Liffey View

After yesterday's frustrating experience, today was much more successful altogether -- tiring, mind you, but still successful. On the whole, the time was spent either behind the wheel of the car or in shops of one sort or another. Thankfully, the driving was far less stressful than yesterday, the roads were far less busy (most noticeably on the cross-city drive from Carl's place to mine, which was remarkably fast, especially when compared with the crazy delays of Monday morning), and conditions were far less icy (apart from the streets closer to home, which remained stubbornly frosty). Indeed, the weather changed dramatically during the day, and we finished with rain rather than frost. Anyway ...

Checking emails when I got home meant there was a bit of work to be done before attention could turn to Christmas again, then it was back in to town to sort out money things in the bank and make my way back to CHQ at the Financial Services Centre for a tour of the shops there before driving across to Dundrum Town Centre for a look at the shops there (where would we be at this time of year without bCool?), and on to Carl's again (4.00 pm by this stage). We'd planned a booze trip to stock up for Christmas, but first we went to Nimble Fingers to look for something for Carl's niece and nephew. It took a while, but the expedition was successful in the end). It was 6.00 pm by the time we got to Blackrock shopping centre where the grand Christmas grocery shop was scheduled. Before going in to Superquinn, though, we decided to have a look in Global Village. This turned out to be a bit of a highlight. We found a couple of perfect gift items, neither of which we would have thought of without browsing here. After that, the next two hours or so (!!!) were spent methodically walking every isle in Superquinn. By the time we left to go back to Carl's the poor unfortunate car was much lower on the ground than it had been before, and my poor old feet were aching. Still, we both got a good selection of essentials.

A tiring day, but much more productive than yesterday. I was glad of the break of scenery brought on by the decision to take a look in CHQ. It was gloriously bright and clear, and I had a nice little walk between the Sean OCasey and Samuel Beckett bridges. The blip was taken from the second of these, looking towards the first and on to O'Connell Bridge and the Financial Services Centre and the rather ugly and lumpy George's Quay office development and the hideously ugly Liberty Hall and the Custom House and The Spire and all that. A bit of a picture-postcard touristy shot, really.