This weekend we finally went back to Frankfurt and from there with Lufthansa to Dublin. In Dublin I visited an American family friend who was currently vacationing in Ireland.
Getting to the airport (June 17, 2011)
For the journey, I calculated for a long time which means of transport, i.e. whether car or train, would be cheaper. In the end I decided to go with Deutsche Bahn, because at the end of May I was able to get hold of a €20 voucher in honor of “20 years of InterCityExpress”. So it went with the IC 2154 to Frankfurt/Hbf and from there with the ICE 528 to the long-distance train station Frankfurt/Main. And since the discount was only valid from €49, I traveled all routes in 1st class.
In the InterCity (IC) there are still 6-person compartments like the trains used to be. But it is also very quiet and you are not squeezed between other travelers. So I only had a passenger on the Eisenach – Fulda route and otherwise the compartment was all to myself. The seats are very comfortably padded and the legroom is enormous. The only thing that bothered me was the noisy and sometimes smelly air conditioning. But at least it worked!
The IC arrived relatively, or should we say typical for a train, punctually at Frankfurt main station. I was able to effectively use the 15 minutes until the departure of my ICE to the airport by using the 1st class lounge. Here you can see that Frankfurt is one of the most important hubs of the DB. There is a bar where you can be served and that is included in the travel price. So within 10 minutes I was enjoying a wheat beer and sandwiches and was also able to go to the toilet quickly. That's what I call maximizing!
Angekommen mit dem ICE 528 am Fernbahnhof Frankfurt Flughafen druckte ich mir noch schnell meine Bordkarte aus. Sitz 10D sollte es sein. Eigentlich sitze ich ja lieber am Fenster, aber bei einem Abendflug ist ein Gangplatz auch in Ordnung. Anschließend ging ich noch fix zu McCafé, um mir meinen kostenlosen Muffin als Miles&More Kunde zu besorgen. Dann das übliche “Rein-Raus”-Spielchen bei der Sicherheitskontrolle und ab in den Wartebereich am Gate B54. Diesmal hatte ich, seit langem mal wieder, eine Flieger mit Außenposition und deshalb ging es mit dem Bus über das Vorfeld. Es wird wirklich Zeit, dass ich HON-Circle Mitglied werde, dann könnte ich den Porsche Panamera nehmen. Es ist aber schon ein toller Anblick, wenn man mit einem Bus an einer rollenden B747-400, in dem Fall von Thai Airways, vorbei fährt. Leider war es für ein anständiges Foto zu dunkel.
Flight to Dublin (17 June 2011)
Friday June 17, 2011
Departure: 21:40 (Actual: 22:05 CEST) Frankfurt, Germany (FRA)
Arrival: 22:40 (Actual: 10:40 BST) Dublin, Ireland (DUB)
Duration: 1 hour 35 minutes
Distance: 675mi/1087km
Airline: Lufthansa LH 982
Aircraft type: Airbus 320-200
Booking class: Economy Class
Lufthansa used an almost new A320-200 (D-AIZF, built in 2010) on the Dublin route. The aircraft is equipped with the new European comfort cabin (NEK for short). The seats are really really narrow and therefore offer good legroom with almost the same seat pitch as the old configuration.
Completely acceptable for a flight time of 1:35 hours. Of course there is no big meal on the short route. But a chicken wrap and a pilsner are perfectly fine.
Still looking for a flight to Dublin?
Dublin International Airport can be reached from many German cities all year round. You can find cheap flights via online travel agencies such as Flugladen.de,ebookers.de,Expedia,lastminute.deorSkyscanner.
Die Einreise in Dublin verlief zügig und ohne Probleme, sodass ich den vorher rausgesuchten Bus (Linie 747) um 23:10 Uhr noch erreichte. Der Bus braucht bis zum Kinlay Hostel ca. 35min und kostet 10€ für Hin- & Rückfahrt. Ein Taxi kostet cirka 30EUR pro Strecke. Eigentlich wollte ich nach meinen “nur-Hostel-Amerika-Trip 2006″ nie wieder ein solches betreten. Meist ist einfach alles so heruntergekommen und dreckig, sodass ich mich nicht wohlfühlen kann. Aber in Dublin blieb uns nichts Anderes übrig, da die Hotelpreise zu teuer sind bei außerdem schlechter Qualität.
Saturday June 18th, 2011
After my first night in a long time in a bunk bed, I woke up at around 7:30 am. I can't say that the sleep was very restful. I actually wanted to take a shower in the shared washroom, but unfortunately there was no water. So the shower had to be replaced by a quick wash at the tap and the deodorant then took care of the rest.
