There are a few things I hate about traveling and the one that tops the list is - flying. As we all know it's not what it used to be. This time we were using our airline points from Des Moines International Airport to JKF Airport. This was the first time I've used my airline points and wasn't confident it would go smoothly since I wasn't a true "paying" customer. From point of check-in all any flyer can hope for is you arrive on time and that your bags arrive to the final destination.
We arrived into JFK Airport with only a few bumps along the way. After spending time at the lovely JFK Airport I really appreciate my little Des Moines International Airport! JFK may be one of the most confusing airports I've traveled through (signage who needs that?). Since we had a long layover before we boarded for Ireland we decided the only way to start a holiday is with a drink! We settled in at Palm Bar and Grille. Review: good food, huge portions, great service and relaxing environment. The Palm does have locations outside of JFK including Vegas, NYC, DC, Chicago and many other big cities.
Time to board! Aer Lingus has to be the most organized, friendliest and quickest to board airline I've ever been on. Even though we were seated in coach there was much more room than you'll find on the domestic flights. The stewardess were extremely friendly and helpful. I'd definitely fly Aer Lingus again in the future and would highly recommend anyone looking to travel to Ireland to consider Aer Lingus.
After six hours of flying over the Atlantic we landed in Dublin, Ireland at 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 8th. The name Dublin is derived from the Irish name Dubh Linn, meaning "black pool." We left Des Moines on a cold yet dry day only to land into the land of white! Yes snow. December 2010 was the coldest start to winter in 130 years! So I shouldn't have been surprised that we would arrive to colder than normal temperatures and snow.
Our eight mile taxi ride was an adventure as the Irish attempted to drive through the poorly plowed roadways. Shovels, salt and sand were in high demand but supplies were very limited. I was just glad we didn't have a car as it would've been crazy considering the Irish don't know how to drive in snow/ice. I highly recommend you chat with your taxi driver as they are very friendly and informative. It was 6 a.m. by the time we arrived to the Fitzwilliam Hotel in the heart of Dublin. After a long flight and little sleep we decided we would check-in and take a short nap.
Fitwilliam Hotel, is recently renovated and in the heart of Dublin. On one side is St. Stephen's Green and the other side is Grafton Street. St. Stephen's Green is 22 acres and the largest of parks in Dublin's main Georgian squares. The largest park in Dublin city is Phoenix Park, but it is not in a Georgian square. St. Stephen's Green is rectangular, surrounded by one-way streets. The streets once formed major traffic arteries through Dublin center until 2004.
The Fuslier's Arch sits at the Grafton Street corner, commemorate the Royal Dublin Fusiliers who died in the Second Boer War.
Grafton Street (Irish: Sráid Grafton) is one of the two primary shopping streets in Dublin, the other being Henry Street. Grafton runs from St. Stephen's Green to the south to College Green to the north. Grafton Street is mostly pedestrianised, with the exception of the short stretch running between Nassau Street and College Green.
Since we planned to spend a majority of our time in Ireland in Dublin, I would highly recommend staying in the heart of the city. You can get around the city very easy on foot. Bring your comfortable walking shoes!
After a nap, we headed out to find some wonderful food and of course the first of many pints. We enjoyed a nice, quaint lunch at The Kitchen at 3 South Anne Street. The service and food was excellent. Sadly, they didn't serve Guinness which was a bit disappointing for Jim. He couldn't wait to get his hands on a fresh Guinness, which we found at our first pub - McDaids Pub. McDaids was established in 1779 and is situated off Grafton Street. It is one of the truly literary pubs of Dublin as it was frequented in their time by many of the greats of Irish literature.
Our next stop was O'Neill's Bar and Restaurant on Suffolk Street. O'Neill's has long rich history and is worth the stop especially if you enjoy live Irish music. The one thing I recall is the long, narrow hallway to the basement that led to the bathroom. You would hate to meet someone along the way as I'm pretty sure two people wouldn't fit.
After I finished my Blarney Blonde, we headed to the Stag House Pub. Stag House is located near Trinity College and is popular among students and a core of die-hard regulars. Records of the pub date to 1770 (original construction) and 1895 (rebuilding). Stag House has been very well preserved and definitely worth a visit.
Next stop, The Bankers, located on the corner of Dame Lame and Trinity Street. The Bankers is a very cozy, traditional bar where I enjoyed my first Kilkenny. Kilkenny is a nitrogenated Irish cream ale from who else but the makers of Guinness, which originated in Kilkenny, Ireland. Kilkenny is brewed in Ireland and its heritage dates back to the 14th century. For those of you who have tried Smithwick's Draught, Kilkenny is similar but with less hop and it has the famous nitrogenated cream head similar to Guinness.
For our last stop of the night, we decided to venture into a traditional Irish restaurant for traditional Irish food at Gallagher's Boxty House. The food and service was exceptional. We enjoyed traditional Irish stew and Bangers and Mash. We both agreed that the American version of Bangers and Mash doesn't give justice to the true Irish dish as it was delicious!
It was a great start to what would be a great holiday!
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