Life is similar to movies, in many ways, one of them being that little pause in the time-space continuum that happens right before something important and life altering is about to occur. Of course, we don’t always realize it, but it’s still there. The little butterfly sensation in the stomach when you meet someone that corresponds to your inner person like LEGO, the flicker of your eyelashes between two heartbeats right before you get the job of your dreams, the unnerving gut feeling when you are about to make huge changes to your life. One of these quiet filled breaths happened to me on July 31st 2008, when I moved to Ireland. Moving to a different place a few decades ago was simpler, took longer but it would give you the time to digest and get used to the significance and implications of what you were doing. 
Modern moving is fast, effective, painless and shocking. You get into the plane and X hours later, that’s it, you’re moved! No time for foreplay and getting used to anything. So…we got off the horrible Malev flight and stepped on the Irish ground into the most confusing weather. The air was grey and cold, the rain was whipping my face and hurting my eyes and the wind was having a blast blowing everything with sometimes the force of a small car, making us rush or stumble into each other. The cold introduction didn’t last, fortunately, as we woke up the next morning into the loveliest summer day. The accommodation we had was in a place called Dalkey village.
In Irish it’s “Deilginis”, meaning “Thorn Island”, and it’s a small and seemingly insignificant suburb of Dublin, close to Dun Laoghaire, where time slows down and life is busy just being beautiful
. We decided to explore this new place and get to know the neighborhood, the houses and the people. For me, passionate about history as I am, obsessed with analyzing and exploring everyone and everything around me, Ireland was a great treat and had a huge impact on my mind and way of living. 
Our stroll was well rewarded, the Lilliputian streets all lead to the sea and the train station. The roads are all boarded with century old stone caressed and dressed in ivy and greenery, protecting the houses from curious eyes and noise. 
I’ve lived there for 4 years and even driven there myself (not an easy thing to do, because the road is reversed, the driver is on the right seat and the left side of the road, unlike most of the other European countries) and years later, I am still amazed on how narrow all Irish roads are and I will never understand how in God’s name can those two level buses fit through the bends next to cars or other big vehicles! I absolutely loved that the houses are not 2 alike, and that they are always abundant in trees and flowers and green. 
Foxes are regular visitors through the gardens, barking in a strange sound, especially at night. 
The original areas, where the new builders didn’t have a chance to develop anything as of yet, most of the houses are actually villas, larger and pastel colored, specific to a seaside settlement. Palm trees and large ferns are a common sight for the locals and a surprise for visitors. That weather feels anything but tropical, and yet…the landscape of some gardens takes you back to Australia or Italy.
After soaking into the beauty of the quiet streets, we headed towards the train station and took the DART, (the green train that links Dalkey to the other villages and Dublin), and decided to explore the “centre”. It’s not unusual that people living in one village work at quite a distance but nobody seems stressed by it, there is no complaining about the commute in the DART every day, I wonder why? Yes, because this is what the daily commute looks like:
They calmly drive to the station where they leave their cars, women dressed in office attire but wearing comfortable shoes, while they carry the high heels in the purse, and while some younger ones prefer listening to music while enjoying the view, the vast majority read !
The agile green train slides pleasantly through the gorgeous landscape, the hill on one side and the sea on the other, spoiling the eyes with the view of faraway little islands, rocks and the sun. A calm voice, with the unique and charming Irish accent announces the names of each stop. In just a few minutes we find ourselves on Dalkey’s main street, Castle Street
. The train station is only 3 minutes away from the Castle that explains the streets name. This area hosts a 10th Century church and two 14th Century Norman castles, one of which, Goat’s Castle,
houses the local Heritage Centre (the other, Archbold’s Castle, is private property). Now, the Irish are not the type to brag, they are quite happy generally, and more than 
pleased to be quietly enjoying their little seaside resort, but if you really want to know the explanation for their contended smile on the street, their lack of stress and aggressiveness, their accommodating nature, it only takes a little looking into.This village, created as a Viking settlement around Middle Ages, is the home of Bono, Enya, Van Morrison, Chris de Burgh, The Edge and other personalities, and lies by the coast between Sandycove, Glasthule and Killiney. It’s small, around 8,000 people, give or take, but somehow covers all tastes.
The beloved traditional cup of tea accompanied by a flapjack or a slice of brown bread are the stars in all the little cozy Cafés where people stop to have a break or lunch.
Off course the world-renowned Irish pubs, where you can enjoy your Guinness in the original setting and great music. Irish are very fond of outdoor activities and healthy life habits. 
They don’t overdress, take the bikes even in that cold rain and surf in the freezing sea at any given time of the year. For the active ones there is Dalkey Quarry, a disused granite quarry, stone from which was used during the 19th century to build Dún Laoghaire Harbour, and is now a rock climbing location within Killiney Hill Park, with over 350 routes, some of which are amongst the hardest single-pitch rock climbs in Ireland. During the building of the harbour, the quarry was connected to Dún Laoghaire via a metal tramway known as ‘The Metals’,
some parts of which are still visible in some parts of Dalkey. Another big attraction are the two main harbours. Towards the northern part of Dalkey at Harbour Road and known as a declared seal sanctuary is Bulloch Harbour. Still a working harbour, with boats that fish for lobster and crab, and mackerel in season and used by locals and tourists who hire boats for nearby fishing, sightseeing and for getting to Dalkey Island.
Besides being home to a colony of seals, Dalkey Island is also known for its herd of wild goats and a pod of three bottle-nose dolphins that frequents its waters.
Bulloch Castle, an imposing Norman structure, overlooks the harbour which is ten minutes walk from Dalkey Dart Station. Coliemore Harbour is smaller and in the southern part of Dalkey at Coliemore Road
. Marine leisure activities include kayaking, sea scouts, sea fishing and angling and rock climbing.
Life seems equally peaceful and interesting, people don’t seem to be possessed by the rush of fast living, fast-earning, they quickly find their purpose and are happy to become part of the big picture. We were amazed of their idea of family, they love lots of children, and pass on to the other generations this respect and love of life, nature, outdoor, neighborhood. They interact, travel the world and come back to find their place home. Off course, heaven in not a place on Earth, and my first employer there made my life miserable for more than a year, but, even that whole experience didn’t manage to cast a shadow on the beauty of that place. I remember travelling home in the train every day, thinking that Jane Eyre’s life seemed great compared to mine at the time, and still being mesmerized at the sight of those sunsets. Turns out that person was the exception, because everyone else I met after that were lovely people, people I hold as close as family.In the end, there is definitely something about Ireland…Something that makes it impossible to be forgotten, it’s almost magic. A very high point to which you compare all the other travelling experiences for years to come, maybe for the rest of your life.
