Liffey Lights

The wind made the plane sound like it was made of tin and the rain  machine gunned us as we landed bumpily on the tarmac.  Not having a row of seats in front of me I could feel the force the seat belts take on braking. The air hostesses sitting opposite me turned to each other and both mouthed 'Jesus'  and a woman pummeled down the aisle and threw up noisily in the toilet.  
For the first time in my life I was the first person off the plane and felt like Obama must feel like as he steps off his private jet.  I was glad I wasn't because my descent wasn't graceful.  I had to hold on to the right hand banister with both hands and go down sideways with a wind off the Irish sea strong enough to blow a gypsy off his sister.
The Number 16 took us on an excruciatingly slow journey through the grim 60's outer suburbs, through the 1930's, the Edwardian era, the Victorian era and finally the Georgian era and into the centre. (just realised how anglo-centric these architectural classifications sound, for which I apologise).  
The wind blew us into the courtyard of Trinity where we met up with Leila and Lewie and got rid of our bags in the student union bar before Leila took us to an Asian street food joint for a spice bag.  She asked if we wanted to eat it walking around and I gave her a look, sunk down onto a stool at a sticky table and ordered a large glass of wine from a startled Thai girl who'd clearly never taken a wine order before.  
Modern Grafton Street blew all the poetry out of Kavanagh's On Raglan Road.  I hobbled behind the young people through Temple Bar and Merchant's Quay and up to Leila's flat where she offered us tea then forgot to make it, before heading down to Doyle's for a God-given Guinness. 
As we crossed Grafton Bridge to the station I could only marvel at how full and flowing the Liffey was.  I'd left an empty canal and a low river at home and the sheer volume of water beneath me felt excessive and indulgent; like leaving all the lights and heating on in an empty house.
What times we live in....