The Train to Bletchley.

August 24, 2014 -- Today we decided to "get outa town". After a quick breakfast and a cupa coffee, we headed off in the direction of the Euston Railway Station in Central London. We used the underground and were in the station in about 15 minutes. I must say, the London underground (its subway) is one of the best. The trains are modern, comfortable, affordable, fast and keep to the schedule. The London Underground has 270 stations with 250 miles of track. Add to that the DLR (their light rail) system, and it's an amazing transportation system.

Linda and Yours Truly at the "Mansion".

We had decided to venture to "Bletchley Park" in Bletchley U.K. Normally it's 1 1/2-hours by train from Central London. Today, however, the rail system decided it would maintain the tracks, so we could only get as far as Watford -- about 1/2 way. From there we boarded a bus for the rest of the journey. So, instead of a 1 1/2-hour journey, it was a 3-hour journey! The bus was a "local" that stopped at EVERY little town along the way. Even though we left our lodgings at 8:30 this morning, we didn't arrive in Bletchley until 1:15 p.m.! It was a LONG ride.

Linda is "Breaking the Code".

Undaunted, we left the station and walked to Bletchley Park, about 10 minutes away. Bletchley Park was the central site of the U.K.'s "Code and Cypher" school during the Second World War.  Even though the British Government had been active in  "deciphering" activities for a number of years, it was in 1939 that it became active listening in on Germany. After England's entry in the war, its goal was to break the "Enigma" code. Even though it shouldn't have been possible -- the British were able to "break the code" and, through its efforts, affected the final outcome of the war.

With Anthony at the Ham Radio Station.

During our visit we toured a number of the "huts" used in the cypher effort and were helped by a "free audio guide" loaned to us by the Park. A dominant building is the "Mansion" which was the command center of the effort. All of the buildings, including the Mansion, are very well preserved. During our exploration of the Mansion and "the huts" we saw much of the original furniture and equipment used by the nearly 12,000 people employed during the effort. Old typewriters, teletype machines, radio receivers and other equipment were in evidence throughout the "museum".

I also noticed a "ham radio antenna" on the roof of one of the buildings. We found it was a "working ham radio station" licensed as GB3RS. We met "Anthony" who was using the ham radio station and acting as a docent for the many visitors who passed through. It was fun to talk with Anthony, send some morse code and talk about ham radio -- past and present. It is interesting to note that much of the decoding efforts were through the use of Morse Code. Thousands of professional and volunteer radio operators copied code on German frequencies and passed them on to Bletchley Park for deciphering.

Enigma!!

We spent about 3 hours exploring Bletchley Park and decided to walk into town. It turns out that, because it was Sunday, just about every shop and pub were closed. The City, Bletchley, seems to be more of a "bedroom community" with a very limited city center. We did find an open "pub" and enjoyed a Guinness before leaving town. We met some local "folks" who were enjoying a social afternoon and had a chance to spend a few minutes talking about England and the U.S.

Our trip back into Central London took just as long as our trip out to Bletchley. We arrived back in town tired and hungry. A late "bite" and a chance to sit down and answer some emails was a welcome respite to a busy day.  As always we enjoyed ourselves immensely!

Adventures, Exploration and Science . . .

The DLR train arrives
for Greenwich.

August 23, 2014 -- We were up again early and out for a day of exploration. After breakfast we headed out, by train, to Greenwich and the Royal Observatory. In was a 15 minute "free" ride on an elevated tram just outside and down the road from our lodgings. The "DLR" (Docklands Light Railway) opened in 1987 to serve the "docklands" around the Thames. We're staying in an area called "Canary Wharf" which has evolved into the financial center of the city. As an "elevated" system, it occurs to me that it was considerably less costly and easier to build. I read that, in 2013, more than 101-million passengers took the train along its route. By any measure, it's a great transportation system.

Linda "eyeballs" a neat find
at the Greenwich Flea Market.

