Ireland day 1175. Monday 16 December 2024- Dublin Xmas 3

Today’s summary	Val and I went into Dublin once again, for hopefully the last time, to finish off our Christmas shopping. Went our own separate ways for a couple of hours then met up again in the National Gallery café afterwards. We were both moderately successful in our purchases. Had a pop-pop Chinese beef noodle meal from M&S for dinner then a video call with friends in Dorset, UK, in the evening
Today’s weather	Mostly dry and bright with occasional sun. Moderate south westerly wind. Appx 11c

Today’s overview location (The blue mark shows the location of my route)		Close-up location (The blue line shows where I walked) (Click button below to download GPX of today’s walk as recorded, or see interactive map at bottom with elevations corrected): Hills of Howth walk

Commentary

Here we go again! Back to Dublin for hopefully the final instalment of our Christmas shopping. Just the food left to get now – it’s a lot of work but actually I’m really quite enjoying it. So as soon as we had finished our breakfast, we jumped onto the first available DART and trundled off to Pearse to start our expedition.

We had agreed that we would go our separate ways once we got to Grafton Street – it’s much less stressful that way, as we can both search out and and look at the things that we like. In my case that’s mostly technological toys that I don’t need but I think we are all entitled to our indulgences from time to time. Anyway, our trips seem to have been moderately successful, judging by the numbers of bulging carrier bags we brought back with us afterwards.

I also learned, from talking to the doorman, that the strange blue white and red flag hanging over the Brown Thomas department store entrance on Grafton Street is, actually, the Thai national flag. The store (and Selfridges in the UK) was apparently bought by a Thai investor, Central Group, in 2023 so hence the flag.

After a couple of hours of window- and actual-shopping, we rendezvoused in the National Gallery café for very much needed refreshments before plodding back to Pearse for the journey to Malahide.

Along the way, in the midst of her meanderings, Val had stopped off in Marks and Spencer and bought a Shanghai Beef Noodles pop-pop meal. We enjoyed it for dinner as soon as we got to the flat, and before spending a good hour and a half chatting on a video call to friends in Dorset, UK.

So now another day is done, and there’s till half a bottle of Malbec to be finished off and some TV to be watched. So I’ll sign off now, and get down to business!

Today’s photos (click to enlarge)


Commemorative plaque for Oscar Wilde, who conveniently lived opposite Pearse station in the 1850s	Oh dear oh dear I am getting fat again. Oh well, it’s never too late to start that diet again. Except that perhaps Christmas isn’t the best time..

Busy shoppers on Anne St, looking towards Dawson St	Rear view of The Mansion House (conference centre) from Molesworth Place

The Shelbourne Hotel, on St Stephens Green. Once of Dublin’s finest. We stayed there for a treat earlier this year and enjoyed it, though best just for a short visit I’d say	In the Overlook Motel-style Milltown Wing in the National Gallery

Val has booked for us to go and see it at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre next February – it gets great reviews and I like Steve Coogan’s productions, so I’m very much looking forward to it