June 6 - Dublin

Lots of walking today, first to the tram line up to St Stephens Green, then around looking for a bookstore we never found, tho it showed on apple map app, there is a new monster commercial building being built wiped out the whole block... then to the Museum of Literature, which is housed in Newman House on UCD campus, James Joyce went to school here and had his graduation pic taken on the back garden green under the big oak tree that is still there... he wrote Ulysees if you didn't know it...among other things, Dubliners was his first published book, Lots of Oscar Wilde stuff there too, he was imprisoned for being homo which was outlawed in those days maybe even punishable by death in some parts... so we spent a good time in there seeing all about the Irish writers, their stories, Bram Stoker who of course wrote Dracula... many more... Then we did get over to St Stephens Green park for a rest on a bench and a little lunch snack. Very pleasant there

tho it got windy cold and the rain clouds showed up started spitting cold rain... after a bit the sun was back out it was warmish again... we walked up to Grafton Street the big tourist and shopping area looking for another couple bookstores the guy at the museum told us about, we did find one but it was for collectors, then another which was mostly used books and records kinda quirky, so we headed up to Temple Bar area it was packed with people drinking smoking out on the streets this by 300 or so... being Friday happy hour... another downpour came we ducked into a nearby Starbucks had a nice warm drink piece of cake watched the street til the rain stopped... then we walked along the river Liffey

to another book store up 3 floors all stairs old building, M found a couple there, then we walked back toward the tram/bus stops but got sidetracked in Trinity college campus,

well before we could get out of there here came another downpour this time hail and it came down hard, we sheltered under the umbrella against a wall, then under a big tree but still got some wet, climbed a staircase up to the street but the door was locked at the top, back down and it rained and rained then we had to walk through some puddles get shoes and pants wet... finally got to the tram stop rode it down to Harcourt Square, and caught the 122 bus along South Circle road to Raymond Street by this time we were pretty played out from all the walking the rain, stairs, etc... so a bit of rest before dinner... after dinner i went for a walk, took the tram back to city center and scoped out where i'm picking up the rental car in the morning, at St Stephens Green Shopping center about a 15 minute walk bout the same to bus/tram geez the parking in these neighborhoods is crazy ! cute little homes they have tho

... busy day tomorrow up early get the car by 10 we have to check out by 11 and drive to Tralee our final stop four nights southwest Ireland, the Ring of Kerry and Dingle Peninsula, we are in town supposed to be on a park walkable to town center we will find out... Our little apartment was kinda quirky M says oh Grace would love this place take come pics....