We boarded at Canary Wharf and watched out the Greenwich station. It was just a few stops down the line. We came out of the station greeted by a beautiful suburb. Greenwich is in "southeast London" and is called a "Royal borough". Greenwich is also a "U.N. World Heritage Site" and is home to the "zero meridian". The population is about 255,000 residents. As we've seen all over Ireland and London, so far, the streets are full of pleasant shops and eateries. We stopped along the way at a delightful "flea market" where the local residents were selling some of their "treasures". Farther down the same road was an "open market" -- much like St. George's Market in Belfast. We decided to stop back for a snack after our visit to the observatory.

I'm on the West, Linda on the East
Hemisphere's of planet Earth.

We made our way along a long winding path through a beautiful park and up the hill to the Royal Observatory. The observatory sits on a hill overlooking Greenwich with a wider view of London in the distance. Our goal was to tour the observatory, see the telescopes and stand on the zero-meridian of the "planet Earth"! We managed to accomplish all three.  It was fun joining hands across the "western and eastern" hemispheres of the world, bring them together in a gesture of "friendship". It'd be nice if the nations of the world would follow suit!!

28" refractor at the Greenwich
Royal Observatory.

We visited the big 28" refracting telescope on the roof of the building. The telescope was completed in 1893 and "rededicated" in 1973 by the Queen. The 28" telescope is the 7th largest telescope (refractor) in the world. Interestingly, the United States has two of the largest refracting telescopes in the world -- with the 40" at Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay, Wisconsin and the 36" at the Lick Observatory in San Jose, California. These are all interesting and beautiful instruments.

We finished our visit by seeing the "meridian telescope" used to "define" the prime meridian of the world. The meridian was defined in 1851 and adopted by "international conference" in 1884. We continued to explore the grounds of the observatory for another hour or so and made our way down the hill. Our goal was to take a boat along the Thames.

72" Speculum mirror from the
Birr Castle Telescope

By chance, we decided to take a break in the National Maritime Museum not far from the observatory. As luck would have it, there was a conference underway called the "International Slavery Remembrance Day". We arrived in time to attend a lecture by "Onyeka: African's in Tudor England" for about an hour. There was an enthusiastic Queston and Answer period afterwards. Onyeka Nubia is a British writer, law lecturer and historian who has studied slavery in England for a number of years. He's the author of several books on this and other subjects.

Greenwich, and London as seen
from the Royal Obervatory.

Ultimately, we made our way to the dock and boarded a boat for the trip "up the Thames" to Westminster. Once there, we found our way by underground to the National Science Museum in the South Kensington District of the city. The museum is HUGE. Our primary goal was to see the 72" mirror from the Birr Castle telescope at Birr Castle in Ireland. The mirror has been in residence since just before World War II for safekeeping. It is big and it is beautiful! As we explored the ground and first floors of the museum, it was apparent that we'd need a lot more time to do the collection justice. But, we did see a good number of the exhibits and plan -- if time permits -- to come back for more.

It's been a busy day, so far, and we plan to make our way to our lodgings for a well deserved rest and some "television". We don't know what tomorrow will bring, as yet, so stay tuned and discover what we'll do to continue our explorations . . .

Parliament, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and more . . .

Parliament and Big Ben.

August 22, 2014 -- Our first full day in London began at our lodgings with a delicious breakfast. As we left the front door, I noticed a cute little "falafel" joint across the street. We went to investigate and met Brian the owner. He promised us a delicious meal anytime we want!! We've decided to take him up on it later this week.

Today we decided to take the "underground" to the center of London around the Parliament Building. As opposed to our long and arduous bus ride yesterday, the train took only a few minutes before we climbed the stairs and came into view of "Big Ben". The sun was shining, the sky was mostly clear with a touch of puffy clouds and it was beautiful.  Even if you've seen it before, it's still a beautiful sight. We learned that, for a few pounds, we'd be able to tour the building. We've decided to do that later in the week to.

At Westminster Abby.

Next door is Westminster Abbey, the church that has catered to kings and queens and even Parliament itself. It has been on the same site, in one form or another, since 624 C.E. The current church was built in 1245 on orders from Henry III. The grounds and building are impressive. Because of the current state of affairs, there was a notable contingent of "security" in and around the site. Sight-seers were everywhere, walking the grounds and paying admission for entry into the building. We decided to forego going inside the Abby itself.

