Day 05 to 06 Dublin

Dublin

Hostel/Albergue: Abraham's hostel @ 25 eu

Notable memories

Sunday afternoon in Dublin

Saturday

Had a nice train ride into Dublin from the hotel.

Found St James Church. Will try and get to Mass tomorrow.

And found a local Irish bar, no tourists, no tourists at all. It was really cool to sit there and just take in the completely Irish atmosphere of a neighborhood bar from the accents to the laughter to the camaraderie.

On the train ride back, the doors did not open at my exit. So I was stuck on the train and ended up one further station down the line. With no way to call for a taxi because I didn't know the number, I found myself stuck in the empty, I thought, train station with two junkies mainlining, one pushing the needle in his arm. I felt so guilty busting in on his high that I apologized before asking for help. They were nice enough. They tried to help me with advice, but I finally just left the station, stepped into the road and flagged down a car. I was lucky that it was an off-duty taxi, who gave me a ride back to the hotel.

Calling it quits tonite.

Hueston train station

St James Protestant church in Dublin.

It's across the street from St James Catholic Church.

An interesting story is that St James Protestant Church has strong links to the Camino in that many years ago during an excavation, a sizable number of bodies were found there, many of  whom had camino shells with them. With an insufficient number of parishioners to maintain a congregation, the church was disestablished. It is currently a distillery. The lady who told me the history of the church, said it was fitting: tradng one set of spirits for another set of spirits.

There's a theme here. Irish servers, Irish customers, Irish pub.

Sunday

Went to mass at St James. It was nice to feel some of that old time religion, or spirituality, again.

In the afternoon I joined a 2 hour tour of Dublin center. The guide was very professional, and had detailed knowledge of Ireland's history. He covered topics from the pre-Celts to the Vikings to the anglo-Normans to the British. 

We learned about the many invasions, exterior forces and internal and external events that shaped modern divided Ireland.

An amazing two hour walk.

Finished the night with a walk in the rain and dinner at a pub.

What a week!

St James Catholic Church. Where the caminos of Ireland begin. Or at least the offices for the association are here.

I'm very glad that I got up a little early and caught the bus down to St James Church. While I was listening to Mass, it occurred to me that the big difference between the Dingle Way and the Camino de Santiago  is that the first is very much more secular while the second is very much more spiritual.

All finished with Ireland Camino for 2019.

 River Liffey bisects Dublin into north and South.

Dublin tram

 On Sundays this major street is closed off for just pedestrians to enjoy the various displays.

In front of Trinity college; enjoying a major sugar infusion.

Rainy night in Dublin

Day 05 Castlegregory to Dublin

From Castlegregory to Dublin

Transportation: busses @ 30 eu
Hostel/Albergue: 150 eu in Aspect Hotel Dublin Park West

Notable memories

Today was a decision point.

When I woke up, the weather had taken a dramatic turn for the worse.

Yesterday had been sunny and blue with clear skies. Today the morning brought nothing but grey clouds, and some rather heavy doses of rain. And the weather forecast looked pretty much miserable all day plus tomorrow.

So as I was eating breakfast, looking out at the bay through occasional downpours, I had to do an assessment. How badly did I want to walk today and tomorrow?

And the truth be told, not in this weather. I just wasn't up to get soaked. I had already walked along beautiful beaches, and I had crossed two mountains. I didn't see that I had anything to prove to myself by one more beach and one more mountain.

Michael, the proprietor of the b&b, agreed with my decision. He kindly gave me a ride to the neighboring town of Camp.

While I was waiting there at the bus stop, I had a nice little conversation with a senior citizen. We didn't talk about anything important, but we talked a little bit about hiking, and he talked a little bit about being a long time resident. Nothing that would shake the world, but it was nice conversation.

I did go back and forth on the decision to pull the plug on my Ireland hike, but it was the right decision in the end.

I had already made reservations for the plane flight to Spain on Monday. So I could have hiked two more days, but ended up deciding to take those days visiting Dublin instead.

 The weather over Camp

St Mary's Church in Camp

 The town of Tralee

Very picturesque

Kerry Camino

The motivation that brought me to Ireland.

St James Church, Tralee

Day 04 Castlegregory to Brandon

From Castlegregory to Brandon

Today's Distance:	9 miles / 14 km
MapMyHike	Relive
Total This Camino:	52 miles.
Total All Caminos:	1187 miles
Hostel/Albergue:	Beenoskee b & b @ 60 eu

Notable memories

Well I really need a rest day, so I took one. What do you do on a rest day? Well, you go for a 9 mile hike so I walked back to Brandon this morning, enjoying the time along the beach. 

Once in Brandon I stopped in Murphy's pub and had myself a glass of Guinness and just enjoyed a beautiful afternoon along the bay. The ocean lies just a little further out and is plainly visible. There was a strong breeze and it was quite relaxing to just sit on the Pier wall.

