Well, our first adjacency to a bank holiday here is Ireland. Bank holidays seem to exert a curious waterfall effect on all days surround. The academy closed an hour early on Friday, because Monday is a bank holiday. Not complaining about that. I was going to avail myself of library services today as Matt alerted me that my local public library is right across the street. But…because Monday is a holiday, the bank is closed today, Saturday. Sure, makes all the sense in the world.

Anyway, a slow start to the weekend, as I had a number of errands to run about town. All accomplished by noon, I decided to check out a restaurant recommendation from one of our pals at the academy Vanessa Carswell, who writes a foodie column for the Sunday Business Post. The Winding Stair is located Liffeyside at Ormond Quay. There’s a lovely little bookshop downstairs with new and used books. Upstairs there is an airy open restaurant with spectacularly large windows overlooking the river. The fare (as promised) was solid Irish. Today’s specials featured Irish Chicken, Lamb, Haddock and fourth which I can’t remember. I started with an amazingly rich fish chowder that was seasoned with chorizo sausage. Normally, I’d have wondered about such a combination, but I like them both, so hazarded an order. Scrumptious. My main was the lemon and herb haddock, which was an ample portion and tasty, but a tad greasy for my liking. One thing I have noted with the fish and chips here in Dublin is how amazingly light the batter is and possibly (in my dreams) somewhat less unhealthy than back home. Partnered the meal with a Celtic Wheat Beer. Quite nice for an afternoon nosh.

Finding myself on the north side of the Liffey (a rarer occurence for me), I had the thought to bike on out to Howth and check out a few northern neighbourhoods. Although as I sit back in ballsbridge and write this, the sun is shining nicely, the weather has been rather changeable today. Thus, even in the short jaunt as far as St. Anne’s Park in Clontarf, there were at least three points at which I sought some respite from the rain under a handy tree (or at St. Patrick’s in Drumcondra). Managed a very leisurely journey through Drumcondra, Fairview, Kilester, Coolock, Raheny, Kilbarack and Sutton. The route I happened upon was rather urban, moving along relatively busy roads. When I hit the spit of and heading out towards Howth I discovered that there is a lovely coast road. Should have figured that one. Took it the way back and it was a far more enjoyable journey. The city has created a well maintained and scenic promenade along marshes and the wild of the north Dublin coast. There is a gold course located out from the coast along a casueway and the lovely twin smokestacks of the Dublin powerstation guide you back home. Far more conveniently and unbeknownst to me on the way out, was the outer bridge over the Liffey takes you right into Irishtown/Ringsend and I am home in 10 minutes. A rather long journey, but one with very cool finds.