Back to Dublin
Our last trip along the narrow roads of Ireland was the five hour adventure back to Dublin. We alternately loved and hated our GPS. It was helpful in finding a way out of confusing central city areas, and worthless when it (frequently) didn't recognize new highway interchanges.
When we got back to Dublin we eventually found the Times Hostel on College Street, no thanks to the GPS which routed us to the Times Building a couple blocks away.
As hostels go, the Times was great. We paid 71 Euros for exclusive use of a 4-bed room with a huge bathroom. I was amazed to see a small wall-mounted TV, not a typical hostel amenity.
Besides its super-convenient central location across the street from Trinity College, the staff at the Times is another huge asset. Whether by phone, email or in person, the folks at the Times were unfailingly cheerful and helpful.
The other memorable feature of our hostel experience was a simple yet good continental breakfast in a spotless, shining kitchen/dining area. Definitely a hostel at the top of its class.
Pizza. We ate a lot of it. This BBQ chicken version was lunch in the Times dining area.
At one point my traveling companions abandoned me when I set out walking towards the Dublin harbor. This is the lovely Samuel Beckett designed by Santiago Calatrava.
Near the bridge is this stark memorial to the Great Famine, when one million people died in Ireland and another million emigrated to the U.S. and elsewhere.
Can't forget food. Here is one of the stranger combinations I encountered: an Asian-style spring roll served with green salad and pickles.
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