In Dublin's Fair City

I never had any illusions about coming to Dublin, the capital of Ireland. My only Irish connection in my student days was the hit Celtic song 'Molly Malone' that had the lovely lines 'In Dublin's fair city where the girls are so pretty'. So, when i finally landed up here for work last year, i came with no specific expectation. I was more interested in settling down with my joining and other settling down chores. Personally never bothered to even lookup a TripAdvisor guide for Dublin. I am happy i didn't, for it is a city where you connect with people and explore.

William Butler Yeats once famously remarked 'There are no strangers here, only friends you haven't met. I could not agree more with this assessment. The moment you step in to the city, it seems a different world. A world where you find a bit of everything be it history, culture, greenery, education, architecture and night life. Dublin is truly an interesting city which has much to offer to every type of traveler or resident depending on their interests. The more diverse your interests, the more you will love Dublin. It is a city with a rich history of education, culture. If you like history, one can explore the Irish War of Independence. You could visit the Book of Kells in Trinity College, which contains the four Gospels of the New Testament in Latin. If you like parks you could spend a day at the Phoenix Park, the largest park in Dublin or amble around the Stephen's Green (see image below) in central Dublin.

There are numerous quaint bookstores where you can explore fascinating books and sip a coffee. If you like to trek or explore the hills, head off to the Wicklow Mountains close-by (about an hour from Dublin). If you like the sea, Dublin has its share of beaches and rocky cliffs. You could explore the cliff walk at Howth or walk across the fishing harbour to the lighthouse.