Self and 'Skip' Basiel.

Next door are the buildings to the Choir School. We were granted entry to the courtyard, which itself seems removed from the busy city. As we walked along, we noticed an assembly of people. At first we thought it might be a choir practice -- but in fact was it was a graduation photo session for the Hult International Business School in London. Hult has campuses in eight sites throughout the world, including Boston, San Francisco and New York. The graduates we saw had just earned their MBA degree and were in great spirits. As the photo shoot ended, I noticed a couple of gentlemen sitting with the graduates in attractive "robes". I introduced myself and met Dr. Anthony 'Skip' Basiel.  Skip, yours truly and one of his colleagues (himself an Oxford grad) enjoyed a few minutes talking about the "robes" and the graduation ceremony. Skip, as it turns out, is an American living in London. He had earned a degree from Hult some years ago and stayed on in a teaching position. He is now Associate Dean of the School.

The "suspicious" bag!!

Our next stop was Buckingham Palace. More than impressive, it is an "imposing" sight. It, too, was under guard but the tourists paid no-mind! Hundreds of visitors lined themselves along the fence around the front of the Castle. We chatted with a few tourists and one of the "bobbies" standing guard. Within a few minutes, the entire crowd was asked to "STAND BACK PLEASE"! by one of the bobbies. It seems that a "suspicious bag" had been seen unattended on the drive to. Once safely removed from the scene, and after a few minutes, a bobbie simply walked up to the bag, walked around it one or twice and then leaned down and picked it up. He held it in the air, showing there was no threat, and we all applauded. It was both tense and fun at the same time!!

Parliament in the evening.

Well, we've taken our "internet" break at a Starbuck's and we're ready to get underway again. So, to quote the "governator" I'll Be Back!!

7 p.m. -- After Buckingham Palace, we found our way to a cute "neighborhood" for a bit of lunch and coffee. We continued exploring the area around the Palace and set out in the general direction of Westminster Abby. The goal was to investigate the large "ferris wheel" on the Thames. Crossing Westminster Bridge was a challenge in itself. The sidewalks were teaming with tourists. We stopped along the way to take a photo or two before finding "The Queens Walk" along the south bank of the river. It too was busy with tourists and shoppers.

The Queens Walk is a promenade densely populated with shops and attractions of all kinds. Street performers are everywhere. The London Aquarium is along the way. As it continued to warm up, under the clear sunny sky, we stopped for a beer and chance to rest our feet! It was a delightful break and we enjoyed people-watching and talking about the events of the day. We continued our exploration of the area as far down as the Waterloo Bridge passing the huge ferris Wheel called the London-Eye on the way.

The London-Eye from
Westminster Bridge.

Once we ventured to the other side of the river, we started our way back to the Westminster Underground Station. By now it was getting late and we were getting tired. We found, along a street called Victoria's Embankment, a series of beautiful flower parks and walkways. Entering the walkways, it felt as though we were "removed from the city" even though the busy traffic was just outside. There were a number of statues to explore and benches to sit on. The flowers and lily ponds were beautiful. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience. I know I keep saying this -- but we won't soon forget our experiences of the day. Our first full day in London has been extraordinary. It is quite a city.

Bound for the U.K. and London . . .

August 21, 2014 --  7 a.m. -- Today is Linda's birthday, so I thought I'd take her to London. After-all, we're here!! Right??

Irish Ferry, Dublin to Wales.

1 p.m. -- We arranged for a taxi at 7 a.m. to take us to the Irish Ferry for an 8:45 a.m. departure and voyage to Holyhead, Wales. It was a 2-hour journey. Once we were safely on-board, we enjoyed a cup of coffee and settled into comfortable spot near the window. We bid "farewell" to Ireland, having thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Exploring Ireland is one of the most enjoyable "getaways" we've experienced over the past few summers. We hope to come back. Who knows!

Virgin Trains from Bangor, Wales to London.

