Why not see the sites and scenes of the capital city from a yellow World War II amphibious vehicle?
OK, so Dublin isn’t for everyone.
The influential Lonely Planet Guide recently named Dublin as one of the top cities in the world to visit in 2016.
But if you search the web for ‘Dublin, love it or hate it?’ you’ll find there are plenty of loathers.
After living in the Fair City for 18 months I found I fell in love with certain aspects of the city, while other things grated on me.
Here’s a list of the five things that were good, and five that were not so good.
THE NOT SO GOOD THINGS:
PYJAMA PEOPLE
you know you're in Dublin when you see a group if girls wearing their pyjamas in a chipper in the middle if the day💁
— whala (@OrlaithWhite_TW) July 26, 2015
‘Are we going out? I’ll get my pyjamas’ — this could be a typical conversation in Dublin.
In cities outside of Ireland, pyjamas are associated with sleeping at night and comfort in the home.
But in Dublin, it’s easy to spot plenty of locals who haven’t felt the need to get dressed for the day.
In Ireland it’s not uncommon to spot signs banning people from wearing pyjamas in shops or at social welfare offices.
WILD WEATHER
Dublin's been pouring rain and cold and awful since I got here :(
— Kate Leth (@kateleth) November 18, 2015
Someone told me soon after I arrived in Ireland that it only rains twice a week — once for three days and once for four days. I found this to be true.
PRE-BREAKFAST PINTS
It’s 7am, must be time for a Guinness.
It’s an odd sight to see the pubs packed with people at breakfast time. There are over 1,000 pubs in Dublin city and of these, around 15 are known as ‘early houses’ — they’re allowed to open from around 7am everyday except Sunday.
I guess there is nothing wrong about pubs opening at the crack of dawn, and most of the early drinkers you meet in Dublin are really late drinkers: they have come off the night shift.
But what bothered me about the taverns opening their doors so early was the fact that I saw so many children sitting there with their parents. What would their day be like once mum or dad was full of Guinness?
DRUG DILEMMAS
UN statistics show that Ireland has a low crime rate compared to the US and most of its European neighbours.
But while Dublin is not considered especially dangerous, the city is very gritty in places.
It has a serious drugs problem, predominantly heroin, and some of the more deprived residential areas are best avoided at night.
Checked yik yak while passing through Dublin and the top yak was "yeaaah I just want to find drugs"
— Emily (@_emilysnyder) November 7, 2015
DIRTY OLD TOWN
Like many big cities around the world, it’s not hard to find spots like this. Picture: Flickr Stephen van der Mark
Dublin was a dirty old town when I lived there several years ago, but a new survey published this year says that, overall, the capital is finally considered litter-free following a 10-year wait.
The Irish Independent reports that for the first time, both Dublin and Cork city — where the majority of tourists enter the country — are “clean to European norms”, as are the roads from Dublin Airport, according to the latest survey by Irish Business Against Litter (IBAL).
But IBAL warned there was still bad news for parts of the capital, saying there were pockets of neglect which still had problems, including the north inner city which was slammed as a “litter black spot”.
THE GOOD THINGS:
PARTY PEOPLE
Ireland is famous for the friendliness of its people, and it’s easy to make friends in Dublin. The locals love a chat, they like to help out where they can, and they’re always ‘up for the craic’.
MARKETS, SEAFOOD AND SODA BREAD
There’s a great selection of baked goods, bread, fruit and veg, cheese and olives at the Temple Bar Food Market. Picture: Flickr William MurphySource:Flickr
Temple Bar Food Market is a fabulous place to while away a Saturday morning. If you like seafood, then Stephen’s oyster stall is something of an institution. His grade-A oysters, harvested every Friday, are big and juicy. The tasty bivalves are served with delicious soda bread and washed down with a plastic cup of white wine.
MAD MUSICIANS
These awesome Irish buskers were jamming in Temple Bar. Picture: Flickr Barnacles Budget AccommodationSource:Flickr
There are so many fiddles in this city, that you almost feel left out if you don’t have one. Whatever type of music you’re into, you’re never far from a gig in Dublin. Live traditional Irish music sessions take place nightly in dozens of pubs and there are plenty of concert venues hosting local and international bands.
SENSATIONAL SHOPPING
Brown Thomas is fabulous, but if you can’t afford it Penneys on O’Connell Street is pretty great. Picture: Flickr Ninian ReidSource:Flickr
Grafton Street is the Irish equivalent of a British high street and one of the best stores in town is the famed Irish department store Brown Thomas. It’s a swanky big place that stocks everything from Marc Jacobs handbags to designer kitchenware.
DUBLIN ARCHITECTURE
What a pretty place. Picture: Flickr Jose Mauel Armengod
The historic buildings of Dublin are beautiful and interesting. A standout is Trinity College, one of Europe’s most outstanding universities. The College’s gorgeous Old Library, is of course, home to the Book of Kells.
Trinity, established by Elizabeth I in 1592, has produced a host of notable graduates — Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde and Samuel Beckett to name a few.
In addition to its splendid public buildings, Dublin is particularly rich in domestic architecture of the 18th century. Fine Georgian mansions lend elegance to the city’s wide streets and spacious squares. Picture: Flickr Raphael ChekrounSource:Flickr
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