The Dublin face of the Celtic Tiger is still impressive even if the stripes have temporarily faded. The congregation of half-empty, glitzy, glass-steel-strict-design apartment buildings at the docks cast a glow of once-high hopes of masses of wealthy young and hip people moving in for a fortune. Considering the size of Ireland and its population, the calculations must have been a teensy bit on the optimistic side. One cannot help but wonder how much the apartments were supposed to sell for, or how many real estate development companies lost their lives in the downfall of the economy. Or how many families lost their dinner on the table because mommy’s or daddy’s dreams did not pay off.

For a working weekend visitor, what is gone is gone. Taking the docklands at face value, the excellent service, interesting design, and wonderful spa of the Marker hotel on the docks is a good consolation. But what’s with the neon lights everywhere?

(Dublin, Ireland; November 2013)