Dec. 7th 2011 - Immigration, City Centre walking tour

Today is my Dad's 68th Birthday and also the day we officially became Irish Immigrants - (well card-carrying immigrants that is).

We had a great day making our way on the DART (train right outside our apartment) up to the city centre. Luckily the GARDA station (immigration and police station) is right off the Tara Street DART stop so it was an easy trip. We got there at 10 am and only had to wait about 15 minutes before we were seen. It was drastically apparent that the Irish bureacracy system is much less scary and legalistic than the US. For instance, Wayne once had to go back to the WA State Department of Licensing FOUR days in a row because he was told 7 different things and in the end could have gotten the form that he needed right at the counter (and in fact the form did not even apply to his situation).
Here at the GARDA station, we had forgotten to print off the receipt for payment of Wayne's private health insurance (one of the stipulations for us to immigrate) and yet he let us pass. I had the form that gave our policy numbers, etc. but he needed the receipt. In the US, this would have meant we needed to come back the next day, stand in line again, wait to be seen and then turn in the form again. Instead, it took 15 minutes (and 300 EURO!) and we were leaving with our Irish Immigration cards, good for one year. (so this card allows us to stay in the country and might allow us to work - or will at least make it easier if we have to)

 (so sorry, I've tried 5 different ways and my computer and Blogger will NOT allow me to rotate these pictures. I've tried within the pictures when I upload them and I've tried when I upload them to the blog. Ok, figured it out today! I have to rotate the pictures WITHIN my camera before I upload them to the computer. Oh well - I'll try that next time)

 (A friendly reminder from the Irish so you don't get hit by a car)

 The Irish Times building

 "The Spire" (probably 400 feet tall?) I should look that up...But so tall that I had to take it's picture in two chunks. You can see a picture farther down where we're about 3 city blocks from it and it's massive!

 The lower portion. =)

The General Post Office

(the columns still have bullet holes in them from the battle fought here in 1916)

Just about the most exciting thing ever. We received our very first package (from Aunt Mary in San Fancisco) and it included, not only Christmas presents for Norah, but FOUR pounds of Peet's coffee from San Fran. This was SUCH a welcome gift and it made us feel so much more connected to home. Even though it's from San Fran, we often drink Peet's in Seattle and there's no doubt it's much better than any native-Seattle coffee. (Star-corps included)