This trip to Dublin from SFO was purchased on an AA sale fare of $550 back in October. Not the lowest I ever paid (we had $300 fares a few years ago that many of us traveled on), but certainly the lowest Europe fare for this winter. This is my second time over this year. We'll be in Dublin for the St. Patrick's Day parade on March 17.
MONDAY
Originally due to depart SFO for LAX at 4:23pm on a regional jet, but our aircraft was having mechanical issues at LAX and was running 90 mins behind. Received a text message from AA that we were due to arrive in the remote terminal at LAX at 7:26pm which really wasn’t going to work with a 7:40pm departure to London. Arranged backup flights on British Airways later in the evening from LAX.
Well. the AA flight did make up some of the time and quickly turned around at SFO. We were in the air shortly after 6pm, after a slight ATC delay, and once at LAX took the grand tour of the facilities, landing on one side of the airport and taxiing to the remote AA Eagle terminal on the opposite side. We were met by an AA rep and a special shuttle bus to the main terminal for 19 passengers connecting to London or Sao Paolo. Boarded our AA flight to London at 7:35pm but we did not depart as scheduled at 7:40pm. They did take about a half hour delay loading baggage and cargo and balancing the weight.
I’m with my friends Jim and Zennie and we all had empty seats next to us in the small 4-row economy section at the front of the cabin on a 777-300. These seats come with a few inches of extra legroom. I watched one movie (Fury with Brad Pitt as a WWII tank driver) and tried to sleep the rest of the 10 hour flight. Plenty of business class seats open and glad I didn’t use an upgrade (down to my last two for the year).
TUESDAY
Landed at London Heathrow at 1:30pm and worked our way from T3 to T5 via shuttle bus. Got in the line for passport control/security for Ireland/UK departures and bumped into 12-time Olympic medalist Natalie Coughlin (Jim and Zennie’s oldest daughter) and two other Cal swimmers in transit from Marseilles to Edinburgh for swimming this weekend. No idea they were coming through Heathrow the same time we were so we were all surprised. No time for a lounge visit and headed straight to the gate.
Had a 3:30pm British Airways A320 departure to Dublin and landed about 5pm. Airport express shuttle into the city and we were checking into our hotel, Jury's Inn Parnell Square, at 6pm. Back out for dinner at La Pizza on O’Connell Street at 7pm (pizza with french fries for Jim and me, and fish and chips for Zennie- sort of mandatory in Ireland that every dish has to come with some potato product). The pizza with a soft drink was 10 euros ($10.70). Walked around O’Connell Street and were back at the hotel around 9.
WEDNESDAY
After hotel breakfast, out into cloud-covered Dublin. Walked over to Connolly Station to pick up our train tickets for Thursday’s trip to Belfast (you input a confirmation number into a kiosk and it prints the tickets-- these priced at $15 one way for each of us). As long as we were at the train station seemed like a good time for a trip out, so decided to go to Howth, a seaside town known for its fish markets that’s about 30 mins out. Started raining just as we arrived.
While exploring there, I talked with a local gentleman who asked if I was enjoying the “fresh air”. That was as I was holding the hood down on my jacket so it wouldn’t be blown off. Yes, I was enjoying the fresh air (and the rain).
Saw a gorgeous pair of golden retrievers and even an Irish wolfhound. Stopped for tea and coffee at a cafe facing out towards the harbour. The minute we left there it started pouring rain and we were staring at some very dark clouds. Took some city and harbour photos, then back to the train station and back into Dublin.
On arrival into Dublin we walked through Trinity College, visited a sweater shop, and then a quick lunch stop at a sandwich shop. Visited the Natural History Museum which has the skeletons of Irish red deer (they look about moose-sized). They also have a collection of birds, insects and some wildlife.
Headed over to Grafton Street and a quick stop in the mall there, then a long walk back to our hotel arriving about 4:30. Popped into a shop to look at T-shirts for our return for the St. Patrick's Day parade:
Along the way we passed a child of about 2 coming out of a shop holding a glass jar in one hand and a plunger in the other hand. We knew this was a disaster about to happen, and, sure enough, as we were walking off, glass was heard breaking.
Dinner tonight was at O’Neill’s Pub where I had lamb shanks (13 euros-less than $14), Zennie had roast beef and Jim had a ham and turkey pie, all with pints of beer. After dinner walked over to Temple Bar for music and Irish step dancers at Fitzsimons.
THURSDAY
Checked out of the hotel just before 10am and walked over to Connolly train station. Had been raining just an hour before, but just had to contend with dark clouds for the 20 min walk over. Caught the 11am train to Belfast and had empty seats next to each of us for the 2 hour 15 min trip.
Good thing we traveled today as there is a bus and rail strike in Northern Ireland on Friday. At least we don’t have to worry about that with the trip up on Thursday. I keep dancing around these labor disputes in Europe among airlines and rail companies. One of them is eventually going to ground me.
Due to pouring rain grabbed a cab to our hotel off University Street. On check-in received vouchers for free drinks and a snack. Headed out into the rain around 2:30 and walked into the city center, passing City Hall and touring the Victoria Square Shopping Center which has city and shipyard views from a platform at the top. Met an employee who told us the weather tomorrow would be spectacular and suggested a Giants Causeway tour. Stopped at the tourist office across from City Hall and checked out what was available and booked a tour for 18GBP ($27) each for Friday.
Dinner tonight was at Scalini’s Italian restaurant near our hotel. Jim and Tom had salads and split a pizza, while Zennie had spaghetti with seafood. Great desserts (Tom had the pecan pie). Early night and back at the hotel before 7. Early start planned tomorrow.
Photos for this section start here:
http://tom911.smugmug.com/Travel-Ire...d-Dublin-Howth
Final photo for this section from Grafton Street in Dublin:
