I left airport in a crowdy double-decker. It was night but I was watching the traffic and the streets outside. City seemed to me the same like cities I saw in Scotland with small difference with Gaeilge/English road sings. Why am I comparing Dublin to Scottish cities? Well, I spend there much time, and it is quite obvious that I will compare everything to quite similar country. So far I have found that Ireland and Scotland are like whiskey and whisky, the difference is in flavour 
Anyway the first strange thing I noticed it was Polish Shop “SUPERSAM”. I left the bus at O’Connell Street at night. I didn’t feel as a stranger. For me, the person from a continental Europe, British and Irish cities look pretty similar at the first glimpse. That’s why I wasn’t confused or lost.
It is hardly impossible not to have friends in Dublin. In the capital of Ireland is living about 200 thousands Poles, thus I have a friend in Dublin as well. I spent a night in a cozy apartment which is shared between 4 Poles, and sharing houses or apartments seems to be quite popular in whole Ireland among all nations.
Almost whole next day I spent on safe pass course. As an archaeologist working on excavation sites I must have Safe Pass. It seems that every country has it own safety regulations, and my Polish safe course is not accepted here in Ireland. I expected very boring 8 hours, but I was surprised, thanks to the Polish girl – translator of the course. The Irish man tutor remained almost quiet during all course and she was trying to make this boring course quite interesting.
Our appointment was in the front of Ambassador venue. Small groups of just arrived Poles were clearly visible and different to the crowd. On a safe course I met only Polish listeners, both young and old. 99% of them came to Ireland without any job contract. They were just starting looking for any kind of job and of course they were very much under pressure of money that was running out day by day. It was the first time when I saw in Ireland Polish people without any serious education, rude and aggressive in excitation, they were calling themselves “smart”.
During the lunch break I went for walk throughout city centre. On Parnell street I was surprised of groceries selling Polish food products. In the windows I could see Polish orange juices, chocolate bars etc. I was thinking to myself: I am more than 1000 km far away from Poland and I can buy Polish orange juice. OK… there is nothing wrong with missing Polish traditional food, but orange juice is just an orange juice and it is the same depending on price J In addition on tea time we were invited to the Polish pub for a small breakfast thus my very first day in Dublin I spent with Poles and in kind of virtual reality – Poland in Ireland.
Dublin city centre is quite small, and it looks that it ends on both ends of O’Connell Street, plus some surrounding streets, especially one that leads to the bus station and the passage starting at junction where the Millennium Spire is. So far I have seen only that and some other streets, from the bus. O’Connell street looks nice, with a Central Post Office, a place such important to the Irish history. The tramway lines add to the city look a kind of continental look.
I was walking on the O’Connell Street and I was surprised more. I was listening mostly to Polish language. Of course there were Irish as well but Poles are much lauder I think. I bought Polish weekly newspaper issued in Ireland for Polish community and came back to the safe pass course.
Parnell Street
O’Connell Street, Millennium Spire in the background
Junction O’Connell Street with Parnell Street. Ambassador Venue in the background.
Millennium Spire
River Liffey
River Liffey
View from O’Conell Bridge to O’Connell Street. This place you can watch via webcam placed on the roof of one of the houses.
River Liffey
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