Sunshine and Exercise

I know that I need to exercise more! In fact, I should say I actually need to start exercising. That is one of my goals while I am here!

As part of this new resolution, we planned to do the Greystone to Bray cliffside walk. We did this walk last time we were here and as Saturday was a beautiful sunny day we took the 60 minute train trip south to the town of Greystone, where the walk back up the coast begins, with Pawel, one of David's colleagues, who was in Dublin working at DCU (Dublin City University) with David.

The narrow path from the town takes you firstly across fields that are scattered with vivid pink wild flowers. Eventually you walk closer to the cliff face where the gulls and cormorants dip and dive. The path was busy with locals and visitors taking advantage of the weather.  Half way along the track we sent Pawel, who is a daily runner, up the alternative route over the top of the mountain beside the track where a cross stands as if it is protecting the seaside town of Bray. He said the view from the top was spectacular so we plan to go back and do it when we are in better condition.

Walking along the seafront to the pub for lunch, we were amused by the people sun baking on the hard stony beach and the three people swimming on a hot summer's day!  After lunch, we caught the DART (Dublin Area Rapid Transit train) back to Dublin and then a bus to a North Dublin suburb where we had arranged to meet Sean who had some bikes for sale. David rode to DCU last time we were here and as there is no direct bus route from our apartment in Clontarf, a bike still remains the most sensible means for him to get to work (as long as he doesn't mind sharing the bike track with the double decker buses). After purchasing two bikes with an agreement that we could sell them back when we leave assuming of course that they have not been stolen, we slowly did the 5 km bike ride home. Apparently, there were 40 bikes being stolen a day last year at DCU!! Sean kindly gave me a bike helmet, although they are not compulsory here. I will look very stylish riding in my WWII German war relic.

We finished Saturday with a visit to the Cobblestone to hear the traditional Irish music the pub is known for and a quick catch up with Dermot Diamond, David's DCU host, his wife Tara and daughter Helen. Dermot was playing the fiddle and Helen singing and playing the banjo.  We won't see them for a few weeks as Dermot and Tara teach at a summer music school and Dermot is away for another week brushing up on his Gaelic! The extraordinary life of an Irish chemistry professor!!

Having purchased bikes, we needed to get bike locks to avoid contributing to Dublin bike recycling. Sunday saw us catch the bus into town to attend mass and to buy some much needed items like wine glasses, as the apartment was missing these, and of course bike locks.  The mass at St Therese's, a large and beautiful church in the heart of one of the main shopping areas of Dublin, was beautiful and the singing of the choir unbelievable. The church is down a narrow ally and, apart from some signposting, there is nothing to give away the size of this church as it is hidden from view amongst other buildings.

We were also looking forward to a walk along the main pedestrian shopping street, Grafton Street, round the corner from the church, and particularly to a visit to Bewley's, the home of the best carrot cake in the world! To our great dismay, it was closed for renovations and will not reopen until September.  I am devastated! I am now in a desperate search for an alternative coffee venue!

We returned home laden with our purchases and ready for a bike ride. We dumped our things and took off along the Clontarf waterfront towards the park at the next suburb,  Fairview.  A quick ride through the park and a quick return home meant that I had got through Day 2 and kept my resolution!

But not so sure how the muscles will feel tomorrow?