Dublin, Ireland

       Did you know that the word ‘Posh’ came from passengers on the Titanic boarding out of Ireland holding tickets on either the left or right side of the boat? Left side was identified as ‘Port Out’ and the right side, ‘Starboard Home’, which to poor passengers, who would be on the lower decks, would notice the wealthier passengers holding ‘POSH’ tickets. This, was one of many stories I found myself learning with every taxi ride, while on my recent trip to Dublin. I bet Dublin inspired the north American TV game show, Cash Cab! I learned more in 10 minutes with every Professor taxi driver than what I remember comprehending in an hour-long history class.

I was proud to say, with every supporting compliment, that my arrival to Dublin brought the sunshine from Dubai and cleared the cloudy rainy weather I sometimes welcome on my travels just to be reminded what a change in temperature is. Quickly getting over the much welcomed change, the colors of Dublin shined bright through tall leafy trees, reds, yellows, blue and green from building to building, weathered stone and rock architecture, and bright shiny shimmering chunks of gold reflecting off every person’s hand… I quickly found out there were no pockets of Gold or leprechaun’s under bridges, nope.. this shimmering gold was just my adaptation of the hundreds of pints of lager that plagued the cobblestone streets reflecting the sunshine. Ah, lunch time in Dublin. A far stretch from fruit juice and shisha in Dubai, I was counting the hours until I would join the patrons and begin my liquid diet.

Although, I was visiting on work, it was a great place to be social with every meeting in my agenda. Reminding me a lot of Canada, the pace was relaxed, the friendliness was plentiful and the hospitality was as though I had just stepped into someone’s very large home and greeted with open arms. But aside from all this, my expectations of Ireland were really meant to be out in the rolling green hills and cobble stone villages with grand fireplaces crackling behind the sounds of “Riverdance” making my way to the end of the rainbow searching for my lucky charms next to a pot of gold. I know, a bit of a stereotype and a slap in the face to think that Dublin would replicate all of these things, but the joke was on me. This place was about as metropolitan, modern and vibrant as any other major city I have traveled. Without any of the above, Celtic crosses and four-leaf clovers, Dublin was the big city.

I made my way to the Trinity College to view the old Library with rows upon rows of ancient dusty books, however I was too late before it closed, sounds like my days back in school. Walking back to Grafton street, I was welcomed with outdoor shopping, which MasterCard thoroughly enjoyed, street entertainment, which led me to grab a gelato, natural to Ireland, and head for the park to catch a bit of down time just before sunset. I really should have made my way to the Guinness Warehouse, however, my little taste for the stuff made it more and more difficult to haul my arse over and join in the tour. Kicking myself now, I am happy to know that I have another thing to top my list on my next visit to Dublin.

I kept my eyes open, both days,  for Ireland’s own celebrities. Well, the ones that were alive anyway, like U2! I made my way into Bono’s hotel, The Clarence, and quickly out of it, as even though it was one of the oldest buildings in the city, left little to the imagination. So then on to ‘The Corrs’… but sadly, my hopes of stumbling across a pub in Temple Bar and seeing the foursome fiddle “Runaway” in some quaint corner of the wooden panel walls just didn’t happen.

All of my grand ideas of Ireland did not leave any disappointment, I only wish that after quickly seeing the warmth and fun that the local people presented, I could stay longer and venture through the country a little more. My liver however, certainly thanked me once I boarded the plane back to the United Arab Emirates… but not without some Butler’s Chocolates, a tin-flute with astep-by-step instruction manual, Bailey’s Irish Cream and samples of Irish Whiskey from the Duty Free shop.