I had chance to chat with a couple of characters who were out in the bay fishing. We talked about the strong breeze and how it made it difficult for them. I kidded them that I was getting ready to call emergency services.

I also talked with a couple from Georgia who is spending a month touring Ireland.

From here I will hike to Camp and spend the night. Once in Camp I have the option to take the bus back to Tralee. Many people do this. I will see what I do. I am thinking to finish by reversing the hike and going from Camp back to Tralee on foot as a sort of memory from last year.  I would like to do the Slieve Mish mountains bypass once more. 

If that looks problematic for any reason, I can just take the bus back from Camp to Tralee. One big looming problem is the weather. There's an 80% chance of rain tomorrow. There's a 50% chance of showers on Sunday.

Regardless, once back in Tralee, I have completed the Dingle way. And it will be on to Spain.

This area is surrounded by mountains and coast.

Mount Brandon

St. Brendan's church in Cloghane

Brandon Pier

It's a rest day. I'm entitled to a Guinness.

Lots of bling. Medical alert bracelet, special friend's bracelet, my Camino bracelet.

Day 03: From Feohanagh to Brandon

From Feohanagh to Brandon

Today's Distance:	14.7 miles / 24 km
MapMyHike	Relive
Total This Camino:	43 miles.
Total All Caminos:	1178 miles
Hostel/Albergue:	Beenoskee b&b @ 103 eu
Transportation:	Taxi @ 20 eu

Today's video

Notable memories

Adding one more day in Ireland. I need some down time and some slow time. I'm just not going to be able to complete the Dingle Way according to the guide schedule.

As I mentioned in my video, Mount Brandon was just one long slog. However I made it.

In Brandon (after the mountain) I was having two orange juices and water at the local bar when four Brits walked up. They said they had also done Brandon, but they looked so clean. And they looked so happy. LOL, I wanted to kill them.

Mary and Michael, the proprietors at the bed and breakfast, are some really decent folks. Mary washed my muddy clothes, and then later they took me to the local supermarket to get some shopping done.

Just did not feel like restaurant food tonight so at the supermarket I bought yogurts and fruits and power bars and cheeses and meats. So I've gotten plenty to snack on for the hike tomorrow and the day after. That also covers supprr at night, so I can just stay at the bed and breakfast and munch here.

A big lesson I learned today was that one does not have to do things the way that others expect.

In the cab ride from Brandon to the bed and breakfast, I asked the taxi driver to pick me up tomorrow and take me back to Brandon. He said he couldn't because he had an appointment in the morning.

But then he said that I should walk from the bed and breakfast back to Brandon, and he would pick me up in the evening.

I thought that's backwards. But as I thought more about it, who says I have to walk the Dingle Way in a particular direction. And then I thought, who says I have to do anything and a particular way? So that became my lesson today. I can change things to do things the way I want to do them. And it's okay.

Spent part of the afternoon and evening talking with a real nice German couple.

Tomorrow will be a rest day. I'll hike in a relaxed way from the bed and breakfast to Brandon without my backpack, return to the b&b and spend another night, and then take off to finish the Dingle Way on Sunday. It's one day later than I planned, but hey, improvise, adapt, adopt.

Ready to rock and roll for the day. Little did I realize what lie ahead.

Brandon Creek, but not where I was supposed to be.

Brandon Creek, when I got back on the trail where I was supposed to be.

This cute little guy came out to greet me.

Approaching Mount Brandon

It was a gorgeous view from the mountain.

Day 02: From Dunquin to Feohanagh

 From Dunquin to Feohanagh

Today's Distance:	13 miles / 22 km
MapMyHike	Relive
Total This Camino:	28 miles.
Total All Caminos:	1163 miles
Hostel/Albergue:	Old Pier b&b @ 90 eu
Transport	Taxi: 30 eu

Video: Dunquin to Feohanagh

Notable memories

Purpose out here

One of the things today that I thought about while I was walking is that I'm kind of just going through the motions. I realise that it's only day 2, but in past caminos, I had some driving purpose. This time it seems I'm just hiking.

I suppose that perfectly fine. It just seems different to be walking ... and only walking. On other caminos, I was exorcising some ghost or dealing with some issue, but here there doesn't seem to be anything to chase away. Perhaps I've found someone who helps make life worth enjoying. If that is what is underlying my feelings out here, then that is a big change in my life.

Let's see what I'm feeling when I return to Spain and the camino de Santiago.

People I've run across

Maybe it's a European Union thing, but a not insignificant number of the people that are working here in Ireland, are not Irish. For example, the hostel assistant was Dutch. My cab driver tonight is English. My server at dinner is French.

Tonight's dinner

Given that tomorrow is a 15 mi hike with a 1,800 to 2,000 ft climb, I'm loading up on carbs tonight. Shrimp scampi, deep fried, with french fries and a salad. I figure I'm burning hell of a lot of calories tomorrow.

