Overnight stay in Sterling and our flight to Ireland!

We opted to stay at the Hampton Inn Dulles-Cascades in Sterling and make use of their reasonable park and fly rate instead of paying for parking at Dulles.  Good choice for a couple of reasons.  One, it was as cheap as parking in long term parking at Dulles, and two it forced us to be ready for the trip and have a night to relax before our flight.  Right across the parking lot was a Logan's Roadhouse, where we went for dinner.  There is a nice little pond in front of the place and these guys apparently know about the yummy bread they serve there!  They were at the front door when we arrived and there when we left!

Our stay at the Hampton Inn was perfect.  The hotel was extremely quiet - never heard a single plane despite being close to Dulles, friendly staff, really good breakfast (even the eggs which are sometimes questionable in hotel buffets).  Highly recommend.

The next day we took the shuttle to Dulles and got there before the British Airways kiosk even opened for checkin!  We got money exchanged, got checked in (when they opened) and grabbed some food.  Our flight boarded and took off on time.  Bill and I often sit across from each other on aisle seats on long flights, as we did on this one.  Unfotunately I had a young man next to me who was flirting with a young Bulgarian girl and they TALKED THE ENTIRE FLIGHT!  All night long.  I'm all for young love, but please!  The flight was fine, we landed in Heathrow to connect to our flight on Aer Lingus (booked via British Airways).  We landed in terminal 5, and had to get to terminal 1.  LONG walk and a bus ride later....  Plus we had to basically enter the UK (going thru passport control and getting our picture taken), then go thru security, then leave the UK and enter terminal 1.  I counted 4 times we had to show our passports just in one airport!  We arrived at Heathrow at 6:45, and it was 8:20 by the time we got to our gate to come to Dublin!  The fun just begins there.... our luggage didn't make it!  So we talked to the very nice folks at Aer Lingus and supposedly and hopefully it will show up in the next couple of days....  We had planned to take a taxi to the hotel - figuring we would be hauling luggage but NO - so we took the Airlink bus which is much cheaper and it took us almost right to our hotel, the Ashling.  We were able to get checked in right away and then walked to Kilmainham Goal, an old jail which played a pivotal part in the liberation of Ireland from England.  We walked from the hotel to the Goal and got a bit disoriented, and this was our first experience with the kindness of the Irish people!  Two nice ladies walked us in the right direction, chatting the whole way.

The approach to the Goal.

Inside the "newer" wing.

Bill in a cell. 

This lady was imprisoned twice and was given watercolors and drew a picture of the Madonna and Child in her cell, which has been restored. 

Entering the old part of the Goal. 

The cross marks the spot where people stood to be executed by firing squad.

It had started raining while we were out (we ARE in Ireland after all) and we walked back to the hotel wet and exhausted.  We went to the bar in our hotel for a meal where Bill had his first Guinness in Ireland.  He said it really DOES taste better here.