Grafton street is Dublin's answer to the Champs Elysees, Oxford Street, or 5th Avenue. if you will. And just like Vancouver's Robson street, it provides endless hours of entertainment. You get lots of bang and buzz for your buck! A visit there was definitely on my itinerary.
Thursday morning I awoke to a gloriously sunny day. Birds were chirping on the trees, staff were humming in the kitchen, and the hedonistic aroma of newly fried bacon and sausages lured me from the leaba (Irish word for bed). Sister Sonya or should I re-phrase 'Saint Sonya' suggested we head in there for a little visit and who was I to disagree. So after mother had finished her breakfast and returned to bed for a snooze, the pair of us headed into town.
We started off in my all-time favourite French Cafe in the St. Stephen's Green shopping centre and had my 'regular' mushroom and cheese stuffed croissant washed down with a large cappuccino, served in a cheery yellow cup. Delish!
Grafton street was alive alive O with tourists, traders, shoppers, flower sellers, buskers, musicians (good enough to be on t.v.) and would you believe - even Leprechauns! Yes, I spotted two of them. One was a normal sized Leprechaun and dressed to kill. He had a mini version for the tourists. You could kneel down and stick your head through a hole and voila in a moment you became a Leprechaun yourself - and for a tidy sum, could bring back a picture of yourself as a Leprechaun. I was tempted but I could see Sonya's eyes steeled in the direction of the glamour palaces. No leprechaun photos for that glamour puss!
Brown Thomas is our answer to Neiman Marcus in the States, Holt Renfrew in Canada, and Harrods in London. So, if you're familiar with those stores, you'll know exactly what I mean. Lots of fantasy goods at prohibitive prices. I decided to give it a miss for fear of temptation...and seeing that I'll need my shillings for Milan and Venice.
Instead we did shops like River Island, Topshop, Pamela Scott and Wallace, to name but a tasty few. T.K. Max would be the same as our Winners, except I think the Canadian Winners stores are better value. River Island was voluptuary in its seasonal style. Short flirty skirts that would drive any fellow mad, and bright cheery bikini tops in the 'Lolita' style. So if the weather continues, I suspect there will be lots of fender benders caused by 'River Island' gals strutting their stuff! As with Canada, the bright fluorescent colours are all the rage over here. Fashion is universal. The big difference is the cost. Ireland is still a lot more expensive than Canada. AND I have to say...I am spoilt for Banana Republic!
Mum remarked that I was never as well dressed as I am this time. Per usual, I did a little fashion show for her upon my arrival. I Donned all my Banana Repubic gems and she went ooh and ahh. My whole wardrobe is either BR or Ralph Lauren. So thank you Miss Victoria and BANANA REPUBLIC. You're my tutti frutti darlings! So when you've had the best...it's hard to settle for the rest! So sorry, Grafton Street shops...I just seccumed to a cute little lime coloured jacket with black zippers in River Island. And a large black and gold straw hat to protect my coiffure from the harsh Italian sun.
The buzz, the bling, the excitement, the colour, the street aromas, Bewley's Cafe, Brown Thomas, memories of window shopping with mum when I was a child, Clarendon Street Church, the grandour of Trinity College, and feeding the ducks in Stephen's Green - that's what Grafton Street is to me. Love Love Love it!
Choo Choo for now!
Slainte!
Patricia xxx
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