Sunday 29 April 2012

Final day in Dublin

I'm sorry I've been missing for so long.  After getting back from Dublin and then getting the gastro bug, I got very behind with everything and by evenings just wanted to collapse.

Last Monday Hugh started a Personal Trainer course.  This is something he's wanted to do for a while and it's finally come true.  He's working really hard and really enjoying it. In the evenings we sit and go through everything he's learnt that day and then, if needed, I'll test him on what he's learnt.  It's fantastic to see him finally doing what he's wanted to do and I believe he'll be a wonderful Personal Trainer when he's qualified.  So, if I don't post as often, please understand. I hope you'll still pop back from time to time to see if the blog's been updated and I'll be visiting blogs whenever I can but my family comes first and life is quite busy at the moment.  

I'm still taking my photo a day photos but I'm not going to post all the ones I've missed on the blog.  I'm hoping to get back into the habit of at least posting them every few days again and will try and keep up to date.  

In the meantime, here are the photos from our final day in Dublin.

 On our last day in Dublin we decided to get an early start after breakfast caught the Luas in to town. We walked down to the Liffey where I got a few photos. I love the reflections in the water
 capturing the buildings along the river
 and both the buildings and the reflection.
 We then walked up towards Christ Church Cathedral. This statue was up on the side of one of the buildings
 I love bridges between buildings - we've seen them in Cambridge, Oxford and now Dublin.
 Approaching Christ Church Cathedral on one side of the road ....
 and coloured doors on the other side. There are coloured doors all over Dublin. I'd love a coloured front door too - something I'll have to think about :o)
 Christ Church Cathedral

 While we were looking around the Cathedral, we heard a roar from the road and turned to see one of the Viking tours - such fun!
 From the Cathedral we headed back down to the river where I got a chance to see some of the bridges again.  There are 20 bridges over the River Liffey and although we didn't see them all I loved the ones we did see.
 Ha'penny Bridge was one of my favourites.
 O'Connell Street Bridge
 Samuel Beckett Bridge
 And a final one of the lamps on Ha'penny Bridge
 We walked round Dublin centre for a while, had lunch, looked at the shops and on the way home came across St Anne's Church of Ireland and went in to have a look around. It calls itself  "The Church in the heart of the city with the city at it's heart"
 There were some beautiful stained glass windows. 
 In the evening we headed back into the city to find somewhere to eat.  On the way back to the hotel I couldn't resist taking another couple of photos of the river

 And I had to get a photo of a green post box (& Jon) ;o)   I'd heard all about them and Claire had seen one when she went to Dublin but we hadn't seen any until this last evening.
And when we got off the Luas at the hotel stop, I loved these clouds behind the Guiness buildings.  The evening light in Dublin was fantastic and I could happily sit watching it change as the sun set.  We were early to bed that night as we had an early start the next morning.

 We were up bright and early on the last day and had to be at the airport by 7am.  Once through security we went to find somewhere to have some breakfast while we waited to board the plane.  We settled on The Chocolate Lounge :o)
 Where Emily had a hot chocolate and brownie and Jon and I had coffees and I had soda bread toast.
 We had a great view of the planes and sat watching this one being unloaded, refuelled and saw the next lot of passengers get ready to board.
Then we were homeward bound ourselves.  Thank you Ireland for making us feel so welcome and for having wonderful weather while we were there ;o)

xx