Izmir is mauve-blue; Paris and Vienna are lilac, London stone-grey, Madrid and Lisbon, powerful empires built with colonial wealth. But Dublin is pastoral green, with bright yellow daffodils, dancing daisies, laughter, wit and sharp clean air that make you fall in love, especially in the spring.
You get a real holiday, not an activity chart. There’s no check list of must-see places, there’s plenty of food, easy travel and absolutely no language problem. The stores are not the smartest, but the pavements urge you to walk. And there’s the green in every possible hue and shade, which is restful to eyes maxed out on urban tableaux. Children gather in the parks, young girls and lads screaming at the plump ducks on Stephen’s Green.
Here are five things that made my visit to Dublin memorable:
1
Argus House is a charming B&B, in the prime residential area of Lower Road, Kimmage. With accommodation for eight to 10, all bedrooms have en suite, state-of-the-art bathrooms. A breakfast of bread, cheese, ham, juice, fruit, yogurt, several cereals and wonderfully brewed tea or coffee is a great way to start the day, sitting at a table with handmade linen, yellow tulips blooming in the yard, fleecy clouds shooing away the drizzle. Travel to the city centre in 20 minutes by Dublin Bus; the stop is 30 feet from the house and buses ply from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. If you hire a car, Argus House offers parking space. The best part: they also have free Wi-Fi.
2
After being chained to cars, taxis or autos, the Dublin Bus offers luxurious freedom. For 19.50 Euros, you get a Leap Visitor Card, valid for 72 hours.
Swing from the double-deckers to the city tram or take a train ride on the Dart along the Irish Sea Coast to Rush, Howth, Bray and Dun Laoghaire (pronounced Dun Leary; practise saying it, or the Irish will make you say it till you get it right). The seaside villages have many dog walkers, and a few sea-bathers plunging into the freezing waters.
Buy the card only from the Tourist Information Office or the Dublin Bus office on O’Connell Street next to the GPO.
3
Most Indians like their food hot with some spice; eating cold cuts and salads for every meal can be depressing. Thai Orchid on Westmoreland Street is a gem for piping-hot soups spiced to one’s choice, stir-fried vegetables with noodles or steamed jasmine rice, thick, fat, veggie-filled rolls and plenty to offer for those wanting meat and fish.
If you’re shivering and need a hot soup, go to Pog. They serve natural foods in salad or soup. It’s a small menu with substantial helpings, long wooden benches and tables. You can sit there for hours, read, write, and eat the crisp salad, viewing the colourful passage of walkers across O’ Connell Bridge.
4
You can’t say Butler’s Chocolates without a sigh of longing. It’s a veritable Aladdin’s cave of dark, brown, white, nutty and gooey delights.
The hot chocolate with cream topping is best shared by two. You can find one on most of the commercial streets.
5
Books Upstairs on D’Olier Street is a fantasy place for a reading fiend. Racks of books, across the tables, stacked on furniture — there is nothing but books, magazines and newspapers. And a café upstairs. Chairs and stools are scattered, inviting visitors to read a bit.