We disembarked the ferry at 11 a.m. and made our way through the port. The rail station was just a few yards away. We found our train would arrive in about 10 minutes bound for Bangor, Wales. From there, we changed trains for the 3 1/2-hour trip to London. The train is beautifully appointed -- and for a few "pounds" we're able to log onto the internet. Thankfully, the "cafe car" is just behind us, so it was easy to get a snack and another cuppa!!

So, I'll post this "portion of the blog" and update back when I have something new to report . . .

9 p.m. -- We arrived in the central London railway station, Euston, at about 5:30 and found we could get to our lodgings by bus. In London it's necessary to purchase an "Oyster" card and then load it with funds. Once on the bus or train the Oyster card is simply "tapped" on a sensor to pay the fare. It seemed to us that the bus would be easier to use, as opposed to the "underground" because of the apparent confusion of the maps. We were both right and wrong. As it happens, the train is faster than we thought, but at first the bus is easier.  However, it takes the bus MUCH longer to get around London because of the traffic. After about 45 minutes we made it to Canary Wharf and our lodgings.


In honor of Linda's birthday, we found a nice Italian restaurant about 10 minutes from our lodgings and enjoyed an excellent meal together. The weather in London is similar to the weather in Dublin -- overcast or mostly cloudy, windy and cooler than we like. Yet, we know it'll be a pleasant week in this most "worldly" of cities. Tomorrow we're off to the center of London for some sight-seeing. We have a list of possible "day trips" and walking tours, so it should be an eventful 8 days of adventure and exploration.


Stay tuned -- as I like say . . .

Linda in the Trinity College
Library.

August 20, 2014 -- (the day before Linda's birthday!!). Again, we were late getting out of the guesthouse. It has been nice sleeping in a bit. But, by 9:30 we were having coffee at one of the little "coffee joints" that populate the streets of Dublin. The coffee, by the way, is usually made with an "espresso"-type of machine and is quite good. In the event you're a Starbuck's coffee fan, the Irish just don't have it figured out. I've tried Starbuck's coffee in 3 or 4 different places. It is TERRIBLE!! Can't figure why, it just is . . .

After exchanging an email and sharing my blog entry with Joe McCauley (from Trinity College) yesterday, we decided to take his advice and re-visit the Book of Kell and the "Long Room"  at the Trinity College Library. The library is the largest in Ireland with more than 6-million volumes throughout its several buildings. The "Long Room" is a 217-foot long room built between 1712 and 1732. On its own, it contains  200,000 volumes.

The "Long Room"
Trinity College Library,
Dublin, Ireland.

Before entering the Long Room upstairs, one can view the "Book of Kells". As reported yesterday, the Book of Kells is an illuminated hand-written (in Latin)  Bible containing the first four gospels of the New Testament. Looking at the book ourselves, we were impressed -- not with the book per si', although it is beautiful -- but rather as a "labor of love" written in 800 C.E. by those devoted to Christianity. It is an impressive sight.

Upon leaving Trinity College, we turned "left", away from the river.  We found, and explored, a part of Dublin we haven't seen. This part of the city has a different "feel", with shops, restaurants and pubs lining the small and narrow streets. Many of the streets are closed to vehicles and are for pedestrians only. As we walked along, passing restaurants and pubs, the inviting aroma of the  different foods greeted us. They were hard to resist!

Pot of Gold? What? Where?

We've thoroughly enjoyed Dublin. It's a beautiful and modern city -- on a par with any city anywhere As we explored the many sights and wandered the streets, we were reminded of New York, Florence or Rome. But, if anything makes Ireland special, it is the people. They are friendly and warm. If one asks a question or directions, the response is overwhelmingly positive. It's been a great experience and we've enjoyed every minute of it.

Tomorrow, we're up early and will be making our way by ferry and then rail for Holyhead, England and London. The transit to London will be an adventure on its own. So, as always, I'll report  on our adventure along the way.

Trinity College . . .

Breakfast in Dublin.

August 19, 2014 -- We were up late this morning after the long day we spent yesterday in transit from Dublin to Birr and back. It was nice to sleep late, but it also meant that we'd spend the day in Dublin. There is a lot of the city we haven't seen, so we weren't too disappointed. We made our way out of the guesthouse and down to the local "wash and fold" laundry about 5 minutes down the road.

