Dublin Modern

I don't know how many of you have ever been to Dublin, but those who have probably think of buildings such as Trinity College or St. Patrick's Cathedral when the city is mentioned. Every visitor walks down Grafton Street, takes a picture of Molly Malone and has a pint (or two) in Temple Bar. Well, a short(ish) walking distance from the historic center is the part of Dublin's 4th district where the Firm's European HQ is located and in fact many other international companies pitched their tents during the heyday of the Celtic Tiger. Every time I am in Dublin for business, this is the Dublin I get to see on my way between hotel and office and as this part of the city literally was a wasteland when Amica and I studied in Dublin and other parts have been modernised a lot since the mid 1990s or even early 2000s, I "warned" her that the city had changed a lot when she was about to visit Dublin for her 10th wedding anniversary last year (she hadn't visited in between). Interestingly, on coming back, she did not agree at all, finding everything basically just as she remembered it. On Tuesday night, I was downtown for dinner and there really are no grave changes save new shops, restaurants, more modern bus stops and the usual things you would also find in other cities when you revisit them after a 10-years-absence. This, however, is the "modern Dublin" I have become to associate with the city and that comes to my mind before the historic center now as it is the Dublin I have most "quality time" with (excuse the mobile-phone shots):

The bridge above, Samuel Beckett bridge, likewise not around last century, has been "pushed to the side" in the picture above for maintenance, which was quite fascinating. 

Here's a "bonus picture" of Temple Bar at sunset, just to prove that old Dublin is still around and not planning to go anywhere anytime soon by the looks of it: