettori (the jockey) and Marco Pierre White (the chef). The atmosphere, service, cocktails (many!) and food are all very good.
From Temple Bar you can then head down Grafton Street, which is a more upmarket shopping street, which eventually leads you to St Stephens Green park and shopping centre. On Grafton Street is a restaurant called ‘Captain America’. It’s a bit like Planet Hollywood in that it is American and is filled with music & film memorabilia. We went there and had a really large meal of nachos, garlic bread, burgers (me – mushroom & wine, him – the New Yorker), chips and a butterscotch milkshake.
Another street that runs parallel to Grafton Street is Dawson Street where you will find an interesting bar called Café en Seine and another Marco Pierre White steakhouse. ‘Café en Seine’ is a large café / bar. The décor is interesting - described as decadent art deco reminiscent of 19th-century Paris. It is big enough to get lost in - there are three floors and a 4-storey high glass roofed atrium at the back. We popped in here for a drink one day.
If you walk along St Stephens Green (the North side), there are two members' clubs and a historic hotel, the Shelbourne Hotel. The Shelbourne was built in 1824 and has been restored to a luxury 5 star hotel. We stopped here for a cocktail. There are lovely fireplaces in the lounge to thaw out next to.
Another place we went to for a meal and a drink is the Westin Hotel. This hotel is situated near to Temple Bar. It used to be a bank and was built in 1863. The historic building was transformed in 2001 into a luxury 5 star hotel. We walked into the reception area on a cold winter’s day and found a lovely warm fireplace welcoming us. There are a number of dining areas and we decided to try out ‘The Mint Bar’. The bar is in the former bank vaults and looks amazing.
We had some great cocktails and good food. After the meal, we popped up to the 'Atrium Lounge' for a drink. The lounge has a glass ceiling 5 storeys up and is a very relaxing place with its big couches to lounge in. Just be careful you know how much your whiskey costs before ordering it – some will set you back €25! Each! For a little glass!
There are so many streets to explore in Dublin city Centre - with restaurants, bars and shops - that you would really need a long time in Dublin to see everything.
Other areas
Near to us we found a great old pub called ‘The Hole in the Wall’. We found it when we were wondering around Phoenix Park. We’ve been there twice now (once to watch SA lose the rugby to Ireland). It's a long pub with lots of different seating areas where you can get food to eat or something to drink. There is also an off-licence where you can buy bottles of wine. We sat in a section next to a fireplace. The pub is filled with all sorts of old pictures and bottles and things – really interesting. We have only had drinks there but the food going passed us looked pretty good, especially the burgers!
SIGHT SEEING
Phoenix Park
Near to us is a large park called Phoenix Park. It is 707 hectares and in it you will find the Dublin Zoo, the President of Ireland’s house, the United States Ambassador’s residence, the police headquarters (police are called Garda in Ireland), a castle, some monuments, some deer, lots of trees, dog walkers and quite a few crazy runners in small shorts with frozen legs.
The National Gallery of Ireland
I was pleasantly surprised to find that Dublin has its own National Gallery. It is quite a bit smaller than the London one but it has some famous paintings. There are quite a few by the Irish Artist, Jack B Yeats.
The National Museum – Decorative Arts & History
The National Museum of Ireland is split into various buildings across Dublin, each housing something different. We went to the one with Decorative Arts & History. The building used to be a military barracks which was closed and re-opened as part of the museum in 1997 - it is still being renovated further. There is an interesting section on Irish history where you can learn about The Easter Rising (1916), the War of Independence (1919-1921) and the Civil War (1922-1923). Otherwise the rest of the museum is about the clothes, jewellery, coins and pottery of years gone by.
St Stephens Green
St Stephens Green is a rectangular park in the city centre near to Dublin’s main shopping street, Grafton Street and the shopping centre called St Stephens Green. There is a large lake and some statues and pathways all around and through the centre.
We didn’t spend that much time in the park, just walked through it to get to the shops. Once we walked through on a really cold day (26 December) and the water had frozen in the lake and the seagulls were crash-landing onto the ice.
Royal Canal Park
The area we live in is called Royal Canal Park and there is a canal that you can walk along. There are two big swans that live in the canal and a few ducks that we regularly go feed. It's nice to have some wildlife nearby.
Last week another swan appeared – it has some brown feathers, so maybe it’s a young swan.
SHOPPING IN DUBLIN
Dublin has a few shopping centres - these are the ones I have been to:
Blanchardstown
This is the one that’s closest to us. It’s quite nice and has a good choice of shops. It also has a cinema and free parking -which you don’t find very often these days.
Liffey Valley
This one is a bit bigger than Blanchardstown and bit further away. It has similar shops – a big Marks & Spencer and there is also a Spur! There is also a cinema and the parking is also free here.
Dundrum
This shopping centre is on the south side of Dublin. There are some different shops to the ones above, like Harvey Nichols and Hamleys (the famous toy shop). However, not all the shops are under the one roof and we found ourselves running across to the other shops in the pouring rain.
I still don’t understand how in the UK and Ireland, where it is so cold and wet all the time, shops are still out in the open.
Parking at Dundrum is a bit of a nightmare. We went there close to Christmas and spent absolute ages trying to find a parking, and then when we wanted to leave, we couldn’t find where we had parked! And you have to pay per hour.
St Stephens Green
This one is in the city centre – at the end of Grafton Street, which is a popular shopping street. It was built in 1985, in a style that makes it look like a big Victorian greenhouse. Unfortunately the shops aren’t that interesting. We did, however, find a nice Chinese buffet on the top floor which had lovely views over St Stephens Green.
EATING AND DRINKING
In the City Centre
The city centre is quite large and similar to London. The River Liffey runs through it and there is shopping, eating and drinking to be done on both sides.
I’ll start the journey North of the river in a street called Parnell Street. Here we found a butcher that stocked biltong – yum! There is also an Australian Sports Bar called ‘The Woolshed’ which has South African beer and boerewors rolls on the menu. There are many different areas in the bar to sit and watch sports on loads of TV’s and projector screens – like all good sports bars should have. Unfortunately the boerewors roll was disappointing and the bottle of Castle was warm and cost €4.60! We were there when England lost to Ireland in the 6 Nations rugby and realised it was completely full of Irish fans (even though there was Super 14 rugby on at the same time). I’m not sure how authentically Australian the rest of the menu is – they offer things like an Aussie burger –which has lettuce, tomato, beetroot, pickle and cheese topped with a fried egg (?!), also a ‘Chook Burger’, ‘Fiddly Fingers’ and ‘A Bloody Good Steak’!
You can then head down O’Connell Street which is the main street that runs from Parnell Street down to the river. It is a really wide street (49m) and has nice wide pavements to walk on. There are some interesting old buildings on either side, some converted into shops. Down the centre of the street there are monuments and statues of political leaders. Right in the centre there is ‘the Spire of Dublin’ – which is a 120m high sculpture that looks like a needle. On our first day out into the centre, we popped into the Gresham Hotel for a drink. This is a 4 star hotel on O’Connell Street with a lovely seating area with big leather couches and chairs.
At the end of O’Connell Street, you cross over the river on O’Connell Bridge which is the bridge that is as wide as it is long.
The next stop is Temple Bar
Temple Bar is ‘Dublin’s cultural quarter’. It is also the main drinking area for tourists – everyone heads here. There are many traditional Irish pubs to go to and a number of restaurants. The streets throughout Temple Bar are narrow and cobbled.
We went a couple of times to a pub called ‘The Temple Bar' that has live music in the afternoons and evenings. We also went to a restaurant called ‘Frankies’. This restaurant is owned by Frankie Dettori (the jockey) and Marco Pierre White (the chef). The atmosphere, service, cocktails (many!) and food are all very good.
From Temple Bar you can then head down Grafton Street, which is a more upmarket shopping street, which eventually leads you to St Stephens Green park and shopping centre. On Grafton Street is a restaurant called ‘Captain America’. It’s a bit like Planet Hollywood in that it is American and is filled with music & film memorabilia. We went there and had a really large meal of nachos, garlic bread, burgers (me – mushroom & wine, him – the New Yorker), chips and a butterscotch milkshake.
Another street that runs parallel to Grafton Street is Dawson Street where you will find an interesting bar called Café en Seine and another Marco Pierre White steakhouse. ‘Café en Seine’ is a large café / bar. The décor is interesting - described as decadent art deco reminiscent of 19th-century Paris. It is big enough to get lost in - there are three floors and a 4-storey high glass roofed atrium at the back. We popped in here for a drink one day.