Wir machten uns dann auf, die Familie meines Freundes in ihrem Bed&Breakfast abzuholen. Zu Fuß ging es durch den St. Stephen’s Green Park zum Fritzwilliam Townhouse. Nach einem kleinen Frühstück kauften wir uns ein Ticket für den Dublin “Hop-on-Hop-Off” Bus. Es gibt in Dublin drei Firmen, die diesen Service anbieten. Ich kann das Angebot der offiziellen Dubliner Busgesellschaft, welche die grünen Doppelstockbusse nutzt, empfehlen. Ein Zweitagesticket kostet für einen Erwachsenen 14€ und für Studenten 12€.
Guinness Storehouse
Our first stop on the route was the Guinness Storehouse. Admission to this museum is €15 for an adult and €11 for a student. A €1 discount off the adult fare is given with the Dublin Bus Company ticket. In my opinion it is worth the visit. In a self-guided tour, German audio guides are available free of charge, the production of Guinness is explained. The museum extends over several floors, from the preparation of the ingredients, through the brewing process to the final bottling. On the second floor you are given a small glass of Guinness and explained how best to drink it, similar to a wine tasting. You have to let the glass rotate and only take a small sip at a time. Then whisk it around in your mouth while breathing in through your nose. Only then does the full taste of the beer unfold.
At the end of the museum tour, you will be invited to the “Gravity Bar” for a pint of Guinness. The view of the city is wonderful. Unfortunately, the crowds are very high on a weekend, making it difficult to get a seat.
Kilmainham Kin
Kilmainham Gaol is just two stops from the Guinness Storehouse. This old prison is best known for the gruesome executions of insurgents in the 1916 Easter Rising. A half-hour tour takes you through the old cells and the prison yard for the executions. The conditions of the prisoners must have been truly cruel.
Jameson Distillery
From the Gaol we took the bus through Phoenix Park to the old Jameson Distillery. The Phoenix Park is the largest park in a European city and one of the largest in the world. Admission to the Jameson distillery is slightly cheaper at €13 (€11 student). However, the tour in the Guinness Museum is a bit longer and I think it is also more interesting. But now I know the difference between Irish and Scottish whiskey. This is mainly due to the roasting of the wheat grains. With Scotch, the grains are roasted with burning peat, with Jameson everything happens with natural gas or firewood back then. As a result, Scotch develops its characteristic rough taste and Jameson develops a sweet honey-like taste. At the end of the tour there is a tasting. You have the choice between pure Jameson, Jameson with ginger ale or with cranberry juice, which I chose. Very tasty and fruity.
Where is Waldo?
On our way back to the hotel we passed Merrion Square. The world championship of street artists took place here this weekend. In addition, a large flash mob “Where is Waldo?” called. Waldo or Wally (English name) is a children's book character with a red and white cap and t-shirt. The goal was to gather as many Wallys as possible and break the world record. Unfortunately, I can't write whether this was successful, as it started to rain terribly shortly after the start of the flash mob.
For dinner we went to an Indian-Nepalese restaurant. Although we were a bit suspicious because the restaurant was empty despite the fact that it was Saturday night, the food tasted very good. We then visited three Irish Pubs along Baggot Street Lower. In one of them, Riley's Pub, they played live music and people, I think mostly local people, were dancing. To drink we had Kilkenny (my personal favourite), Carlsberg and Jameson Coke. It was fun “international” evening with my American friends.
Sunday June 19th, 2011
I started Sunday with an ICE cold shower in the hostel. Then we went to breakfast and then I had to say goodbye to a good friend because she had to go to the airport. I said to her: "... see you soon!" and meant next year. But a reunion should come sooner than expected. More on that later!
Trinity College
We started our day of sightseeing at Trinity College. This is one of the most renowned universities in the world. The main attraction is the library built in 1732. You can see the 9th century Book of Kells there. Like most things in Dublin, this again has an entrance fee (7€). Even if the elaborately designed evangelical manuscripts are supposed to be famous, it wasn't worth the money to me.
St. Stephen's Green Park
Then we went through the pedestrian zone, Grafton Street, back to St. Stephen's Green Park. After a snack at the still ongoing World Championship of Street Performers, we took the bus to the Temple Bar area. In this there are mainly pubs, which are designed more for tourists. The prices for a pint are correspondingly high here. There are enough pubs away from this area where you can also meet Irish people and the prices are a bit more humane. So we chopped off Temple Bar relatively quickly and came across the Liffey to O'Connell Street.
O’Connell Street
O'Connell Street is the main thoroughfare in the Irish capital. Near O'Connell Bridge, which spans the River Liffey, stands a statue of the nationalist leader of the same name. Not to be missed is the longest sculpture in the world and the city's landmark, "The Spire", consisting of 126 tons of steel. I found it amusing that the 120 meter high “flagpole” was actually supposed to be inaugurated at the millennium celebrations, but the construction work was only completed in 2002 despite costs of 5 million euros. After wandering a bit aimlessly along the street, we decided to go to the National Museum. This is on Kildare Street and entry is free. But we couldn't really get excited about the old stones and sculptures from Ireland's history and decided to go back to the hostel.