Science Gallery, Dublin

Soon, we were in our favorite joint for breakfast. I've had the "Irish Vegie Breakfast" for the last couple of days. It's delicious. After breakfast, our plan was to take a double-deck tour-bus for a look in and around Dublin. As we walked toward the bus a "tourist information booth" caught our eye -- so we stopped for some ideas about the day. As usual, I asked the question about "science centers, planetariums or observatories". As it happens, there was a Science Gallery just a short walk across the River Liffey. We set out enjoying the sun and relatively warm weather.

Joe McCauley Trinity College
Dublin.

I noticed, on the map, that the Science Gallery  is on the property of Trinity College. Having heard of that institution more than once,  I thought it'd be fun to walk the grounds of the College. We entered the Science Center and found that it is not only free, but the theme was an interesting "weather, climate change and science and their effect on the economy." One of the "docents" was a student in the Physics Department at Trinity College, so I asked him about telescopes. "Yes, Indeed" was his reply. "Just head over the Fitzgerald Building and ask around. There's one on the roof". After our visit to the Science Gallery, we took his advice.

Yours Truly and the 14" SCT
at Trinity College, Dublin.

The Fitzgerald Building is just around the corner from the Science Gallery, so we found it in short order. As we entered the building it looked deserted, but poking around a bit we found Ken Concannon in his office. After an explanation of our goal to "see the telescope", we were taken to Joe McCauley's office and introduced. Joe is an "experimental officer" at the college and was more than willing to spend the necessary time taking us through the William H.S. Monck Observatory. The observatory consists of a Meade 14" SCT on a pier and housed in a 10-foot dome.

Joe, Linda and I spent the better part of an hour discussing a variety of subjects related to the "present day" study of the universe. Coincidently, the College has an installation of radio telescopes on the grounds of Birr Castle. Since we had just been there the day before, it was interesting to hear about their work in the radio spectrum. We had a chance to tour a couple of the college's "labs" and learned about some of the scientific breakthroughs members of the faculty have made in years past.

Upon leaving, the Physics Department, Joe recommended we stop by the "Book of Kells" just across campus. The "book", created in about 800 C.E., is an illuminated manuscript in Latin containing the first 4 books of the New Testament. We arrived at the library to find a long LONG line of people waiting to see the book, so we decided to forego an actual look at the bible. After-all, we were "there" -- right?!!

As we left the campus and walked back into the center of town, we felt privileged to have had such an enjoyable and interesting afternoon with Joe McCauley at Trinity College.  Every now and then, the chain of events works out just perfectly.

Today was one of those days!!

Birr Caslte, Birr, Ireland.

August 18, 2014-- We boarded the intercity bus at 10:30 a.m. for Birr and the Birr Castle. After trying a few times to get to Birr, we found we could simply take the bus from Dublin to Athlone and then on to Birr itself. Birr is a little town in the center of the country and west of Dublin by about 2 1/2 hours by bus. It's a small village of about 4,500 people, and the main attraction is Birr Castle itself. On the castle grounds, and the attraction for me, is the big 72" telescope built by the Third Lord Rosse in 1845.

The great 72" reflector at Birr, Castle.

The remains of the telescope are impressive to all of those who visit the telescope. It's 7-foot dimeter wood tube sites between two 50-foot high stone walls that were used to support the telescope. The telescope moves in altitude as well as a limited amount of azimuth. The poor weather in that part of the country is said to render the telescope of little use. Still, it was used by Rosse to make some important discoveries in the field of astronomy. The telescope was built is 1845, so our understanding of the universe was just unfolding. Interestingly, too, is the fact the 72" speculum (metal) mirror was then the largest telescope in the world and remained so until the 100" telescope was built on Mt. Wilson in 1917.

The Eyepiece.

We explored the grounds of the castle for a couple of hours. The "castle" site has been in existence since 1170 and became the property of the Parson's family in 1620. Parson's, was also known as the Earl of Rosse. We noticed the castle said "private residents only". Upon asking, we found that, to this day, the Parson's family still inhabit the Castle and still own the grounds. The current Earl of Rosse isn't an astronomer or interested in telescopes, per se', but maintains the instrument because of its historic value.

