Time to leave.
Every good thing is coming to end and even this short and quick visit to Ireland to meet up with my son is coming to the end. We went to get a breakfast in new café at Dun Laoghaire baths, well it used to be baths, long time ago now it is just expensive piece of concrete where pools used to be and one restored building where a pricey coffee is opened. The tea and the food were good and the view, well we paid for the view to be honest. Watching the white caps of waves crash below us on the rocky shore is to way to observe the power of the sea. Summer might be nicer on the terrace but near the end of September even with the blankets provided I would not sit there. Well after breakfast the romantic walk on the pier was planned for the love couple, which was dismissed as quickly as we get out of the café. The fresh, chilly wind coming from the sea was getting under all the fancy stylish clothes they wore, so the plan was quickly changed to take a DART towards the city.
Eventually we did all the activities assigned to tourist in Dublin, including the walk in the Phoenix Park, having a few pints of the black gold, strolling through shopping district, what is most of Dublin and visiting the geek stores. Therefore the last night was easy and relaxing in friend’s house to avoid early waking up and be closer to the airport. We sat down to background TV humming and since Marcel is not a much drinker we poured some of the good stuff down out throats. It was not the one we bought as I realized that if we open it Sebastian would not be able to carry it to Brno so that one is for his enjoyment only. Few moments and glasses later it was time to hit the sack and get some short sleep before getting into taxi to airport at 3am.
Yeah the short time together came to end and now I have few social engagements with friends before I will too leave emerald island. It is always nice to eet up with Ultan and Daniela to have chat and now since they have a new apartment at Dalkey hill it was also reason for visit. Pick up the gear from service, having coffee with Marcel and Daniela in Glasthule with the posh people in the morning is good pastime.
Dinner and few drinks with Hanka, Marus, Petr and next day with Pat was the end of this trip and now is time to move to London for two days, one night, catch up with Nina and hopefully on some good food as London is great place to get good Asian food away from Asia.
London is one of my favorite cities in the world as the cauldron of cultures and cuisines is amazing melting pot and arriving at St Pancreas Station is like being dropped into true chaos or at least crowds. People everywhere, standing waiting for their train to home or work for the suited and dressed with briefcases and umbrellas as you should be prepared for sudden burst of sunshine and being British you could burst into flames like Dracula if sudden rays of sunshine will get through the grey clouds, so have umbrella ready. Also it is great deal kind of 2 in 1 as if the unexcepted event of Sun braking thought clouds will not happen, you can be sure that those grey clouds will piss on you for sure. Anyhow, after dropping the luggage into storage was free as bird and went straight for food as I was waiting until London to get some proper food, rather than airport overpriced food in Dublin. Korean is the way to go, especially if you are the only white westerner in whole restaurant as I was. Yummy spicy tofu kimchi stew later and the tissues were requested for the snots were pouring down like Niagara falls from my nose.
I genuinely like London and its multiculture of food, shops, theaters and all the faces walking down the streets in clothes that are fashion itself, stripped suits, dresses from Lui to Gucci obviously with blond hair and Russian accent and more than I expect Korean with their baggy oversized trousers, jumpers and coming in and out of buns shops, bubble tea shops and all others that look like you were in Korea itself. The rain was obviously pissing down so walked a bit through the city until li had enough of Crowds and more of the rain than anything else I head to station and get tube to Abbey Woods.
Have not seen Nina in years and that is legit term as we had not seen each other in a long while but she is such a great person as she was a boss and I’m so grateful to be here friend. Yeah afternoon and evening spent in conversation over bottle or two of red wine and some pizza and chips as you should do when in England obviously if you don’t want to spend time to cook Sheppard’s pie or beef wellington. Have to say I was a bit worried about Elvis, who is a Pitbull size of cow and her best friend but thankfully I passed the sniff, lick test and was allowed in the house. It is interesting of how much is the conversation better face to face with some food and wine than on the phone and only for this I would fly again to Europe as these moments with friends are truly priceless.
I had great time chatting till my control center tried to close shutters late in the night based on the amount of wine consumed and pizza eaten. Even Elvis and Pablo who I called sausage were all over me like the flies on cake.
Time came to lift those bags and stuff them into FIAT 500 what was a challenge I have to say but successfully completed. One stop at ARGOS and I was on the Tube station and believe or not enjoying the sunshine on blue sky. Hard to believe but the Sun was seriously out like German nudists on beach in Greece, what a surprise. Arrived at Heathrow and moving through the self-checking areas with disgust and hate as I truly hate them I got the human at UNITED checking desk. Lovely lady with the great smile and personality as warm as summer breeze, helped me to get a better seat and kept my believe that humas are nice. Since the bag drop is done, I just went outside and bath myself the September sun, warm on your face but kept the oat on as your back is chilled by breeze. Blue sky without clouds and in distance skyline of London was the great but tough good bye to Europe and London.
