Dublin Day 2 - Animal Great

Sometimes it doesn't take much. Sometimes strangers don't become friends but they become memories for life.

Day 2

I watched the hustle and bustle in the hostel during breakfast, but this time without new acquaintances. Since the weather promised to be nice for once, I decided to go to the Dublin Zoo. A little further away but no problem with the tram (thank goodness all big cities have similar train systems!) After a bit of searching, I found the right train and from there to the Phoenix Park and the zoo entrance. It's worth booking online here! You can save the 2 euros if you book the day before. Unfortunately, that no longer applied to me, but okay - spontaneity sometimes costs something.

The zoo was wonderful. Very spacious and with a lot of greenery. On the winding paths, I encountered many different animals. The highlights were the red pandas (super cute!) and the giraffes with the rhinos. I had a really nice and relaxing morning there. It continued throughout the day as I lay down on the meadows of the Phoenix Park to enjoy the sun. Fully recharged, I went back to the city to visit the Cafe "The Quart Qeen". It was recommended by a friend and definitely worth a visit! The carrot cake was excellent and the tea delicious. I really enjoyed sitting outside and indulging in a leisurely feast! At the table next to me sat two women with whom I soon struck up a conversation. Cheerful and happy women from Croatia, with whom coffee time flew by. Hopefully, I'll make it to Croatia someday!

Back at the hostel, I actually wanted to go to bed early to be able to get up early for the excursion, but as often happens, the best experiences come spontaneously. In our 10-bed room, a few of us started a conversation (really, in hostels it's full of people who like to talk to strangers...I felt great among like-minded people xD). Sweden, Switzerland, France, and I, all international, started a small pub crawl. At first, we had only planned to have a beer at the hostel bar (Canada was here too) - from there it escalated. We got along well and alcohol makes conversations even easier. The one beer at the hostel bar turned into two other pubs and the Hard Rock Cafe (they also serve alcohol, I didn't know that before - but maybe that's because of Ireland) until I put an end to the fun shortly before midnight. And we had a lot of fun, it was an evening as one imagines it - strangers sitting together in a bar, with beer and loud laughter, toasting to life. Strangers who don't mind being strangers, because what they all have in common is being strangers. You get to know each other, exchange stories, and learn about lives you could never have imagined. In encounters like these, you don't just look beyond the horizon - you jump over it.

Although I ended the night quite early (sleep is absolutely necessary before long day trips - take it seriously, otherwise you will oversleep the entire bus journey!), falling asleep was difficult for me. I was too excited and probably a little too drunk.

So unfortunately I didn't sleep much that night, but probably still better than someone else in our room who, judging by the sounds, had to throw up. Hurray for shared rooms!