Dublin - The first day of forever

'Books are the memory and soul of the world'

Arrival

So there I was - on the flight to Dublin and my journey began. I didn't have much time to think, the flight lasted less than 2 hours. The hostel was quickly found. I was too tired and too burdened to admire the city. Another beer in the hostel bar and off to bed!

Day 1

It started right at breakfast. As a solo traveler, you are always looking for conversations or at least for friendly faces (or maybe that's just me). I struck up a conversation with two others at the neighboring table while having breakfast, and the girl from Holland was also traveling alone that day. We both wanted to see the famous Library of Trinity College and lo and behold - suddenly we had plans to see it together. I was thrilled at how easy it was and how quickly strangers can become friends. The Trinity College is definitely worth a visit! The Book of Kells was impressive with its old illuminations, craftsmanship, and colors, but the large reading hall impressed me even more. A large, spacious hall with books up to the ceiling. As soon as I entered, the smell of old paper and leather bindings wafted towards me. Statues of famous philosophers and poets lined the shelves and everything looked massive. Looking up with wide eyes, I thought:

"One feels small surrounded by all this knowledge and under the gaze of the smartest minds in the world. It smells of old books and old times. Long gone in a stream of today and despite the hundreds who admire them, this is a place where time seems to stand still.'

As it (as usual in Ireland - honestly, definitely bring an umbrella!) was raining, we looked for places with cover. I found the small market hall particularly cute. There were many cute stands and many international goods to see, and we drank hot chocolate and refueled in a café there.

Next, we ventured through the rain to the Epic Museum for Immigration in Ireland. As the name suggests, the visit was epic! I have rarely seen a museum with such a great setup. Lots of interaction, lots of videos, lots of stories, and audio to listen to. Instead of being overwhelmed with information, you were led through the history of Irish immigration in an entertaining way. It was really remarkably well done and definitely worth a visit.

In the evening, I went to the Celt alone for a beer, a pub with live music that was highly recommended to me. And my goodness, it was worth it! The pub was already quite full, so I sat down at a table with a gentleman. An old Irishman with a strong accent, whom I only understood half the time. But we made it! After a short time, the pub filled up more and a couple from Liverpool joined us. Under cheerful music (Irish music is fascinating! As soon as you hear it, it grabs you and makes you want to move - makes you want to dance!), cheerful atmosphere, and loud laughter, the four of us had a great time and had a truly wonderful evening.

I really like the pub culture in Ireland. It's loud, but not so loud that you can't have a conversation. Everyone is cheerful and everyone is included. Music comes from one corner - laughter comes from another, and it just feels warm and inviting. Maybe I fell in love here, on the very first evening.