Arriving at the hostel, it was around 3:30 p.m., I got the good news that my good friend was on her way from the airport to downtown Dublin again. Of course, my first thought was that she missed her flight to Chicago. The real reason was that Air Lingus had a technical problem with their machine and simply canceled the flight. The poor had to wait in line for more than four hours to be rebooked. In addition, there were no other compensations apart from a hotel offer. I am personally very disappointed with the airline's customer service and would advise against traveling on Air Lingus. Luckily, my girlfriend was rebooked on an American Airlines flight on Monday morning, so she was spared the hassle of Air Lingus again. However, I advised her to contact customer service at home in America, as I believe that she is definitely entitled to financial compensation. After all, she loses another vacation day, which is precious and rare in the USA anyway. I'm on the case!
Fish ‘n Chips bei Leo Burdocks
So we were all able to have dinner together, five of us. I had selected the best fish 'n chips restaurant on TripAdvisor. It is the take away restaurant “Leo Burdocks” on Werburgh Street. Even U2, Sandra Bullock and other stars have eaten here. The portion costs around 9 euros and is enough for two people. The breading of the fish is super tasty and crispy, just like the fish itself is very tasty. The self-cut fries could be a bit crunchier for my taste. You get the dish wrapped in paper and can enjoy it, for example, like we did on the lawn of Christ Church Cathedral.
The Brazen Head
After dinner we went to Dublin's oldest pub "The Brazen Head" (opened in 1128) on Bridge Street. After a Kilkenny, as the pub was quite crowded and there was no live music, we went to the pub across the street. After 2-3 more pints and an amazing performance from the guitar player, I've never seen anyone play that fast, we headed back to our accommodation early (11pm).
Monday June 20th, 2011
After finally spending our last night at the hostel, affectionately known to us as “The Jail”, we all met up for one last coffee. Then we took a taxi to the airport. This was an option because my friends picked up their rental car here. You will now spend one more week in Ireland before heading back to Michigan.
The architecture of Dublin Airport is very modern. But the gate handling by Irish airport staff was terribly disorganized. There were no decent announcements at ticket control and they made a fuss about hand luggage. I didn't have any problems, since I know what I'm allowed to take with me, but there are many Asians and Poles on board who want to take almost all of their household effects in their hand luggage.
Flight to Frankfurt (June 20, 2011)
Monday 20 June 2011
Departure: 12:00 (Actual: 12:05 BST) Dublin, Ireland (DUB)
Arrival: 14:55 (Actual: 15:09 CEST) Frankfurt, Germany (FRA)
Duration: 1 hour 44 minutes
Distance: 675mi/1087km
Airline: Lufthansa LH 979
Aircraft type: Airbus 320-200
Booking class: Economy Class
I successfully made it on board LH 979 which was again an Airbus A320-200 (D-AIZD) with NEK. This time I reserved a window seat online (16A). But I pulled the main prize with two small children next to me. The baby had started crying even before take off. "*I like children, I like children, I like...*" I tried to convince myself and immersed myself in my newspaper. About 20 minutes after the start there was a small snack and a round of drinks. A spice roll with Kassler and horseradish was served, which tasted really good. There was also coffee and orange juice. Due to the tower move in Frankfurt, we had to do a few holding loops near Koblenz. So we arrived in Frankfurt 15 minutes late. It's a good thing I only booked my train ticket for 5 p.m.
After a short wait at immigration, I went to the Turkish Airlines service counter. Since I wanted to make a change to two tickets Hong Kong - Istanbul - Los Angeles for December. The employee was able to change the first ticket of my friend and Asia travel partner without any problems. With mine, the second ticket, he noticed that there must have been a pricing error. Because the actual fare was only €30, which seemed a bit low for halfway around the world. So a very ambitious employee that I was advised. After a short phone call to his supervisor, he was only able to offer me a change if I paid the difference to the current fare (approx. €2,000). But since that is out of the question for me, he changed the date of both tickets back to the original one. But I won't give up just yet and will try again in September in Munich or call the hotline in Istanbul again.
DB Lounge at Frankfurt Airport
After the failure, I got my free muffin again - this time blueberries - at McDonalds and from there I went to the DB Lounge at the long-distance train station. This is not nearly as great as the one at Frankfurt Central Station. For example, there is no bar, only a coffee or drinks machine. But it was enough for the 50 minute wait.
The ICE 1655 was already 12 minutes late when it arrived at the station. So I would not get my connecting train in Erfurt. In return, I was given a place in the front row directly behind the driver's cab in the 1st class rest compartment. I was able to look over the shoulder of the lure leader, which was very interesting for me. Unlike the outward journey with the InterCity, 1st class in the ICE has very comfortable leather seats in a spacious compartment. The installation of several external antennas and amplifiers or repeaters, which enables the entire journey via a stable mobile network (usually only EDGE), is very advantageous for working. So I was able to use the time and write this blog entry, even if my thumbs hurt from typing on the iPhone.
