Howth and 2010 Countdown

31/12/2009

As our room is equip with 2 warmers, we did have a comfy sleep in the cold winter. We wake up around 7.30am and had the sandwiches i bought last night and hot coffee in our room. After dressing up for our outdoor activities, we take a short walk around our hotel and discovered that Hard Rock Cafe is only 1 block from our hotel near to the famous pub street.


At Hard Rock Cafe Dublin, i look so fat in the thick winter clothes





Mummy posing at the fancy pub at Temple Street



One of the landmark at Temple Street, the Auld Dubliner



   

Lek posing at the Heineken HQ at the O'Connell Bridge



 

The skies still look very dull in Winter though its day time

As its still early in the morning, most shops at O'Connell Street are still close, we walk to the Luas Station at Abbey Street. Mum spotted a shop selling everything at €2 and decided to check it out. We bought some cookies and gummy sweet and i bought a super striking orange colour raincoat worry that it might rain this few days. We purchase another day pass for €7.50 as we'll travel by bus and Luas today. We first ride the Luas to Busaras to collect our Pre booked Euroline ticket to Manchester and here i made call and have a short talk with BB. Dublin city also have this pay PC and internet at bus stations and mall and i used it to send BB my daily updates like i always do. We then took the Luas to Connolly, and then take the Dublin Bus 31B to Howth Summit. 

 

Fist snow in Dublin, to be exact is Ice.

The bus stop for Bus 31B is not in the indoor station but a bus stop outside, so we gotta wait in the cold for 20 mins before the bus arrived. The Journey to Howth summit is quite far, Howth is a harbour town located outskirt of Dublin City. It takes 22 stops from Connolly to Howth Summit. Along the way, we spotted a lot of nice houses beside the shore... It must be real expensive to own a house there...



Beautiful Mansion in Howth

The Howth shoreline

I have to remember the landmark for us to alight on our return trip to take the dart to Sutton Cross and visit the harbour, the other 2 travellers are all depending on me... The bus reach to a stop at the Summit Inn. There are a few other passengers too are heading to the summit. Since its at uphill and near to the sea, the strong wind even makes the temperature colder.
We need to walk uphill to the best viewing point, actually there's nothing much to see at the top, maybe the winter doesn't make the view as colorful and breathtaking ...

The Summit

We saw a cute little doggy at the Summit, it plays with the tourist...

Me at the highest point

Mum at the highest point

Since there are nothing at the peak, and the chilling wind is too strong, we just snap a few photos and quickly rush down to the bus stop lucky that the bus has not yet leave and we manage to catch it back to head to Marine Hotel and walk to the Dart station at Sutton Cross. Dart is the intercity train in Dublin whereas Luas only serve location in the city. We bought a Dart ticket that cost us €1.65 to Sutton. We alight the Dart and walk passed a row of fish and seafood market to the Howth Harbour.

 

 

 Howth Marina and Yatch Club is also located in this town. Away from the harbour itself there is much to recommend Howth. Historians will love the ruined abbey, nearby Baily Lighthouse and 15th Century castle. You can take a bracing stroll along the piers,  Of course Howth’s working fishing port means that fish and seafood lovers are absolutely spoil when it comes to dining out and the pub scene is second only to Dublin itself, if a little more relaxing.

Me at the Fisher Cross at Howth Harbour

The Howth Marina

The shore where we enjoy our super chilling winter sea breeze

Superb View at Howth Head.

After the walk along the shore and admiring the yachts and ships, mum is making noise and wanted food, we intended to take a seafood meal in Howth but worry that it will cost us a bomb. We seen that meals here can cost up to €20++. So we decided to head back to the town and look for food. We walk back to Sutton station with hungry stomach and take the Dart back to Connolly which cost us €2.30. We couldn't find any food near the Connolly Station thus i have to bring my grumpy mother and brother back to Temple street for food.

We stop by at a Restaurant at Aston Quay call Fitzgerald for lunch. The Dubliner are funny, they started to drink even at lunch, maybe they even consume beer at Breakfast. I ordered a set consist of Hot Potato soup and chicken sandwich which cost me €5, mum ordered the same and Lek order a chicken chop with Heineken Beer. Nothing beats the satisfaction of having warm meals in the cold winter. After the meal, Lek decided to go back to hotel to sleep while my and mum will head to St. Stephen Greens for shopping.

Fitzgeralds at 22,Aston Quay,Dublin

Me and mum took the Dart to St Stephens Green Shopping Complex and decided to spend our afternoon there. There's another shopping street in St Stephen's Green call the York Street, we did not spend much time in York Street also cause shops close early in Winter, we've to treasure our time to cover most of the departmental store in the mall like TK Maxx and Dunnes Store. TK Maxx is a store selling off season branded goods, i bought a Loewe Sunglasses at only €15 and a Lego Bionicles for Howard at €5.99. I've plan earlier on to get a pair of branded glasses during this trip but was suprise to get such a great steal from TK Maxx... really love my Loewe shades so much.

Mum bought a pack consist of 2 pcs of baby romper for Cheryl's expecting baby.

 We then drop by Argos to check if we can get some cheap stuff but was suprise that they're preparing to close early as its New Year Eve. Only Dunnes store operate until 7 on that day. Dunnes Store is similar to Penneys and sell in house brand clothing at bargain price. After spending hours to exploring Dunnes, i only manage to get a pair of Bra at only €1 and also 2 pairs of flats at €4 each, 1 checkered and the other pair is the gold snakes skin. But i have to give it to Sim because i can't wear it back in Malaysia. I think my feet expanded... sadsssss...


I spotted the internet kiosk here and pay €1 for 10 mins usage to drop my BB another email telling him my doings today. The shop close at 7pm, we leave St Stephens Green and head back to our hotel and prepare for our New Year Eve Dinner.


I've plan ahead looking for a nice New Year Eve dinner as our celebration from www.menupages.ie and decided on O'sheas Merchant as there're many good comments and the food ain't expensive. Menu page
is highly recommended to search for food in Ireland as it list out Restaurant complete with the menu from the high end one to budget eats. I've email and reserve my table with them afraid that it'll be crowded on the Eve.
As we're still early and we're given a table near the stage. O'sheas Merchant is a traditional family run Irish Pub and its very favor by the locals.

The local enjoying their drink and waiting for the new year to arrive.

I ordered a roasted beef steak with mash potatoes and vegetables stew (€ 9) and Kilkenny (€2). The portion of food is super big and its the chepest Kilkenny i ever had in my lifetime, it only cost RM10 per pint...

Lek order a Spring chicken meal and my mum as usual, will go for fish & chips.

We finish the food at 10pm and decided to go back for a rest since Lek is feeling unwell. While we are heading back,it started to snow.. ya, you're right... white spot shown in the picture are actually snow...

O'sheas Merchant

The pavement cover with a thin layer of white snow. It then turn to slippery ice and we have to really walk very slow to avoid slips.

The Liffey River night view

We took a rest at the hotel and start to walk to the Christ Church at 11.30pm for the New Year countdown as i check that the bell will rang 12 times to signalize the New Year has come. Irish Pub at the Temple Bar area are packed with youngsters and they start singing and dancing in the snow celebrating the New Year. We're expecting to see beautiful fireworks but non, quite disappointing though but whats so special about this New Year is we spend it in a Snowing Winter.

Horse cart at the Temple Street

New Year Countdown at Christ Church.