I know, it’s not for a few more days. But since St. Patty’s falls on a Sunday this year, take some time to start planning your weekend. There are celebrations all over the US (Chicago’s green river is a perennial favorite of mine), but it would be a dream (and possibly a little bit of a nightmare) to celebrate it on the Emerald Isle itself. Here’s a throwback to my day in Dublin…
Get your green on! Continue reading
Kiss me, I’m Irish. Or at least I was while I was in Ireland. Everyone becomes a little Irish when you’re in the beating heart that is Dublin. The city draws you in, makes you a believer in the spirit and magic that makes the Emerald Isle unique. It’s no one tree hill.
It was a real quick trip (through your wires) there on the way to the UK, but it was a blitz of activity, colors, sounds and sights. From Guinness to U2, the history of the city provides a backbone to a truly intriguing place whose energy pulses at all hours of the day. As an aside, Irish history is very interesting, and not so distantly in the past were the Troubles, a very turbulent period for the Irish in general, it’s worth researching a little before you go.
I had a great time, to say the least. In the words of the magnificent Bono, it was a beautiful day…
Hold me, thrill me, kiss me…
Top of the morning to ya. Dublin (DUB) is an exceptionally beautiful airport that serves a lot of flights to and from the US to Europe.
There are two terminals connected via pedestrian bridge. Terminal 1 serves: most european carriers including Air France, British Airways, Etihad, FinnAir, KLM, and Lufthansa.
Terminal two serves: Aer Lingus, Delta, American, Emirates and United. This is the modern terminal that opened in 2010, underscoring the lush Irish countryside with floor to ceiling glass. This is also the terminal I flew into on Aer Lingus.
Because it is modern, there is good signage, a good amount of restrooms and charging areas. As an aside, I will say that the people who work in this airport (especially for Aer Lingus) are unnervingly attractive. Like really, did they do a casting call for good-looking young Irish folk or something? Their emerald-hued uniforms are so striking, and all of the flight attendants look like the could be a member of the Corrs family.
This airport also features a special pre-clearance area for travelers going to the US. It is the best thing ever. You get all of your customs screening done here and when you return to the US, you’re treated like a domestic arrival because it’s all done. Apparently, there’s also a new executive lounge for pre-clearance customers available for a small free as well.
Remember: ✈️ = one pint of Guinness to ✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️ = many pints of Guinness
Ease of navigating through terminals: ✈️✈️✈️✈️
Convenience of security lines: N/A, but customs line was ✈️✈️
Dining: ✈️✈️ (some Irish offerings, grab and gos and Burger King)
Bathrooms:✈️✈️✈️✈️ (incredibly clean facilities)
Charging stations/wifi: ✈️✈️ (free wifi available—none of their chargers seemed to work and are very few in terminal 2)
Amenities: ✈️✈️✈️ (preclearance to the US, airline lounges, but duty free shopping could be better, there’s a chocolate lounge that serves sundaes and fondue though so…call it a draw?)
Consider yourself to have the luck of the Irish if you get to have a layover here.
Traveling docs 