An Afternoon by the Bay | Howth, Ireland
Greetings (finally) from Ireland! I have been so SO busy since I flew across the pond that this is my first post since my big move to Ireland! I hope you all missed me while I was away : )
Things have been absolutely nuts over here. We’ve been so busy searching for jobs and apartment hunting. BUT we were able to squeeze in a night out for my friend’s birthday (no regrets on that one, though).
It’s been an absolute whirlwind, and it seems like we’ve been here a lot longer than 6 days. Each day is so exhausting! However, I find myself (sorry, “meself”) slowly adapting to the Irish culture and life in Dublin.
We’re staying at an amazing Homestay in an area of Dublin called Templeogue (which I’ll post about later). We’ve been going around Dublin on what we’ve not-so-lovingly dubbed “The Search.” AKA, going around Dublin with resumés trying to find a job.
I cannot tell you how excited I am to have a place to call “home.” I’m ready to hang up my clothes and stop living out of a suitcase, buy and store groceries, AND have people back home start sending me presents…
Throughout all this mayhem, we were able to sneak a trip to Howth, a Dublin suburb on the Dublin Bay. What started out as a quest to go apply for jobs at few places turned into a lovely afternoon filled with great views and food. And a lot of wind.
There is usually a DART train that takes you to Howth from the Dublin city centre in about 30 minutes. On the day we went, though, the train was out of service due to construction. We decided to take the Dublin bus instead. Although it takes about 45 minutes, we thought it would be great to see scenery along the way. And we were right! There were beautiful, large houses along the way, as well as great views of the water.
The Dog House & Blue’s Tearooms
Immediately after getting off of the bus across from the Howth DART station, we found a precious little place called The Dog House & Blue’s Tearooms. It won me over as soon as I walked in through the canopies. But what was really the best part was the outdoor sitting area. As you’ll see in some pictures below, it was absolutely adorable! It was so cozy, so quaint, and just made you feel so relaxed. The staff was super friendly and the coffee was great! We didn’t get a chance to eat there but the food looked great, too!
Basically, it was exactly what my hypothetical coffee shop would be like if I were to open one (a dream of mine). I highly highly recommend that you make a pit stop for a quick cup of coffee or tea while you’re in Howth!
Howth Waterfront
After leaving The Dog House, we walked outside to Howth’s windy waterfront. There were boats docked out in the harbor, sorry, harbour, and although it was very windy and chilly we were lucky and didn’t get rained on!
The waterfront is lined with little bars, restaurants, and shops, and since it was a holiday the area was bustling. My favorite part was that there were so many people who had their dogs (I LOVE DOGS!). And I mean some CUTE dogs – I made friends with a precious cockapoo.
Although it was a busy day in Howth and lots of people were walking around, there was still a certain quiet air to it. Despite the people walking around, I felt like I had find this little hidden treasure that wasn’t too well-known. It was most evident when we were walking on the pier and I looked out at the view in front of me. I saw houses dotted on the cliffs, a small island in the water ahead, and a couple of boats drifting slowly. The wind was blowing really hard, so it was easy to forget the people around me and feel like I was there alone. It was a nice way to kind of pause the world around me that had been so hectic since arriving in Ireland.
After taking in the views, we stopped for some fish and chips (“When in Rome” and all that). Then, we headed back to the bus stop to head back into the city centre. And we enjoyed the views along the way just as much on the way home!
So, if you’re ever in Dublin and want to get out of the city for an afternoon, take the train or bus 31 from to Howth! Stop at The Dog House for a cappuccino or a meal, and enjoy the amazing views by the bay!
So, hopefully I’ll be able to post again soon. My days are currently filled job and house hunting, and no one wants to read about all that boring and stressful stuff! But once we’re all settled in we’ll have a lot more free time to see all the amazing things Ireland has to offer!