The visitors' center has a nice "science center" with an astronomy theme. It tells the story of astronomy in Europe from the earliest days to the present. Additionally, there are artifacts of the old telescope itself -- including a 24" speculum mirror built by Rosse as an experiment.

An earlier 24" speculum telescope mirror.

Our return bus wasn't until 6:40 p.m., so once we left the castle we found a comfortable "pub" for a snack and "pint". It was delightful. I noticed that, in Ireland, the pub seems to be the meeting place for just about everyone. Families with children come for dinner and socializing. Friends and families populate the booths, tables and bar stools to enjoy the food, drink and conversation. The perfect "social experiment"!!

Our ride back to Dublin was easy. As it became darker, the driver dimmed the lights in the bus that made for an enjoyable ride and a chance to catch a nap. Tomorrow our plan is continue our exploration of Dublin and take a double-decker tour bus to see some of the city, We plan to leave by "sail/rail" for London on Thursday morning.

Stay tuned, as always!!

August 17, 2014 --  9 a.m. --As always, we were out and about early this morning. We found a cute family-owned "joint" for an Irish breakfast and headed to the bus depot. An "Irish breakfast" consists of an egg, a square of hash brown's and a piece of toast. One can choose to have sausage if they wish. It's pretty good and can be found everywhere in the cities.

Our plan was to hang around Dublin or see if we could get to Kilkenny and back on a later bus. We found we could get a noon bus for the 1 hour trip to Kilkenny. We're told it's a beautiful city, so we're looking forward to the visit. Since we had a hour-and-a-half to kill, we walked a couple of blocks to an Internet cafe for an on-line "fix". Internet cafe's are plentiful in Dublin and one can enjoy the entertainment of the Internet for 1-Euro per hour.

Linda, River Nore and Killkenny Castle.

9:05 p.m. -- We've just returned from Kilkenny, a bit south of Dublin. The bus journey took us 2 hours (I originally thought it was one hour!), but as we walked into town, we were greeted by a most beautiful little city.  The population of Kilkenny is 9,000 residents and is in the southeast part of Ireland.

A prominent landmark is the Kilkenny Castle. The castle, built in 1195, is a beautiful building on the River Nore.  As is usually the case, the castle was originally built to guard the small city. The river was used for trade and was defended by the castle as well.  In 1967, the Kilkenny Castle was transferred to the people of the city for £50 and has been used as a conference venue, awards and conferring ceremonies for the graduates of the "Kilkenny Campus" of National University. We enjoyed our visit there very much.

Kilkenny Beer Anyone!!

We happened into town on the last day of an arts and cultural festival. It was fun seeing the artists showing their works along a long wall adjacent to the castle. As we explored the narrow streets along the river and into the city center, we happened onto a "sign" espousing the virtues of Kilkenny Beer. We took a break and enjoyed the brew. It was especially delicious. We were a bit disappointed to learn that Kilkenny no longer brews its own beer -- but the company is now owned by a larger "out-of-town" conglomerate!! Too bad, I thought.

The River Nore.

After spending another couple of hours of exploration and made our way back to the bus depot for a 6:30 p.m. return to Dublin. We were lucky as we were able to transfer to an "express bus" and the 2-hour journey was cut to 1 1/2-hours.

(As an aside, I was interested as to why so many Irish cities begin with the prefix "Kil" or "Kill".  There's Killarney, Kilkenny, Killabben -- and about 85 others throughout the country. It seems that during the Gaelic Period there were very few large towns or settlements.  Most of the small settlements were referred to by a notable feature of the landscape. The term "Kil or Kill" refers to a church-yard, graveyard or woodland! Interesting huh??.)

Tomorrow we're off on another adventure -- to Birr and the Birr Castle. Notable here is that it is home of Lord Rosse's 72" telescope. Built in the middle of the 19th Century, it was the largest telescope in the world.  In 1910 the 100" Hooker Telescope on Mt. Wilson took away that distinction.

