Presenting at the East Meets West Conference in Collingwood

After having been away for almost three weeks in Europe, we landed on Canadian soil safe and sound, praise God! We arrived home at 3pm, Toronto time and off we went to attend Anita and Clarence's daughter's wedding. Happy that we didn't have any problems with our flight connections and could make it back on time. After the wedding reception on Saturday evening, we had to get up at 6a.m. and drove for 2 hours to the Living Water Resort in Collingwood, Ontario for a conference where I presented a workshop on a topic related to communication.

I had already planned and collaborated with Melissa before leaving for our European trip. So everything was ready beforehand. On the flight back, I did some final editing on my power point and was able to get everything ready. There was a good turnout at the conference. The organizers accommodated my schedule by putting me as the last speaker in their last timeslot so that I would not miss the presentation due to our overseas trip. My workshop went well and people seemed to enjoy my presentation.

Instead of sitting passively listening to me, the audience was divided into eight groups and they were given instructions on how to practise what they had just learned. Incorporating this interactive hands on session worked well with the conference participants as we could hear enthusiastic discussions and cheers coming from different corners of the hall. Nothing made me happier than seeing the participants being engaged and were actively involved with what they were doing. So glad that we were able to get home on time and delivered this workshop as promised to the conference chair! After the workshop, we drove down to Barrie to visit my best friend whom we have not seen for a few months. Really looking forward to it! RT, Collingwood, Ontario, Canada 06152024

Review of Gibson Hotel and Our Alternative Accommodations in Dublin, Ireland

Having booked and paid for our week long stay in Air B & B in Dublin, Ireland, yet unable to locate our host due to the misinformation given to us by the company was a terrifying, frustrating and expensive experience for us. We had no choice but booked at the very last minute and stayed at the Gibson Hotel for our first night at the premium cost of 300 Euro a night. For that price, the hotel did not disappoint us.

Our room was spacious, clean and tastefully decorated. It also came with a complimentary hot breakfast with a good variety of choices of hot and cold breakfast items. We dined with many fellow hotel guests in a comfortable and nice dining room. The serving staff was attentive providing us with good service and refilling our cups with tea and coffee. It was an excellent experience and we would go back to the Gibson Hotel anytime. However, the cost for the night was on the high side and this would be prohibitive for many travellers.

After our first night at the Gibson Hotel in Dublin, we were finally able to contact our B & B host and moved there for the rest of our stay. This host has practically turned his apartment unit into a hotel like business. He rented out three rooms each renovated with its own private bathroom and with welcoming décor and thoughful furnishing. There was even a lobby area with a long side table where the host placed a large fruit bowl filled with fresh fruits such as bananas and apples each day. There was a good size fridge and a shelf stocked with local wines and liquor. We didn’t take advantage of the wines provided to us as drinking is not something we do too often. But it was very thoughtful of the host to have these provisions on hand for his guests.

Located right by the river, this accommodation was perfect for our need to be close to the downtown area. We liked the place so much that we extended two more days there as we could walk to most of the attractions in the downtown area and caught a bus taking us directly to the airport when we would depart for home. This is a place where we would recommend to others and will be happy to return to in the future should we visit Dublin again! RT, Dublin, Ireland 062024

A Great City to Visit - Dublin Exceeded Our Expectations

We have had an enjoyable and great experience in Dublin. During our week long stay in this city, we have learned a great deal about the Irish history, people and climate. Irish climate, as we experienced personally, has been depicted humourously in this poster in Dublin.

Of all the things we have learned about Ireland, the events and stories of the Great Famine hit us in our faces in Dublin. The Great Famine left an indelible mark on Ireland and its people. Ireland lost about one million of its population due to death caused by the famine and famine related diseases and a further one million Irish emigrated to other parts of the world which meant the country losing a quarter of its population during these famine years. .

Wherever we went in Dublin, we saw exhibits, displays, artwork, tours and events reminding its people and visitors alike about this horrific part of the Irish history. Besides seeing the sculptures of starving skeleton like Irish men and women erected in parks, public spaces,

we also read about the detail descriptions of the effects of this famine had on the people and Ireland in museums, library, billbaords and even in bars and restaurants where we ordered a pint or food to re-energize ourselves.

