Dublin

What a great place to visit. After a decent nights sleep we woke early and ended up rising before 6am and went for a walk around the streets.  We met up with a street cleaner and had a chat with him for a while.  The cherry trees are in blossom and with the wind the flowers are littering the street. His job is going along and sweeping them up each day. He takes quite a bit of pride in his work and told of how the council privatised the rubbish collection.  The new contractor started to supply rubbish bags free to the residents but after this 'complimentary' period they then started to charge so people have been dumping their rubbish without using bags as a result.
Back in time for our cooked breakfast we then headed out for our bus tour. We did the complete circuit and then had time for a cuppa before doing the city walking tour.
The guide really brought the history of the fight for independence to life for us as we stood at various sites around the city where reformists stood firm in 1916. As Britain was at that time involved in WW1 the protestors that were captured were charged with treason and over a few weeks time 14 of them were executed by firing squad.
However the republic was finally formed and the signatures were needed of the British Viceroy and the representative for the Irish.  He was said to have been 7 mins late in arriving for this meeting and the welcoming public servant commented on this tardiness.  The Irishman replied "we have waited 700 years for this day, surely you can wait 7 minute".

The old city of Dublin has very narrow streets whilst the newer city across the river Liffy has broard wide streets. We enjoyed our walks around the old section and took photos of many old buildings like the Cathedral built in the 11th century. Just amazing and standing so firm and strong.  If only those walls could talk!
We have been rugged up whilst walking around and just as well as I remembered the beanies as the wind is really quite cold.