If you walk along St Stephens Green (the North side), there are two members' clubs and a historic hotel, the Shelbourne Hotel. The Shelbourne was built in 1824 and has been restored to a luxury 5 star hotel. We stopped here for a cocktail. There are lovely fireplaces in the lounge to thaw out next to.
Another place we went to for a meal and a drink is the Westin Hotel. This hotel is situated near to Temple Bar. It used to be a bank and was built in 1863. The historic building was transformed in 2001 into a luxury 5 star hotel. We walked into the reception area on a cold winter’s day and found a lovely warm fireplace welcoming us. There are a number of dining areas and we decided to try out ‘The Mint Bar’. The bar is in the former bank vaults and looks amazing.
We had some great cocktails and good food. After the meal, we popped up to the 'Atrium Lounge' for a drink. The lounge has a glass ceiling 5 storeys up and is a very relaxing place with its big couches to lounge in. Just be careful you know how much your whiskey costs before ordering it – some will set you back €25! Each! For a little glass!
There are so many streets to explore in Dublin city Centre - with restaurants, bars and shops - that you would really need a long time in Dublin to see everything.
Other areas
Near to us we found a great old pub called ‘The Hole in the Wall’. We found it when we were wondering around Phoenix Park. We’ve been there twice now (once to watch SA lose the rugby to Ireland). It's a long pub with lots of different seating areas where you can get food to eat or something to drink. There is also an off-licence where you can buy bottles of wine. We sat in a section next to a fireplace. The pub is filled with all sorts of old pictures and bottles and things – really interesting. We have only had drinks there but the food going passed us looked pretty good, especially the burgers!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Dublin - The Good, The Bad and The Strange
I’ve been in Dublin for over four months and these are my observations
THE GOOD
Historical
Dublin is over 1,000 years old and there are many historical buildings to be seen. The university (Trinity College), which is in the heart of the city centre, was founded in 1591 and famous people like Oscar Wilde and Jonathan Swift went there.
Guinness
Yes, everyone raves about the Guinness in Ireland, and it is very tasty. The Guinness brewery is in the city centre and was established in 1759.
Countdown Timers at Pedestrian Crossings
So those impatient people can see that there are only 10 seconds more to wait (only at a few lights in the city centre so far).
Spin Roller Discos
Not that I’ll ever go, but for a girl of the 80’s, who loved her roller skates, this sounds great!
Watching Airplanes at the Airport
Like in PE, you can park your car along the airport and watch the planes come and go. The airport is quite busy too – and it seems like it’s a popular pastime by the number of cars that are always parked there.
Paying for shopping bags.
I suppose this is good because it saves the environment, but it’s bad because I still forget to take mine and they charge 22c a bag.
THE BAD
The Water
You can’t drink the tap water. I have tried and it’s BAD! On doing some research on the internet I saw that some areas even tested positive for ‘ecoli’ in their drinking water. If you want to be drinking your 2 litres a day, it can work out quite costly and not to mention how many plastic bottles you can accumulate (at least you can recycle these).
Driving in the City Centre
It is quite frustrating and nearly impossible. There are lots of ‘bus only’ lanes and loads of ‘no left turn’ and ‘no right turn’ signs -and sometimes you really can’t fathom out why you shouldn’t be allowed to turn left, especially when not turning left means circling the entire city centre - again!
Once we were on a road in the city centre which turned into a 'bus only' lane - and there was nowhere else to go but continue on it. It doesn't make sense! Combine this with all the one-way only streets and you can be circling the city centre for hours trying to get to a certain place. And don’t forget about the rude taxi drivers who think they own the roads – just because they know where they’re going.
Traffic Lights
You never know what’s going to happen at the traffic lights. Once we were all stopped at red lights and then they all changed to green and everyone got to go at once. There are also crazy double traffic lights to direct traffic that’s turning separately from traffic going straight (not just a nice green arrow). It gets very confusing because when I see green, I tend to just want to go.
And sometimes you can wait forever to go and sometimes the light is green for 10 seconds (honestly) and by the time the person in the first car has engaged brain and gear, its red again.