So, check back. You never know what'll take place!!

DON'T FORGET TO CLICK ON AN IMAGE TO SEE A LARGER PHOTO

August 16, 2014 -- Today we were up early and made our way to the Connolly Train Station. It's about a 10 minute walk from the Guesthouse. We bought our tickets for Belfast and boarded the train for a 9:30 departure. It's a 2 1/2 hour trip to Belfast Central Station -- but it's comfortable, smooth and warm. As mentioned, one can buy snacks, coffee or juices on the train.

St. George's Market

We didn't know what to expect in Belfast. I recalled the years of the "troubles" between the Protestants and Catholics and the IRA/British Government unrest. But, of course, that's all in the past. The "Joint Declaration of Peace" was signed in 1993. Still, I'm old enough to remember the events clearly -- so it was something to consider. Or, at least I thought so!!  Of-course, it turned out to be "a non issue"!!

Inside St. George's

As we left the station and walked into the City Center, it became clear that Belfast is a modern, prosperous and vibrant city. The streets are wide and orderly, the buildings are modern and very beautiful. Certainly, there is the mix of the "old and new" that we found throughout Ireland. In just a few minute we happened upon "St. George's Market". This has been the site of a "market" since 1604 with the current building having been built in the 1890's. It was teaming with all manner of foods and crafts.

We continued exploring the city by walking a few more blocks into the center of downtown. Some of the stores were closed, but the streets were crowded with shoppers and tourists.  We happened onto a "sight-seeing kiosk" and had a nice chat with the proprietor. We found, also, there is a double-decker sight-seeing bus or a "black taxi" tour. We chose the longer time-frame of the two and bought our tickets for the 1 1/2 hour tour of Belfast. Our tour-guide was a young woman who was very well versed about her city. It was thoroughly enjoyable.

Northern Ireland Parliament.

We had a chance to see many sights otherwise not available to us. The "Titanic" Museum, the Harland and Wolff Shipyard (which had built the Titanic) and the Northern Ireland Parliament -- a simply majestic building on magnificent grounds surrounded by lawns and trees.

Peace Wall, Belfast.

Finally, a most interesting sight was the Peace Wall. The wall is a barrier that once separated the Irish Nationalists from the Unionists. Now, of course, the presence of the wall is no longer a barrier but a reminder of an earlier time of political and social unrest. It is covered with "graffiti" of a political and/or social content. We were told that there is an active movement, in Belfast, to take down the wall.

We left Belfast on the 4:00 train back to Dublin happy that we had taken the time to see this most interesting and beautiful city. Any of you who may come to Ireland are urged to give Belfast a try!!

In and Around Dublin, Ireland . . .

Light-Rail, Dublin, Ireland.

August 15, 2014 -- Today we were in and around Dublin. We started our day with the smell of food coming from below (we're on the 2nd floor). It smelled delicious and one couldn't resist going downstairs to investigate.  Our host, Nicholas, and his "mum" own Harvey's, and it was Nicholas' "mum" doing the cooking. We enjoyed traditional home-cooked Irish breakfast"  before setting out for the day.

Our first stop was a cute little coffee house for our caffeine fix. We then moved onto the O'Connell Railway Station for some information. Our plan is to take the train to Belfast tomorrow morning for our first Dublin day-trip. I was wondering if "northern Ireland" is a safe place to visit.  "oh yes no worries" is the consistent reply. We'll let you know how it goes!

Our second stop was the Heuston Railway Station across town. We took the LUAS light rail for the 15 minute ride and enquired about a day-trip to Galway on Sunday. Both day-trips, Belfast and Galway are around 2 hours each way, and we'll have 4 or 5 hours in each city. We've found that, even though it takes a bit of time to get around Ireland by train, it's better staying in one place and taking day-trips here and there. The trains are pleasant ways to get around -- with the internet accessible and refreshments available from your seat! It's a neat way to travel.

Drink Up!!

