This is our first trip to Ireland that started with a flight deal direct from DFW to Dublin. We had 8 nights. We were not sure at first if we wanted to go to Belfast too or rent a car to drive to the Cork area, Dingle peninsula, or the Wicklow National Park. I was also interested in Saltee Island for puffin. So, originally I only booked a hotel for 5 nights in Dublin. When I went back to add more nights later, with the 3 day weekend for a bank holiday, they were expensive (maybe originally too and that I just did not look before). I had heard about Newgrange, so we opted for 2 nights to Drogheda, about an hour north of Dublin. Our last night was near the hotel; the airline had moved our flight time earlier so close to the airport was good. Earlier was also good since we were moving our Texas Aggie home from college the day after landing.

We chose -- Viator full day excursions from Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher and Powerscourt House/Wicklow/Glendalough. From the Office of Public Works, we also booked the Kilmainham Gaol (jail) and Newgrange (or Brú na Bóinne). Online bookings for each were released 28 days before (though Newgrange was just 7 days, but then I noticed it moved to 28 days and grabbed tickets); it was important to get tickets soon after the release, especially for the jail tour. We planned other items but did not need to prebook anything else.

The flight went by pretty quickly; we were in the second to last roll in the middle section without a restroom in the back on our side. Travis got a special meal, but being in the back, they only had the vegetarian main left for me. I did not eat it; Travis liked it, saying that it was more curry than his Hindu meal. For breakfast, between one special meal and one normal one, we both liked something from each. We tried but did not sleep.

After we landed, there was a line for passport control, but it moved pretty quickly. Then we found the AirCoach bus, which could handle luggage better, but was more expensive than the city bus. The city bus would also have required a bus change, and this dropped us very close to our hotel. It was 9 Euro each. We did not have a ticket purchased, so we did not get on the first bus, as it was full. There were people selling tickets more obviously after we brought ours, but we did not see them when we first got in line. Travis bought tickets online for the next bus. I think that he bought the wrong bus route, but they said that it was no problem.

At the hotel, we expected to just drop luggage at about noon, but our room was ready. We dropped our luggage and gathered up what we needed for a walk around Dublin.

St. Stephen's Park was close to our hotel, so we walked through it multiple times. It has seagulls, gray herons, ducks, and we saw a swan one day.

We found a Circle K to buy our Leap card for the Ireland public transportation. It was a 5 Euro deposit on each, and we loaded each with 5 Euros. Trips within Dublin, zone 1, were 1.50-2 Euros. 1.50 for a short ride, and 2 Euros allows for a transfer within a 90 minute period. Travis had the app and could top the cards off and check the balances from his phone. We then caught the Luas, the tram, to north of the River Liffey. The Luas was 2 Euros.

We visited the General Post Office; we did not go to the paid museum part.

We went to Dunnes grocery store for lunch/dinner (after our overnight flight, we did not have a normal schedule yet). We found a ham and cheese jambon, a local food to try. It was good. We also had a spicy chicken pizza, which they made and baked for us. It was a little spicy for me but good. We found grocery stores much more affordable for meals. After, a cool bar for a Guinness in Ireland.

On the street with the Dunnes was this video stream where there was a camera in Dublin broadcasting somewhere else in the world, and cameras in other places in the world broadcasting in Dublin. This guy came up to the camera and danced.

Ha'penny Bridge since it used to cost half a penny.

Views up and down River Liffey.

To experience it, we walked through The Temple Bar. It was crazy and not even in the evening yet.

Travis found a fancy McDonald's. A cool building and globe. St. Anne's Church of Ireland.

Back to St. Stephen's Park, this time we had food (our leftover Dunnes pizza), so we attracted the locals.

We went to Lidl for groceries before going back to our hotel.