The rainy weather this morning gives me an excuse to linger in bed for longer than usual. My lower back and hips are sore from yesterday’s long walk, so I slowly get up and begin to putter around the apartment. After a late breakfast, my stomach feels upset and I end up laying down on the couch for a nap. There are blue skies when my eyes open, and thankfully I’m feeling better.
I don’t really have any ambitions for the day. I figure it would be good to get out for at least a little while for some fresh air now that the rain has dissipated. A few items I had ordered for my SuperValu grocery delivery yesterday weren’t available, so I decide to head to the shopping district on the north side of the Liffey to hunt them down. I keep forgetting my wallet when leaving the apartment, but I haven’t had any problems with making purchases using my phone, so I decide not to bother turning back.
Christmas decorations have been going up around the streets and in the shops. Two of my previous visits to Dublin were around this time of year, so for me it’s had a strong association with the holidays. By mid-afternoon, the shadows are already growing long.
Views of Marys Street:
There’s a Tesco grocery store in the basement of the Jarvis Shopping Centre. I haven’t gone there since my arrival, but I’m familiar with it from previous trips. Tesco originated in the UK and has become one of the top retailers in the world. I’d say it’s more in the middle in terms of pricing, perhaps akin to a Safeway. I remember seeing Tesco stores in China during my trip there in 2006, although apparently they’ve since pulled out of that market. Tesco even dipped its toes into the U.S. market briefly when it launched its Fresh & Easy stores, one of which was just a few blocks away from my San Francisco house. Sadly, it closed after just a few years. At any rate, I finally found some corn tortillas in their small Mexican specialty section:
An article published today by the Irish Times reports that Ireland has the longest streak in decreasing the number of new COVID-19 cases in all of Europe.