As one leaves the Euston Station and looks across the street, s/he cannot miss the "Guinness Brewery". It is a 55-acre site with an inviting "aroma". We took the 20 minute hike to the Guinness Store and bought two tours (which include a "pint" at the end of the tour). We decided to get the "audio tour" and made our own way around. It's four floors of history, artifacts and active exhibits each telling the story of Arthur Guinness and his "brew".  The brewery was founded in 1755 so there's a lot of history to tell. Guinness took a 9,000 year lease from the city -- so in another 7.248 years, the brewery will have to "renew its lease"!! At the end of the tour we enjoyed our "pints" and, by chance met Gary and John from the U.K. They were in Ireland for the weekend. We enjoyed a 45-minute discussion about travel and "beer" and said our farewells. It was John's 60th birthday, so we drank to his health.

National Museum of Ireland. Dublin.

On our return to the City Center, we happened onto the Irish National Museum. We spent an hour looking around the first floor at many of the historic artifacts and descriptions about Ireland and its many struggles. The building itself is "huge", made up of three inter-connected stone structures. Each of the three are massive by themselves, but when put together the museum is an imposing institution.

So, we've completed our first full day in Dublin. It's a wonderful city full of friendly people and interesting things to do and see. The weather is cool with a bit of rain and a bit of wind, but we're lovin' it!!

So, as they say in Gaelic:

seiceáil isteach arís amárach. fheiceann tú ansin.

Dublin, Ireland it is . . .

By non-stop bus to Dublin.

August 14, 2014 -- We were up early this morning getting our luggage ready for the transit to Dublin from Cork. As we readied ourselves for the 3 hour bus trip, we talked about our time here in Cork. It's a beautiful city with lots of things to do. We enjoyed our lodgings, the food and especially the people. Our day-trips to Blarney, Cobh, Killarney and Limerick made for a perfect few days. We could only think that Ireland is one of the friendliest and most inviting countries we've visited over the past few years.

Harvey's Guesthouse.

Our bus left at 10:30 a.m. We had "front seats" so it was a great sight-seeing journey along the modern highways and "freeways" of Ireland. Of course, we logged into the Internet for our "Facebook" and email fix! As we entered the outskirts of Dublin and made our way toward the City Center, one could tell we're entering a larger city. Traffic was thick and the roads were a bit congested. Every now and then, we'd come to a stop -- much like the roads at home!!

It turns out Dublin is a larger city from those we've visited so far. It's population is around 530,000 people and the city covers about 45 square miles. Dublin was founded as a "Viking" settlement and became Ireland's principal city after the Norman Invasion which began in 1169. Despite its age, or maybe because of it, we found Dublin to be a mix of the "old and new". There are old buildings and modern buildings, small crooked little lanes and wide modern sidewalks and streets. It isn't unusual to see a 17th Century building next to a modern all-glass 6 story office building. O'Connell Street, one of the main streets is as busy as Broadway in New York City, with large crowds of people going here and there.

O'Connell Street, City Center, Dublin.

We've been lucky this trip with our choice of lodgings. We're staying in "Harvey's Guesthouse" on Gardenier Street Upper -- just a 10 minute walk from the bus depot and the City Center. The guest-house itself is an 18th Century building with high ceilings and creaky floors! Our room is on the second floor and is large and roomy. As one "climbs the stairs" s/he can feel the earlier generations of residents occupying the space! It's fun and interesting. There are 2 living rooms with comfortable sofas and chairs -- and, of course, reading lamps.

Any excuse for a "Starbuck's"!!

Once we were settled, we set out to explore our surroundings. Before long we were in the City Center and recognized some of the landmarks we had seen upon our arrival. We choose to take a taxi to the Irish Ferry Terminal and get our "sail/rail" tickets for the transit to London on August 21st. Our taxi driver was kind enough to wait for us as we bought our tickets and then took us back into the city. We spent the next couple of hours wandering the streets that interested us -- and of course, found a "Starbucks" for a cuppa!!

Tomorrow we plan to continue our exploration of the city. We'll be taking day-trips, using Dublin as a home-base, so it'll be an interesting week in and around this beautiful and busy city.

As always, stay tuned . . . As they say in Ireland -- "a fheiceann tú níos déanaí"