Madam, - I lived in Dublin for 25 years and returned to the North six years ago. For my birthday last Saturday, my husband, who is a Dubliner, surprised me with a night in Jurys hotel in Ballsbridge and a shopping spree in Grafton Street.
Arriving at Jurys around lunchtime we decided to have a quick snack before shopping. However after queuing for half-an-hour for a seat in the Coffee Dock, we gave up and headed into town.
After a few laps of St Stephen's Green we finally found the proper approach to the shopping centre car park, to be met with another queue to get into the car park (three-quarters of an hour).
Weak with hunger, we joined another orderly queue to eat in the Kylemore Café in (half-an-hour ). We squeezed in an hour's shopping and queued for another hour to leave the shopping centre, arriving back at Jurys exhausted.
We left Jurys on Sunday morning at 11 and arrived back in Newry at 12.30, stressed out.
Ten out of ten to all you Dubs for your patience with queues and city-centre roadworks - not to mention the exorbitant prices. - Yours, etc.,
TRISHA PENDER,
Newry,
Co Down.