The Little Green Man – as in SA, it doesn’t mean you can safely cross the road. Well it should, but due to the confusion of the split light above, sometimes cars will just go.
Roundabouts
Well, the world over I do not think roundabouts are a very good idea. It seems motorists believe they have to go really fast around them – so that other cars will never get the chance to go. The build-up of traffic at roundabouts leads me to believe it really isn’t a good idea.
Supermarket Specials
We have now been ripped off at 4 different supermarkets on 6 occasions. The price on the shelf is not what comes up at the till. And usually I only notice when we’re in the car or at home! Once – a bit annoying, twice – come on already – but 6 times – in 4 months!
** and it just happened again. Went to the local supermarket and spent ages picking a tub of cream (there is a lot of choice). Settled on one for 1.59, but when we checked out, it came up as 1.99! Not worth arguing about, but ripped off again!
Dublin is Expensive
It’s right up there with London. Parking in the city centre will set you back around 3 euros an hour – that is if you can find your way into the city centre and then find a parking. A pint of beer / Guinness will cost around €5 – which at the current exchange rate is £4.50 (R51!) You pay around £3 – £3.50 in the UK (R34). A burger & chips will set you back around €14 (R144). And then there are the toll roads and tunnels getting to the city centre, the tunnel costing €10 during the week. Groceries cost 2 – 3 times more than in the UK. Public transport is expensive – and not that available. And if you wanted to buy a little 2 bed flat, you would spend around €250,000 - €300,000 (around R2,500,000!).
Dublin is Busy
Just like London, it is a major tourist destination and the city centre is always packed.
THE STRANGE
Pricing
One day we were looking at DVDs to buy and the prices for the same DVD would vary, like one was 10.99 and the other 14.99 – for the exact same DVD!
Another day I was looking to buy some soap and this is what I found - 1 bar = 0.69, and a 2 bar pack = 1.69. Clearly buying the 2 bar pack was not a better offer. A couple weeks later, I checked the pricing again and this time, the 2 bar pack was on special for 1.41 – still not a bargain!
ATMs
Normally you would go to the ATM and expect to withdraw amounts of 20, 50, 100 etc. Well, not in Dublin. Here you get to choose from 30, 50, 70, 110 -and well, its not easy when you’re trying to figure out how much that is in pounds and the machine threatens to shut down and swallow your card if you don’t stop standing there looking confused and do something
Renting DVDs
We went to go rent some DVDs. Basically, you can rent 1 DVD for €4 for 1 night or there is a special where you get 2 DVDs for €6 for 2 nights. So we decided to get the 2 DVD special for €6. Went to the counter and were told it would €8. When we looked confused, the shop assistant said ‘oh you want the special?’. Well, we would be pretty stupid to not want the special seen as we are getting 2 DVDs?
Women in Pyjamas
Women have taken to going out in their PJ’s. I see it all the time – am I the only one who thinks this is strange? On looking at this on the internet, I see it’s not just Ireland, but the UK too and it has hit the headlines because a major supermarket has banned people from wearing nightwear when shopping – ha ha ha ha!
THE GOOD
Historical
Dublin is over 1,000 years old and there are many historical buildings to be seen. The university (Trinity College), which is in the heart of the city centre, was founded in 1591 and famous people like Oscar Wilde and Jonathan Swift went there.
Guinness
Yes, everyone raves about the Guinness in Ireland, and it is very tasty. The Guinness brewery is in the city centre and was established in 1759.
Countdown Timers at Pedestrian Crossings
So those impatient people can see that there are only 10 seconds more to wait (only at a few lights in the city centre so far).
Spin Roller Discos
Not that I’ll ever go, but for a girl of the 80’s, who loved her roller skates, this sounds great!
Watching Airplanes at the Airport
Like in PE, you can park your car along the airport and watch the planes come and go. The airport is quite busy too – and it seems like it’s a popular pastime by the number of cars that are always parked there.
Paying for shopping bags.
I suppose this is good because it saves the environment, but it’s bad because I still forget to take mine and they charge 22c a bag.
THE BAD
The Water
You can’t drink the tap water. I have tried and it’s BAD! On doing some research on the internet I saw that some areas even tested positive for ‘ecoli’ in their drinking water. If you want to be drinking your 2 litres a day, it can work out quite costly and not to mention how many plastic bottles you can accumulate (at least you can recycle these).
Driving in the City Centre
It is quite frustrating and nearly impossible. There are lots of ‘bus only’ lanes and loads of ‘no left turn’ and ‘no right turn’ signs -and sometimes you really can’t fathom out why you shouldn’t be allowed to turn left, especially when not turning left means circling the entire city centre - again!
Once we were on a road in the city centre which turned into a 'bus only' lane - and there was nowhere else to go but continue on it. It doesn't make sense! Combine this with all the one-way only streets and you can be circling the city centre for hours trying to get to a certain place. And don’t forget about the rude taxi drivers who think they own the roads – just because they know where they’re going.
Traffic Lights
You never know what’s going to happen at the traffic lights. Once we were all stopped at red lights and then they all changed to green and everyone got to go at once. There are also crazy double traffic lights to direct traffic that’s turning separately from traffic going straight (not just a nice green arrow). It gets very confusing because when I see green, I tend to just want to go.
And sometimes you can wait forever to go and sometimes the light is green for 10 seconds (honestly) and by the time the person in the first car has engaged brain and gear, its red again.
The Little Green Man – as in SA, it doesn’t mean you can safely cross the road. Well it should, but due to the confusion of the split light above, sometimes cars will just go.
Roundabouts
Well, the world over I do not think roundabouts are a very good idea. It seems motorists believe they have to go really fast around them – so that other cars will never get the chance to go. The build-up of traffic at roundabouts leads me to believe it really isn’t a good idea.
Supermarket Specials
We have now been ripped off at 4 different supermarkets on 6 occasions. The price on the shelf is not what comes up at the till. And usually I only notice when we’re in the car or at home! Once – a bit annoying, twice – come on already – but 6 times – in 4 months!
** and it just happened again. Went to the local supermarket and spent ages picking a tub of cream (there is a lot of choice). Settled on one for 1.59, but when we checked out, it came up as 1.99! Not worth arguing about, but ripped off again!
Dublin is Expensive
It’s right up there with London. Parking in the city centre will set you back around 3 euros an hour – that is if you can find your way into the city centre and then find a parking. A pint of beer / Guinness will cost around €5 – which at the current exchange rate is £4.50 (R51!) You pay around £3 – £3.50 in the UK (R34). A burger & chips will set you back around €14 (R144). And then there are the toll roads and tunnels getting to the city centre, the tunnel costing €10 during the week. Groceries cost 2 – 3 times more than in the UK. Public transport is expensive – and not that available. And if you wanted to buy a little 2 bed flat, you would spend around €250,000 - €300,000 (around R2,500,000!).
Dublin is Busy
Just like London, it is a major tourist destination and the city centre is always packed.
THE STRANGE
Pricing
One day we were looking at DVDs to buy and the prices for the same DVD would vary, like one was 10.99 and the other 14.99 – for the exact same DVD!
Another day I was looking to buy some soap and this is what I found - 1 bar = 0.69, and a 2 bar pack = 1.69. Clearly buying the 2 bar pack was not a better offer. A couple weeks later, I checked the pricing again and this time, the 2 bar pack was on special for 1.41 – still not a bargain!
ATMs
Normally you would go to the ATM and expect to withdraw amounts of 20, 50, 100 etc. Well, not in Dublin. Here you get to choose from 30, 50, 70, 110 -and well, its not easy when you’re trying to figure out how much that is in pounds and the machine threatens to shut down and swallow your card if you don’t stop standing there looking confused and do something
Renting DVDs
We went to go rent some DVDs. Basically, you can rent 1 DVD for €4 for 1 night or there is a special where you get 2 DVDs for €6 for 2 nights. So we decided to get the 2 DVD special for €6. Went to the counter and were told it would €8. When we looked confused, the shop assistant said ‘oh you want the special?’. Well, we would be pretty stupid to not want the special seen as we are getting 2 DVDs?
Women in Pyjamas
Women have taken to going out in their PJ’s. I see it all the time – am I the only one who thinks this is strange? On looking at this on the internet, I see it’s not just Ireland, but the UK too and it has hit the headlines because a major supermarket has banned people from wearing nightwear when shopping – ha ha ha ha!
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