A face from home and the family

This blasted bloody rain. Here we are in Dublin and it is grey, wet, heavy, wet, dark, wet and wet wet wet. Really can't be bothered going out in it, so we crawl back into bed and close the drapes again. Up later and down for breakfast just before they finish at 12 (well, we went down at 11:30 am but lots came rushing in on the bell!) It then gave me the time to finish the marathon blog for yesterday too!

We are trying to touch base with our nephew Ben who has been studying in Dublin. He is on his way back from the Aran Isles where he has spent the last couple of days. We make contact, but the phone line keeps falling out (he is on the ferry at the moment). We would love to catch up with him tonight - his girlfriend though is leaving to fly home to Holland tomorrow and I am sure that the oldies tagging along would be a real wet blanket. So we plan to see him tomorrow before we leave for the UK.

Postscript: Did eventually manage to get on to Ben and have made plans to meet with him tonight for a drink. We head into the City about 6:45 pm and phone Ben - he and Nina (his girlfriend) are having dinner so we tell him that we will find somewhere to eat and catch him after dinner. We go for a walk up the pedestrian mall taking in the sights while trying to find somewhere for dinner. At one point there is an almighty crash and everyone in the street jumps about 3 feet. Turns out a piece of plate glass has fallen off the back of a truck and smashed - on our return walk down the mall, there is one of those street sweepers trying to sweep it up - and not having too much luck - I think the pieces are too heavy for its brushes. We left him driving over and over the mess.

We end up at O'Neills Pub for dinner - no photos and no description - the food was crap. But everything improves when Ben and Nina get over to us about 9:45 pm. Ben was genuinely delighted to see us and very natural in his enthusiastic greeting - this is really lovely when we all realise that it is 6 years since we last saw each other. Nina too is very open and warm and friendly and we share travel experiences and hear them tell us of their studies here in Dubin. After a little while there is a shriek from Nina when one of her best friends Cla(i)re shows up - Ben had sent her a text message. It was lovely to spend a few hours with the younger ones.

Turns out that Ben will be on the continent for some of the time we will be there - so we will keep in touch - we might even get the opportunity to do a bit of travel together. Keep safe guys - and keep in touch!