The Iberian Wandering Ends.

We're now in Ireland, near Dublin in the seaside town of Malahide.

We'll be here till Sunday when we fly back to the US.

Both of us were "done" with Spain after 3 weeks.  We'll probably not return to Spain and definitely not return to France.  

Some notes for my future reference:

ESims for Internet access.  I will not recommend Holafly.  Their setup process sucks and required active support to get working.  Once working, it had issues switching to best available provider network.  Their top up process doesn't work right, requiring more tech support.  If I ever travel overseas again, I'll try a different outfit.

Always find out what eating hours are.  Oh and Spain vs French eating hours? They're different.  Oh, and they're not that eager for business.

Tapas or Pinxtos.  Overhyped.  If you're not aggressive in plunging into crowds standing in front of Tapas counters, you'll go hungry.

Drivers are very aggressive, riding your ass like the asswipes that most of them are.  The worse are commercial vans.  I've lived/driven in Italy, the Spanish and French are worse.  

Northern Spain has beautiful countryside scenery, as does Portugal.  The people we encountered, though in regions dependent on tourism, are fed up with tourists.  The French we dealt with seemed actively hostile, the Spanish ones were indifferent.

Can't really blame the Spaniards, I think it's become a universal condition by people who are regularly inundated by tourists.  Cruise ships dumping thousands of gawking tourists at a time; busloads upon busloads of tourists wandering in large groups...clogging corridors and rooms at attractions...you get the idea.

As to Ireland, so far it's been friendly expressions from the people we've talked to.  Less than 90 minutes after landing, Martha and I were sitting in Gibney's Pub in Malahide enjoying Smithwicks Irish Ale and eating fish and chips.  No surly expressions from the bartender or wait staff!

Our hotel

We even enjoyed a nice sunset.

One of a few wooden carvings along nice bayside path back to hotel:

Already, I feel better.  By the end of the Spain traveling, I wasn't enjoying anything.

So, a few days of Irish exploring, then home!