So I arrived into Dublin after transfer in Iceland. One is struck of the irony of an Irish-American waiting in a long ass line for immigration as streams of non-Irish Europeans go past scan their Ids and walk into the country. The immigration guy gave me a few odd stares few odd questions but since I had answers and a return ticket he let me pass. So there I was in new glitzy Dublin.
my only goal in dublin, meet my bike person to pick up a pre-arranged purchase of a re-built bike, if ever in Dublin, hookup with 'dublinbikeman' for a good ride and deal by a bike enthusiast if you have the spare euros. be mindful, no buses have bike racks, the roads be a wee bit too slender here for those protrusions on the front as we have in the Americas. so you will be biking everwhere but that is also good because walking sucks more to me. i always try to get into the pale (dublin) and out of the pale as soon as possible, it's great for a few hours but after that i'm ready to go.
ended up a hostel with nice breakfast, then started a bike journery from dublin to athlone through the countryside, on my way to Galway city and eventually the gaeltacht (native irish areas). riding in the countryside was well worth it never mind the 20kmh head wind that comes from the west the whole way or 60lbs of added baggage on the bike. i took a route along the royal canal through meath and westmeath, which is where my ancestors lived 800 years ago before the Norman invasion and plantations of those areas, one plantation town that stuck out was moate, one is amazed at how even today there is a distinct Norman culture there compared to native areas of ireland (the countryside). It was interesting to see where my people came from and how it was possible we got our family name, as it is related to cows and you see plenty of cows and sheep there every direction you look.
My first nighht I was in enfield, I drunk Irishhman showed me a good place to sleep, the woods by the train station. I got some rest as it started to rain heavier.
I returned to my route, went through several small villages. the farming people are incredibly nice and warm and welcoming. the small villages I stopped off in had some really nice people. Although all the people in cars going from Dublin to Galway are well, people in cars going from one big city to the next, you know the types.
i spent my second nighht in a derelict barn. see pics. strung my hammock up on the beams.
the next day I biked 52km to Athlone and caught the train to Galway. There are bike racks on the main trains. Although you may have to yell at people to mover their luggage, that is when you should use your American accent since it sounds 'rougher' and people move their luggage
I arrived in Galway with a bad cold. there is plenty of busking here. I have not yet busked, but after my next trip to the Gaeltacht I may busk. I am off to the west coast to study gaelic next, a bike and bus trip.