We could see and feel the economic prosperity in Dublin. While walking each day back and forth from our place to downtown, we admired those beautifully newly constructed business buildings along the both sides of the river. Housed within these numerous brand new office buildings are big international businesses and hi tech corporations strategically located their business in this city bringing with them many high tech and high paying jobs for the local people. Consequently, this particular waterfront area of Dublin has been dubed ' The new Silicon Valley".

Dublin exceeded our expectations in terms of: 1. Interesting food the city could offer - we tasted delicious food not limited to Irish food alone. While in Dublin we were able to try different kinds of food from various ethnic origins.

2 A walkable city steep in culture and history - many museums and famous sites are not too far from each other making visits to these famous sites easy and accessible. 3. Ancient and modern buildings with spectacular architecture coexisiting side by side other making Dublin one of the most interesting cities in the world.

3. Good public transportation system - direct public transportation from the airport to downtown and going to other places within the city 4. A reasonable safe city - Being seniors, we didn't do any late night bar crawls but we did walk around a couple of times after dark and we were not harassed or felt unsafe. 5. Polite services and assistance given when dealing with everyday sales and retail staff members Dublin is more than what we have expected and we thoroughly enjoyed out time while vacationing there! Thank you, Dublin! R.T. Dublin, Ireland 062024

St. Stephen's Green Park - An Oasis and A Green Retreat from Busy Downtown of Dublin, Ireland

While in Dublin, we did a bit of shopping throughout our vacation. Ireland is famous for its woolen products and we did buy a few nice woolen hats for our family back in Canada. I was particularly happy that we were able to find something nice for the male members of our family. These warm woolen hats will make beautiful presents for the 2024 upcoming Christmas season.

There are no shortage of fine shops in downtwon Dublin; one that stood out for me was the St. Stephen's Green Shopping Centre, a beautiful shopping centre with elegant Victorian era exterior structural details as well as white wrought iron decor for its interior space. Interested in both architecture and interior design, I loved the ambience and the architecture of this shopping centre! Lucky for me, I also found a cool and classy blue and white long sundress for my upcoming conference right after this trip. Very happy about this shopping experience!

About a stonethrow away from the St. Stephen's Green Shopping Centre is the St. Stephen's Green Park - an oasis for Dubliners in the middle of Dublin. Strolling leisurely in the park, we saw an exhibit of information and drawings regarding the park's history. Walking along the park's path, we stopped and took time to read the information and learn about the occurance of the 1916 Easter Riot in this park. It was an educational and informative walk for us.

Being at the park in the afternoon of a mid-week day, we were surprised to see how many people were taking a break and enjoying the peace and quiet of this city park. There were a few young people playing balls, sitting with friends enjoying the sun and talking to each other while some mums were out with young children in their strollers. It was a peaceful picture of people living in a busy city but taking time out and connecting with nature and other fellow beings.

We were delighted to have been a part of this peaceful picture in Dublin's St. Stephens' Green Park on a nice sunny afternoon! RT, Dublin, Ireland O62024

Needy Inhabitants Not Forgotten on Grafton Street, Dublin, Ireland

Staying within walking distance to downtown Dublin, we were able to walk to many interesting places and attractions during our vacation there. One of our favourite places to visit was Grafton Street, a lively street lined with upscale and international stores, restaurants serving both local and diverse ethnic dishes, and numerous Irish bars.

We were excited when we saw a Lululemon Store, a famous Canadian brand, right in this area! Grafton Street truly was a vibrant place where live music, good food and cold beer never ran dry!

We visited Grafton Street a number of times as my husband loved the colourfully decorated bars with local musicians playing live music at all hours. Visitors to the area were often entertained by street musicians and buskers offering fine music and entertainment.

On one of our visits, we observed a group of people getting organized for food distribution for needy residents while a long line of people started queuing up patiently. It was heartwarming to see the needy inhabitants of this propersous city not forgotten and that a helping hand was extended to them right in the heart of Dublin's most visited tourist street. One thing we noticed was that many shops, including restaurants in the vincinity closed earlier, around 6 p.m. - 8 p.m, than we had expected.

