It is another beautiful, but chilly, day here in Dublin. We are up and out for an early walk, to St. Stephen’s Green, but as it turns out, the Green isn’t open until 9:30 on Sundays. Darn it! We are far too early, and with plans for the Dublin Castle and the 1916 Rebellion tour booked later, we aren’t going to be able to come back to this today. Oh well – at least it was a walk.

We retraced our steps back toward the Castle, then headed down into Temple Bar in search of a cappuccino, which we found at The Stage Door Cafe – and lucked out into the last 2 seats on the sidewalk. Serendipity. Also serendipitous as we are directly across from the Rory Gallagher corner – which our guide talked about yesterday at the Rock and Roll Museum. Sweet!

Caffeinated up, we walk back up the hill to the Castle – which really isn’t so much a Castle as it is the royal residences and state government apartments. The building started out as a castle eons ago, but now has been converted into ceremonial rooms.  It was still a stunning and opulent place to visit with all the art and grand ballrooms and reception rooms and gold and chandeliers…royal. What can you say?

When we were finished, we headed off in search of lunch before our afternoon 1916 Rebellion walking tour. Scouting out the tour meeting location, we wandered a bit through the area north of St. Stephen’s Green where there are tons of restaurants and bars and shopping and entertainment. We settled on a little place called Platform 61, so named for Track 61, the abandoned railway platform under the Waldorf Astoria hotel in New York city that used to be used as a secret entrance for the wealthy and the famous. Seeing as we were early, we started off with a cappuccino for Ed and a wine for me – hey, what the heck, so its not noon yet, I’m eating! Once settled in, we ordered brunch type fare of eggs and sausage for Ed and Chicken Caesar salad for me. Perfect.

Then it was onto the Rebellion Tour, which was excellent, and our amazing guide put everything into perspective.  Over the next 3 hours, he walked us through the city to the major spots that were important to the independent Irish nation and the uprising. The Castle – which of course we had just visited, the plaque next to the castle commemorating a Brigadier and a volunteer who died in the fight, past the Mercantile Tavern with the photos of supporters of the independence movement, on through the city ending at the General Post office, now a museum, but at the time of the uprising, a headquarters for the independence fighters. Thoroughly fascinating.

Then it was back to the hotel for the start of our organized tour! Dinner at the hotel was fine – although the potatoes began tonight! More on that later. We met our tour guide, Alacoque – who is very nice, and the others, a total of 29 – which is far better and less than we had figured.

Dinner and introductions completed – we’re off to the room for a relaxing evening and the start of our last organized land tour.