Dublin Airport

Getting through the formalities in Dublin is relatively easy, the most tedious part being getting through passport control. Early mornings are generally crowded with transatlantic tourists, so the lines are zig-zag queues, Disney style. I read that this is actually a Disney discovery at the New York world’s fair of 1964, where they experimented with their exhibits and crowd control and invented the reconfigurable switchback systems that could accomodate both heavy and slack customer traffic, no doubt taking advantage of the hordes of people drawn to the boat ride through the It’s a Small World attraction. Jim is a veteran of that particular ear worm. (with a shout-out to Cousin Ginny in case she ever reads this). The queue is long and crowded for non-EU nationals, and only thee booths are operating, and a fourth opens up as we about half-way along. In about 40 minutes we are up to the booth, asked a few questions, and are waved through with good wishes from the agent.

Recaiming luggage is easy, and all luggage is accounted for and assembled. Customs inspection in Dublin is a non-event. You walk past a Customs Green line and a Customs Red line, through an arch, and you are suddenly in the Liberties of Dublin Airport. Asking for the ground transportation area, we are told by a friendly fellow in a neon yellow vest that four people and luggage makes for a break-even and more convenient taxi trip rather than the airport bus, taking us right to the hotel to boot and avoiding dragging luggage over cobbled streets.  We’re all about that, so we find the taxi rank, stuff the trunk with the help of a volumetrically canny driver, and head into the City.