We were surprised to see the posted business hours on many of the store windows. Unlike the many stores in our tourist areas in North America opening until late at night, numerous stores in the Dublin tourist area closed early. I reflected on the value differences between North Americans and Dubliners. North Americans tend to base our identities on our work, therefore working very hard all their lives trying to achieve something whereas people in Dublin treasure their personal time more and know how to enjoy life with much shorter working hours. My kind of city, two thumbs up for Dublin! RT, Dublin, Ireland 062024

Watching a River Dance Performance at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin, Ireland

Gaiety Theatare - While in Canada, we watched the River Dance performed by the world renowed Irish dance groups and were marvelled by them. We took advantage of being in Dublin this time and went to the Gaiety Theatre to watch a river dance performance. The evening show was scheduled at 7:30 p.m. and we arrived a couple of hours earlier to the area.

The Gaiety Theatre is a manificent theatre with tradional elegant decor. At each level of the theatre, an elegant sitting area was available for theatre goers wishing to have a drink or snack before or during the intermission.

Before the beginning of the show, ushers holding up signs reminding the audience to turn off their cell phones and cameras. There was no announcements but merely people holding up signs and walking around the theatre. We could take pictures of the theatre prior to the show, but once when the show started, no photography was allowed. The dances were fantastic but I could not take any pictures of this great show performed by the awesome dancers. We were not disappointed and enjoyed this spectacular performance! RT. River Dance, Gaiety Theatre Dublin, Ireland

Awed by a Thousand Year Old Cathedral in Ireland - Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin

Wherever we travel to any city in the world, one of the places we always like to visit is the place of worship. If it is a Sunday, we would look for a church and join the locals for a Sunday service.

In Dublin, it was no exception. We joined an evening service at the Christ Church, Dublin's oldest cathedral. It was during the middle of the week. We arrived to the church in the late afternoon and missed the last tour. Fortunately for us, we there was an Evensong Choral service which was great! Since we were leaving before Sunday, this was the only opportunity we had to attend a church service there.

We learned that Christ Church Cathedral is one of Ireland’s most historic and sacred places. Originally a Viking church, it has been welcoming pilgrims and visitors for almost 1,000 years! This Anglican cathedral is a magificent building with spectacular architectural elements such as the beautiful Nave with its vaulted ceilings and medieval tiled floor. We also had a glimpse of the crypt, the city’s oldest working structure, with its 11th century stone walls and medieval interior, we felt as if we were transported into another world! Christ Church Cathedral is steeped in history and is definitely a place worth visiting if you are a history buff like my huaband! RT, Dublin, Ireland

An Enjoyable and Memorable 1 Day Tour Around Dublin and Belfast Area

Of our seven day stay in Dublin, the most memorable time we had was taking the 1 day tour to three famous places around Dublin and the Belfast area. We went and bought our tour tickets at a downtown travel agency a couple of days ago. On the morning of the tour, we took an Uber ( our Canadian Uber app worked in Ireland!) shortly after 6 am and arrived at the Molly Malone statue on Suffolk Street in downtown Dublin.There were about twenty passengers; we got on a tour bus and off we went.

This was a whole day trip with the first stop at the Dark Hedges, aslo known as 'The King's Road for those who are familiar with the Game of Thorn show. This road was lined with 150 huge beech trees planted in the 18th century. After many years, the trees have grown big arching over the road. The day we visited this famous place, it was raining a bit, foggy and misty. It added a feeling of mystery to the place. We had to hurry in order not to get soaking wet. But it was beautiful; we felt as if we were in a medieval forest!

The second stop was the Giants' Causeway - It was made a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1986, Northern Ireland's most famous site. Since the tour bus could not drive us close to the causeway, we were dropped off at the parking lot close to the causeway's restaurant. From there we took a 30 minute walk to see this famous Giant Causeway. For those with mobility issues, they could purchase tickets and ride on the tram.

The Causeway was made from over 40,000 basalt columns during a volcanic eruption some 60 million years ago and regarded as one of the world's most prized natural treasures. According to local legend - this causeway was the remains of a bridge built between Ireland and Scotland by a mythical hunter/warrior Finn McCool. Interesting!

