A Very Cold and Coastal Trip

My first trip out of Dublin really wasn't out of Dublin... in terms of County Dublin anyway. But I finally decided that I was good and settled and ready to travel a little farther away from Dublin than normal. My original plan included starting on my way up to Howth all the way down to Bray and Greystones, but unfortunately, there was a fire on the way to Bray and that certainly changed the plans. However, I was still determined to have a personal outing that day and decided I would just go to one place. Howth is a coastal town mainly used for fishing, and honestly has some of the prettiest views and the freshest seafood dishes around. I started the day pretty late around 1:00pm. Under the impression that Howth was an hour away by train, I immediately picked up some doughnuts for the ride out to Howth to enjoy as I watched the land pass by. Although it was extremely warm in the city, I was rudely awakened by how windy and cold it was on the coast. I was dumb enough not to bring a jacket or a sweater just in case, and I can tell you that by the end of the day, I could barely feel my fingers, none of the less my face. 

Despite being absolutely freezing no matter how quickly I walked, I really enjoyed getting to check out Howth, although I would love to maybe go back and do some hiking. I'm not sure how to exactly describe the 'pier' in the town because it's kind of a huge 'U' shape, and in order to see both sides, you have to walk that entirety to get close enough to see the little islands away from the pier. Although it was quite the jog a round the pier, I stopped at a food joint to finally try some authentic fish and chips, and during my wait, I got to enthusiastically pet a lovely dog whose owners were also waiting on fish and chips. Among the throngs of people finding places to sit, I was able to find a quiet spot by a small bridge by some of the boat docks enclosed by the stone pier. Although the batter/fish was really tasty and the chips (french fries) were on point, I just can't get past the essence of fried fish (and I barely even touch fried calamari). Overall, it was a good experience, but I'll stay away from fried fish as much as I already do in the states.

As I was about to enjoy one of my doughnuts, an older gentleman had made a comment as he walked past me (something along the lines of how intense my face looked as I sat there and watched the boat wade in the water, aka he was referring to my resting bitch face). Instead of just nodding the guy off, I offered him the last of the  doughnuts that I had left in my box. At first he refused my gesture, but I insisted that he take it because I knew I would have to save it for later and I don't like holding too many boxes when I'm traveling. I handed him the lemon meringue doughnut with the lemon custard while my fingers were coated in the Nutella from my own. I felt bad that I didn't have any napkins, but we dealt with the odds as they were. My new friend's name was Nebojsa, and I learned that he was from Ukraine and moved to Ireland to work here. We talked about everything from why I was in Ireland to how many siblings I had, and it was so refreshing to get to know someone brand new who sought work in a different country. It definitely brought a new perspective of how traveling can influence life changes. A half hour must've passed by as we talked, and I knew that it was going to get colder soon, so I politely said my goodbyes to Nebojsa after giving him my Irish number so that we could enjoy lunch as soon as he was back from his holiday back to Ukraine.

As I walked back toward the train, I reflected on how lucky I was to be in such a beautiful country meeting strangers who quickly became friends, just by offering a doughnut and a conversation. I would say that it's sometimes hard to do this in the states because people don't slow down enough to appreciate the little things, but that happens everywhere. Before I got to the station, I stopped by a small market to purchase something to remind me of my trip to Howth. I came upon a small stall that had original paintings and checked out the postcards. Before I made a choice, I decided to let the gentleman who was tending the stall choose which postcard I would purchase, and I went along with the one he chose! Because the market was closing, I quickly ran out and into the train station as to not miss one of the last trains heading back into City Center. Fingers numb to the core and close to falling off, I was capable of plugging in my phone before it had the chance to die. Although the ride home seemed like it took ages, I made it back in one piece and tried to walk back to the tram stop as briskly as possible. All I wanted now was to jump in my immaculately warm shower and then crawl into bed. Despite it being such a pleasant day, I was ready to slumber into the next afternoon and regain all strength.