Over the last couple of days I have been recovering from the road trip to County Kerry. One of the only negatives from the trip was that I developed some fairly nasty welts on my legs and arms from bug bites. Sand fleas from walks on the beaches are my primary suspects, although it could have also been some flying ants near one of the places we stopped for food. Being a ginger / redhead, I’m doubly disadvantaged — not only do bugs seem to prefer to nibble on me more than other people, but then my sensitive skin can have an allergic reaction to the bites. The welts only seem to be getting worse, and after some doom-googling, I begin to worry that some of the sand fleas could have even burrowed into my skin to lay eggs (which apparently can happen).
Up until this point, I haven’t had a reason to seek medical attention here in Ireland and don’t even have a primary care doctor (what is known as a GP here, aka general practitioner). However, I decide it’s better to be safe than sorry and get the welts checked out. I search for dermatologist clinics in Dublin, and after placing a couple of calls, I find one that has an opening on Friday morning due to a cancelation — The Adare Clinic not far from Merrion Square, only about a 20 minute walk from me. Their office is in a red brick Georgian-era building but the space has been remodeled and decorated in a professional, modern style. It’s clear that cosmetic skin procedures are a big part of their practise; on one side of the reception room, there is a wall of shelving with various skin creams and other beauty products. The receptionist hands me a new patient intake form on a clipboard to complete, and then after a short wait, she escorts me up half a flight up stairs to small waiting area. Soon thereafter the doctor emerges from the office and invites me in. She is friendly and welcoming, probably in her 30s, and speaks with a slavic accent… at the end of the appointment I ask where she’s from, she says she’s Bulgarian and moved to Ireland a few years ago. After a close look at a few of the welts through a magnified examination light, she confirms that I’m having an allergic reaction to insect bites and/or poisonous plants. Thankfully, there are no signs of burrowing bugs in my skin. She prescribes a battery of treatments: antihistamine (twice daily), antibiotics (three times a day), topical steroid cream (twice daily), and some urea-based bath wash and moisturizer (for during and after showering). It’s probably overkill, but I get everything from a small pharmacy conveniently located across the street. The appointment at the dermatological clinic costs me €150, which I was told in advance when I made the appointment, and the prescriptions and skin care stuff total another €100. Quite a pricey bill! I’m sure it would have been less expensive if I had gone through a regular GP and had private insurance coverage. Nevertheless, I’m glad I was able to see someone quickly and walk away with a thorough treatment plan.
In the afternoon, I head out shopping in preparation for the second stage of my summer travel plans — I’m spending the next week in Spain, leaving tomorrow (Sunday) and returning next Saturday! My friend O. from Strasbourg invited me to join her and some friends at a vacation property on the Mediterranean coast, about an hour south of Málaga which is the closest airport. I’ve never been to Spain before, so I jumped at the opportunity. However, it is going to be quite hot there — today’s high was 99 F / 38 C — so at the top of my shopping list is a wide brimmed hat that would offer more sun protection than my usual baseball and Irish caps. Second on my list is insect repellant, so that hopefully I can avoid getting any more bites (the pharmacy where I had been earlier in the day was sold out). Dublin has a surprising number of outdoor stores, around a dozen just in the city centre alone. After trying a few places, I find everything I need and head home to relax after running around town for most of the day.
It’s still quite warm in Dublin, and apparently Ireland experienced its first ever “double tropical night” on Thursday — for two days in a row, a nighttime temperature greater than 68 F / 20 C was recorded at the Valentia Island weather station (the same Valentia Island where my friend CJ and I stayed during our County Kerry road trip). Tropical nights are rare for Ireland and have only been recorded in the Republic six times before, with records dating back 80 years. By Friday evening, a cool breeze picks up and temperatures fall back into the 60s F / high teens C.
To round out the week, I have a Friday evening dinner date with N., who I last saw a few weeks ago. It was my turn to pick a restaurant, so I booked a reservation at Brother Hubbard off Capel Street, basically across the street from the two popular gay bars PantiBar and Pennylane. The restaurant is a popular brunch spot, but they also offer a set price dinner menu that features middle eastern inspired dishes. The first course is a mezza plate with hummus, baba ganoush, and roasted nuts. For main course, N. orders the Beef and Lamb Koftas, while I choose the Chicken Supreme Fatteh — both were excellent. For dessert, we both get the Burnt Basque Cheesecake with summer berries, which is OK but dryer than what you’d ordinarily expect. After dinner, we find a table outside Jack Nealon’s Pub where we enjoy a few rounds of pints while watching the pedestrianized Capel Street fill up with people.
Until next time…. (from Spain!)
