For years, literally years, I have pondered a trip to Ireland.  I have been able to travel far and wide, but never the 166 miles as the crow flies to Dublin from Manchester.  I decided that 2014 would be the year that I eventually put that right.

Heading to a new city is always an adventure.  I would put it up there as my number one most favourite thing to do, so a 19 hour day of an early rise to a weary end put together that exploration to see what the Irish capital had to offer… it was an interesting journey.  Of course there was almost missed flights, a few wrong turns and beer .. somethings in life are a constant 🙂

So I wandered the entire city covering every blade of street that I could find, and breathed in the Irish feel and culture.  It is Christmas, so Dublin was lit with a smile that would capture all in this iconic city.

You soon come to learn that in the Irish language it is known as Dubh Linn or Baile Átha Cliath.  The River Liffey divides the north and south and provides the split for exploring as you navigate the local map, and begin to scratch beneath the surface.  Starting at Trinity College, an imposing college at the heart of Dublin – where I learned Oscar Wilde, Sam Beckett, Bram Stoker and Chris D’Burgh (he of lady in red) earned their education stripes; you begin to understand that Dublin has a soul, and it is captured much clearer than the grey skies that preside overhead.

But bizarrely one thing I found captivating were the coloured doors of the Georgian homes that literally brightened up the city.  It was a small detail, but I find it is the small detail that makes the difference in the fabric of our lives.

The “Doors to Dublin” started back in 1970 and celebrates the image of the Georgian homes around the city, and was a simple capturing attraction as I wandered the streets.

A tall tale would be that I went to Dublin and had my first pint of Guinness … and fell in love with the drink.  Guinness has been in the making for over two thousand years, and not one of those times has Guinness been a liking of Avison, and one trip to Dublin wasn’t going to change that. Sorry but stout is just not for me, but each to your own and it is popular the world over but finds its home in Dublin.  Of course I did find my way into an Irish pub (or two, or three) but local lagers was as far as I explored.

At 11am I literally wandered into the “Dublin Walking Tour” … I’ve been on these types of walks several times in various cities and they are always informative and bring to life the history and story of the city and country. Jack, a native Dubliner, guided us through the long history of Ireland, the Irish and Dublin as we wandered the sites and streets. Of course the first person I said Dia duit to in our tour group was from Seattle – the world it seems is such a small place sometimes.

The famous Temple bar area brought to an end a pleasing wander and day in the Irish capital that had me thinking those Irish are just a little different..