I guess this is the first time my writing is all in English. Most of the time I will write something as how I would talk to my friends, a mix of two languages - my Malay and a little bit of English here and there. I always find that when I wrote something in English the sounds become so formal and no fun to read. I guess no harm trying and hope it doesn't end up sounding like business English hehe...
Well yesterday I was finally "not forget' to transfer all my photos from my phone to laptop which I took it when I was in Dublin, like months ago... and it makes me feel like writing and sharing all the nicest time I had when I was there..
As usual I touched down in Amsterdam and took couple of days rest in while enjoying what I have left behind for almost a year - cheese, the weather, the shopping areas, the chocolate, the groceries stores. I misses all those thing, especially patat with frite saus!!.
On the third day in Amsterdam, we took the flight to Dublin by Ryan Air. The flight from Amsterdam to Dublin is less than 100 euros for returned ticket and the journey takes about 1 hour. I took the night flight cos its cheaper. The concept is more less like Air Asia. (do my writing sounds fun so far..?I feel awkward haha)
Touched down in Dublin airport and we had two choices, either to go to the hotel by bus where you can easily find outside the airport or by taxi. Of cos if by bus, sometimes you have to walk few more blocks to the hotel, depending on where you stay and the distance of the bus stop to the hotel. So we decided to take the taxi instead because we don't feel like walking few blocks to the hotel with all of our luggage.
We stayed at the hotel in town,Hartcourt Hotel, about 10 minutes walking to the shopping area. One thing about this hotel was, they have their own night club where you can see people especially youngsters starts to passing by the lobby as early as 7.00 pm. We had a little bit of hard time to sleep because apparently the music from the club was so loud and can be heard in our room. I can still remember they played the song Sia, Titanum as closing..hahaha. I guess the club closed at 3 am and by then, we can only sleep peacefully.. So, lesson number 1..if u plan to travel to Ireland, especially Dublin..do take some consideration if the hotel you going to choose has a night club or next to the night club.
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| This hotel is suitable for people who still have night life. For us who already retired, can just enjoy the music from the room haha.. the hotel budget is around Euro150 per night. |
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| The train passing by this hotel.. |
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| The 2nd Hotel, in the city itself but if you were with your luggage, its a bit of a hassle because the walking path to the hotel is a bit of inclining. Good for fat burning exercise..haha |
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| The room look exclusive. The price is between Euro150 per night, depending on the date. I booked from booking.com |
One thing I like about Dublin, most of the building is from hundred and hundred of years ago and they really preserve the historical identity of the buildings and make it as one of the attractions. Ireland is the only European Country that speaks English as their 1st language. Thats' why you could see English Tutorial Classes everywhere here. They also has lots of foreign people working in the country since everyone here speaks English.
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| This is called Spire. Its in the middle of the city and very popular as tourist trademark. |
If you were here, don't forget to take a tour inside the Trinity College. The design of the building is really amazing. I wish I can afford to study here (before) now I am not gonna go through any exams again, no!!
We stopped for dinner at one of this unique restaurant call The Church. Its actually and old church but converted into a nice two storey restaurant. This building must be built like hundred of years ago based on the look of its wall. When you were in Ireland, don't forget to try their barbeque chicken wings as its their irish specialty food and very popular, well apart from their Irish beer obviously.
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| Inside of The Church Restaurant |
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| Inside of The Church Restaurant |
We decided to take up a day tour package to see the mountain in Wicklow the next morning. So back to the hotel, we bought the package online. The cost for a day tour is around Euro20 each person and they will take you to these 3 famous places - Wicklow Mountain, Glendalough Upper Lake and Power Courthouse. They also stop at Enneskery Village for 1 hour so you could have your own lunch there. Tour started at 8.00 am so we have to wait for the van in the shopping area as mentioned in the ticket.
It was really a good trip and romantic I would say, especially during the visit to Wicklow Mountain and Glendalough Upper Lake. They will take you to the place where the movie scene of P.S I Love U, Brave Heart and Vikings the Series took place. The view was so beautiful and breathtaking, like you were in a different part of the earth, and really makes you froze a minute, swept away by how beautiful the scenery was.. Normally u only see that kind of view on google when you wanted to change your laptop wallpaper..haha Since its winter, the wind is a little bit of a bone killer, but I guess that's whats makes the air more fresher.!
Okay now, photo sharing moments..!!! This is on our day trip to Power Courthouse. They have a very big garden. Since its winter, there was no color in the park.. Just pale everywhere, but still nice to see and enjoyable walking and see all the plants and trees you never come across in hot climax country.
There were also an old pets' cemetery in one area of the woods at Power Courthouse. I took some photos of the gravestone and the eerie part was at night I was dreaming which I cant remember what was it but I woke up to find out that I was biting my own arm..like my arm was eventually in between my teeth. Funny when come to think of it but at the same time, whatttttt??
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| See the year they died..these animals died like more than 50 years ago. Most of the pets were horses and dogs. I don't see any cats here... |
Now photos taken from Wicklow Mountain
These photos were taken at one of the movie scene, P.S I Love U..(that's what the tourist guide said, I have not seen the movie yet which my friend told me I should)
Next photos was the place where they shoot Braveheart and Viking the series where JRM on it!!! haha
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| Meeeeeeeeee!!!!!! |
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| My Friend said this is also from P.S I Love U as what she remembered. Hmm.. I don't know, I might accidently swap the photo and put it in wrong album when I transfer the file.. |
We stop at Enneskery Village to have some bite. The village is so small, reminds me of Fraser Hill. They got few shops there and thats it. They said these small town was also a part of the movie P.S I Love U..
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| remind me of Fraser Hill.. |
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| Cozy Restaurant and peaceful like we were the only one there..haha |
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| My Hot Chocolate!!! |
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| These fries..the size is actually like 5x bigger than normal fries at McDonald and 3 times larger than the fries in Nandos |
Now the photos from Glendalough Upper Lake. They have a wooden walking trail so you could follow and as you walked, you could see the mountain, the lake, the fields and some sheep farm.
On the way, we pass through some historical site where they have some old church made in 1920s, some old cemetery with very classic irish trademark gravestones. I've seen one of the gravestone shape like one they had in movie Brave Heart.
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| Old church built in 1920s. |
The tour end up around 6.00 pm and we got back to the city around 7.00 pm. So we decided to have our dinner before head back to the hotel.
Okay now done... my 1st and definitely not going to be the last visit to Ireland. I am planning to go for a 6 days mountain walking tour in Wicklow. The package I saw was like Euro800, inclusive of 6 days accommodation, breakfast and lunch. Sounds interesting!!! So, have to start savings I guess. Hope I could do it for next year, wish me luck.!! hihihi..
Ireland...I fall in love with you already..! How am I gonna tell Belgium that I have found my new love now..?hahaha Have a nice weekend you guys!!
