A traveller's reflection: South Ireland 2018: 02 Dublin City Tour

My Travel Journal

"There isn't much I haven't shared with you along the road and through it all there'd always be tomorrow's episode" - Elton John

I started traveling around the world since early 80s when I had the opportunity to combine business trips with vacations. Then later when my rezeki is in abundance, there were numerous other trips along the way for vacations, most of the time with hubby and the kids when the timing is right. I have also started to compile the journal and photo-pages covering almost more than 45 years of world wide travel. Some destinations I visited just once, others many times. Many of those places are the obvious famous places people would like to visit but some, the casual traveler doesn't even think to try. I have placed links to my travel at the side bar of my personal page, My Life Reflections, and will be updating them from time to time.

My wish is to continue my travel and complete circumnavigate the globe, insyaAllah…

Thursday, 22 February 2018

South Ireland 2018: 02 Dublin City Tour

"Take the world nice and easy. And the world will take you the same..." - An Irish Proverb

(Stanta Wall of Dublin)

Day 01: 12 February 2018 (Monday)
Route: KL/Abu Dhabi

The group gathered in KLIA three hours before departure. The 7.35 pm Emirate flight EY411 to Abu Dhabi was on time.

Day 02: 13 February 2018 (Tuesday)
Route: Abu Dhabi/Dublin
Hotel: Westgrove Hotel, Clane

Performed our prayers before our 2.10 am flight EY045 to Dublin. Arrived at Dublin International Airport at 6:45 am. Met our local guide, Mr. James and Mr. Gavin, the driver. This was our second visit to Dublin. We were in Dublin in May 2017 during our 20-day tour of the United Kingdom where we took a ferry ride from Holyhead, Wales to Dublin, Ireland and enjoyed a full day tour of the city.

Dublin is the capital of and largest city in Ireland. Located in the province of Leinster on the east coast of Ireland, at the mouth of the River Liffey and bordered on the South by the Wicklow Mountains. We started the day with a bus tour around Dublin and later went for a walking tour and visited some highlights of the city.

(Colorful buildings along River Liffey)

(James Joyce Bridge)

(Rory O'More Bridge)

We visited Phoenix Park, the largest enclosed park in Europe. It was once a royal hunting ground. The official residence of the President of Ireland is situated in the park. Attractions within the Phoenix Park include Farmleigh House, a former home of the Guinnesses, Ashtown Castle and the Dublin Zoo. There is a Papal Cross which sits in the Phoenix Park. The huge cross is a permanent memorial to the September 1979 Papal visit to Ireland of John Paul II. The Wellington Monument is a granite obelisk in the Phoenix Park.

(The residence of the President)

(The Wellington Monument)

(The Papal Cross in the background)

The walking tour started with Dublin Castle, the seat of the United Kingdom government's administration, and is now a major Irish government complex. Most of the castle dates from the 18th century, though a castle has stood on the site since the days of King John, the first Lord of Ireland.

(The majestic Dublin Castle)

(The lay-out of Dublin Castle)

(The entrance to the exhibition hall)

(The Castle Clock Tower)

Set high in the walls of some newly constructed public housing on the corner of Bride St. and Golden Lane are eight terracotta plaques depicting scenes of A Voyage to Lilliput of Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift. Jonathan Swift was dean of the nearby St. Patrick's Cathedral.

(Terracotta Plaque of Gulliver's travel)

(Jonathan Swift's Voyage to Lilliput)

Christ Church Cathedral or, more formally, The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity is the elder of the capital city's two medieval cathedrals, the other being St Patrick's Cathedral.

(Christ Church Cathedral)

(Also known as The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity)

(A glimpse of St. Patrick Cathedral)

Trinity College is recognised for academic excellence and a transformative student experience. The historic campus is located in the heart of Dublin city centre at the meeting place of the retail and cultural districts.

Trinity College houses the famous Book of Kells and the Long Room, an exceptionally gorgeous library. It was great to stroll in the campus and see the students go about their daily routine.

(Visiting the Trinity College)

(Roaming the ground of Trinity)

(The Bell Tower at College Green)

(The Library and the famous Book of Kells)

Today’s lunch was at Al-Khair Pakistani Restaurant next to the Dublin Mosque and the Islamic Foundation of Ireland. Dublin Mosque was formerly a Presbyterian Church constructed in the 1860s in the style of a 13th-century English church. In 1983 the building on the South Circular Road was bought by the Islamic Foundation of Ireland and converted into a mosque.

(Al-Khair Restaurant)

(The Dublin Mosque)

(A small but cozy eatery)

(A long queue, waiting for our orders)

(Delicious Chicken Biryani, worth the long wait)

We performed our prayers at the mosque before we travelled back to the city centre for a shopping spree at Nassau Street. While strolling the streets of Dublin we came across an interesting mural, the Setanta Wall.

(Strolling along Grafton Street)

(A street busker showing off his talent)

The Setanta Wall is a mosaic wall just off Nassau Street by Belfast artist Desmond Kinney. It represents parts of the story of the ancient Irish mythological epic Táin Bó Cuailnge and the life of its hero, known as Cúchulainn. This wall is one of Ireland’s most fascinating art found outside of galleries, scattered through its city streets.