The most exciting part of the day for me was visiting the Titiantic Museum in Belfast. The Titiantic Museum was built to the same height as the ship itself. At the entrance, our tour guide gave us each a White Star Boarding ticket - the one the Titantic passengers received for the boarding of the ship. How cool was that. Once inside the museum, we looked out to the dock and got a sense of how tall the ship was. We took a self guided audio tour and walked through nine interactive galleries where we were introduced to the people and the city that made the Titantic. The most interesting interactive gallery was riding in a cable car taking us through the process of how the Titiantic was made in the factory.

We experienced the hammering and engine sounds, the sights, the smell, and heard the stories of the making of the Titantic and saw the tremendous craftsmanship and skills in building this gigantic vessel. However, we spent too much time on the first few galleries learning about the history and the life and the people of Belfast.

By the time we got to the Titiantic ship itself, we had to hurry and skimped through many interesting exhibits and artifacts quickly.

However, we did see displays on the interior decor of the Titantic and the opulance of the first class cabin and the dining room. It was realistic and awesome! I wished we could have a couple more hours at the museum to explore and learn more about this famous ship.

It was a totally enjoyable day trip. I don't thnk we could have seen so much on our own had we rented a car and driven ourselves. It was one of the best one day tour in a strange city for me. 2 thunmbs up for this tour! RT Dublin, Ireland 062024

The chq Building - Our Most Visited Place in Dublin, Ireland on Our Vacation

Our accommodation in Dublin, Ireland, was located in an apartment along the waterfront in Dublin. We just finished a mission trip in Germany and we needed to come back down to earth and spent the time in Dublin to relax.

Desiring to be close to everything, we booked a room on the waterfront within walking distance to many attractions and the downtown core. Our host advised us to stay away from certain rough areas in Dublin, therefore, we stayed mainly around the downtown tourist area during our stay in Dublin. Enjoying our walk to various attractions, each morning we strolled along River Liffey bypassing many modern and famous buildings located on both sides of the river.

One of these buildings we passed by was the Central Bank of Ireland where we visited an interesting exhibit about the history of banking and coinage in Ireland. It was free admission, courtesy of the Central Bank of Ireland.

One of the places situated along River Liffey we visited most often was the chq Building - ( Custom House Quay) building. It was built as a warehouse in 1820 to store large and valuable goods such as tobacco, tea and spirits. An interesting fact about the chq building - no wood was used in the construction of the building to ensure that it was absolutely fireproof. The chq buildind was made famous by hosting the Crimean War Banquet in 1856 recognizing the contributions of the Irish soldiers. But finding a venue big enought to hold a huge banquet was a problem until Henry Scovell suggested using his bonding warehouse at the Custom House Docks which had the capacity to accommodate 3000 soldiers. A great party took place on Oct. 22, 1856 offering a thousand welcome to the heroes of the Crimea!

The chq building has been renovated and modernized. Today it is an airy, bright, spacious welcoming building with an unusally huge eating area for visitors. We liked the ambience of the place - an abundance of available seats and a variety of food choices offered by the restaurants there.

Finding available seats easily whenever visiting there, we made ourselves comfortable sipping on our coffee, enjoying a delicious meal and immersing in whatever we were reading or doing at the moment. S. bought his book to read while I was afforded the opportunities to catch up on my blogging. Unlike being in a restaurant where serving staff would come up regularly asking if we needed this or that, there was nobody bothering us regardless of the length of our stay. I liked the chq building a lot as it was my retreat from the busy streets of the tourist area, an oasis to where I could relax and concentrate on my writing. It was perfect for us!

The chq Building also houses the EPIC, the Irish Emigration Museum where one could learn about the devastating famine resulting in the emigration of millions of its people to North America. With a multitude of shops, interesting restaurants, creative work space and plenty of seating available to visitors, the chq is one of our most favourite places to visit in Dublin; we highly recommend it to travellers visiting Dublin if you are looking for a place to unwind, relax, read or write! RT, chq Building Dublin, Ireland 062024