Not much time to do anything this morning - just enough time to pack, check out how to get to the airport and have some breakfast.

We decided to catch the local Roissey Bus to the airport - this leaves just around the corner from our hotel and costs 10 euro each to the airport - we decided on this option as we do not have to carry our luggage up and down the subway stations - some of which have great distances to navigate.

Bus to the airport took about 50 minutes so it was a good way of seeing the last sites of Paris. We arrived at the airport and checked in for our flight to Dublin. Again, no problems locating the right terminal or gate lounge and getting through security. So far, touch wood, all of our connections have gone smoothly and we are sitting having our last beer in Paris whilst waiting for our flight.

We both enjoyed Paris, although we did not have enough time here - if you are planning on coming here you need a couple of weeks to take in all she has to offer.

Look out Dublin, here we come!!!!

Our flight to Dublin was another quick flight but we managed to have enough time to have something to eat and drink on the plane and plan our attack on Dublin. The flight arrived on time and again no problems with luggage or customs....straight through and here we were!

The weather was what you would expect in Ireland - overcast and raining! However, it did not dampen our enthusiasm - I had waited all of this time to get here, a bit of rain wasnt going to stop me. We went straight to the taxi rank and caught a taxi to our hotel - our cab driver was brilliant - giving us local tips all the way to the hotel and it was great just listening to his accent.

We checked into our hotel - The Castle - located near Parnell Square and just off O'Connell St - a perfect base to launch into Dublin. After navigating our way to our room - which was no easy task - we are on a mezzanie floor and had a bit of difficulty locating our room - as there was a door that said "Private" but apparantly that does not mean anything over here and we should have gone through that door and we would have found our room ok - anyway, not to worry, we found our room and freshened up - ready to attack.

The hotel room, whilst basic, is clean and centrally located - everything is within walking distance - O'Connell St, Grafton St, The Liffey, The Temple Bar district etc.

We strolled down O'Connell St, passing the GPO and I knew we were in Dublin! Already I am getting emotional about this place and I havent had a drink yet!!!

Only one thing to do, as it was raining, we had to take shelter in a bar - so we decided to head straight to the Temple Bar district and indeed straight to the historice Temple Bar itself. Upon walking in, music was greeting us, so two Guinness's were ordered - they are right about what they say about the local Guinness to that back home - this tasted so much better!!!! Our welcome to Dublin could not have been any better - the first song we heard was Dirty Old Town - yep, I am going to enjoy this place.

However, the music at the Temple Bar was short lived - due to the fact that the singer decided to sing non Irish songs - what is going on over here? We decided to leave to find a more traditional pub.

After a couple of false starts, we ended up at a pub called the Oliver St John Gogarty - what a find this turned out to be!!! We felt at home in this pub - great music, a good crowd and it only got better when I read the history of the place - it is said that Oliver St John Gogarty's idol was Michael Collins and in fact, when Michael Collins was shot at Beal na Blath, the blood stained latch key of Gogarty's house at Ely Place - where Collins had sheltered many times during the war of Independence - was found on Collin's body! That is good enough for me!!!

Anyway, 7 hours later, we got out of there......we got to hear all of our favourite songs - Raur Old Times, Fields of Anthenry, Dirty Old Town, Galway Girls, Molly Molone, the list went on and on.....I keep wanting to leave, but they kepty playing good songs,......what else could I do.

It was a great initiation to Dublin - in fact, it was so good, we have decided to stay another night here before hitting the road tomorrow. We will pick up our car today, do the hop on hop off bus tour, and hopefully a pub crawl tonight - guided by two local musicians.

Slainte