Lodging

Finally found a hostel. Sent off a reservation request, and got a response back. Full up.
So after dinner, spent my time trying to find a place to sleep. I could have done the taxi back to Dingle thing again, but I'm just not up for it, especially since the overall costs don't justify the hassle.
Found another bed and breakfast at $100 for tomorrow night. Although I'm enjoying the Dingle Way, it is sure expensive once you get to the far side of the peninsula.

Today's photos

Starting the day walking between the mountains and the shoreline.

Lots of beautiful beach scenery along the coves and bays of Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way.

The sun is setting as I finish supper. Had a really good dinner of shrimp scampi, chips and a salad here. Just as good was the Coke with lemon, because I was so thirsty. Lol

Day 01: From Dingle to Dunquin

From Dingle to Dunquin

Today's Distance:	15 miles / 24 km
MapMyHike	Relive
Total This Camino:	15 miles.
Total All Caminos:	1150 miles
Hostel/Albergue:	The Grapevine, Dingle @ 25 eu
Transport	Taxi: 25 eu

Today was of those days that I knew was going to happen sooner or later. I had a lot of trouble making a booking, and when I got to Dunquin, I had no place to sleep. So it became obvious that Plan B was in effect. I called the taxi and paid for a ride back to my start point at Dingle.

The highlight of the day was my taxi ride back to Dingle at the end of today's hike. Tony was an amazing taxi driver.
We shared a lot of good stories.

One of the things he told me was how to drink Guinness. The bartender will pour the Guinness halfway and walk away. It's to let the Guinness  settle. Then he comes back to top it off and gives you the beer. You're supposed to wait until it settles some more before taking the first sip.
Tony said, now that I know how to have a Guinness, I should have one tonight. Sound advice.

We chatted about the weather here. I started by exclaiming how cloudy and grey it was in the morning, but the sun was out in full force in the afternoon. We got on to the subject of the four seasons, and he asked about snow birds. I mentioned that I love winter. Tony had a saying for people on the peninsula: if your in a short sleeve shirt and shorts, you shouldn't complain that you are cold. Ha ha!

Tomorrow morning I have a taxi coming to pick me up and it will take me to where I finished today. From that point I'll be covering new territory.

Camino 2019 Day 01 Dingle to Dunquin video

Notable memories

Starting out from Dingle on the Dingle way.

Dingle harbour. When I was here last year it was fog covered.

Parts of the trail today went through working ranches.

Where Ventry Bay meets the Atlantic ocean

The last third of today's hike 480 foot climb up Mount Eagle, before descending back to Sea level.

Looking out to the Atlantic ocean

Rochester to Dingle

From Rochester to Dublin / Tralee / Dingle

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Total All Caminos:	1135 miles
Hostel/Albergue:	Grapevine Hostel,  25 eu

Bus fares
      7 eu. Airport to Dublin.
     25 eu. Dublin to Tralee
     14 eu. Tralee to Dingle

Notable memories

Travel timeline

(All times local)
09/15.  2:00 pm --> leave Rochester NY

09/15.  2:50 pm --> arrive JFK airport NY

09/15.  5:30 pm --> depart JFK
09/16.  4:30 am --> arrive Dublin airport
09/16.  5:00 am --> leave airport
09/16.  5:30 am --> arrive Dublin center, Burgh Quay

09/16.  7:15 am --> leave Dublin
09/16.  11:45 am --> arrive Tralee
09/16.   2:00 pm --> depart Tralee
09/16.   3:15 pm --> arrive Dingle
09/16.   4:00 pm --> at Grapevine Hostel

Calling Ireland

Had to figure out all over again how to call Ireland from my phone.
For example, to dial St James Church in Dublin, one has to figure out how to handle the zero in the area code. If one is not aware, dialing the 0 causes the connection to break.

+ 353 (0) 1 453 1143

I suppose everything works if you're in Ireland, using the Irish phone system, with an Irish phone number, but it does not work on my Android phone with the United States phone number

So the proper sequence is + 353 1 453 1143

Dublin center

So given that it's Ireland, I'm not surprised that it's raining. But it is 5:30 in the morning and it is still dark and most everything is closed. So that explains why I'm sitting in a Burger King having a latte. My bus leaves at 7:15 and I've just got some time to kill. Lol

Today's photos

Making Memories	Enjoy!
Send off at the Rochester airport. Mom, me, Liz and Dave. Only 3200 miles to go.
Waiting for takeoff at Rochester.
Beautiful sky once we got about the rain clouds
Hudson River on our descent into New York City JFK airport
Dublin at 5:30 am in the rain. Waiting on the bus to Tralee.
My digs for the night. So far I'm the only one in the room.
Dingle harbor at sunset.