First, I'd like to say thank you to everyone reading my blog. It looks like yesterday we hit 1,000 pageviews, so thank you all!
And now...back to Ireland...
The past two days were a big blur of tourism for me. On Friday, my friend from my Scout troop back home, who is studying abroad in Rome, came to visit me with two girls from his college. So the first thing I did was meet him and one of the girls at their hostel, near Trinity College. We went to KC Peaches for lunch, then came back to UCD to buy tickets for the Guinness Brewery. Afterwards we went back into the city center to north of the river for Dublin's Ocktoberfest. The place was at George's Dock. They had a bunch of tents set up, with music, dancing, beer, etc. It was a pretty fun time. After that we went to a bar called the Grand Central. It was quiet at first...until a bachelor party from the UK walked in. It was quite a site to see. The groom was wearing a red, woman's flight attendant uniform, and was sufficiently drunk. They continued to play drinking games, and having an overall great time. They even gave us an email address for us to tell them the things they did, as they weren't planning on remembering the night. Then we met the last friend at the hostel, and went to the Temple Bar. After some time there, we dropped off the friends at the hostel, and then my friend and I went back to UCD to make some grilled cheese (yum!) then go to sleep.
Saturday was another day of tourism. After arriving at the hostel to pick up the girls, we began our walking journey through Dublin to get to the Guinness Storehouse. Along the way, we stopped at Dublin Castle, which was the seat of British Rule in Ireland.
After the castle stop, we continued until we happened upon Christ Church Cathedral, where we stopped to snap some photos. We didn't have time to go in, so I'll have to come back. We also walked through a street market, where you could get 9 bananas for one euro (is this real life?). We also saw a very cool looking church called St. Augustine's.
We then arrived at the Guinness Brewery, which was quite an experience. It started with seeing the original 9,000 year lease Arthur Guinness signed in 1759.
Then we walked through an exhibit of how the different ingredients (barley, hops, water, yeast) are used. After that they had different exhibits on old Guinness memorabilia and commercials.
We stopped at one of the cafe's for some lunch, then did the traditional activities at the brewery. We started with going to the top of the pint glass shaped building to the Gravity Bar for 360 degree views of Dublin. After that, we went to learn to pour the perfect pint of Guinness (there are 6 steps). First you obtain a cool, dry, Guinness pint glass. Then you hold it at a 45 degree angle. Pull the tap forward and fill the glass until the level reaches the Guinness name, then level out the glass until the beer reaches the harp. Let the Guinness settle, then push the tap forward to slowly fill up the rest of the glass so the foam head rises just above the rim of the glass.
Fun fact about Guinness: Despite looking black, it is actually a ruby red color. If you hold it up to light properly you can see it. It was after pouring the pint that my camera's memory was full, so no more pictures unfortunately. After pouring the pints, we met up with some more friends from Rome who were at the brewery and had our pints. We then went to the gift shop, which had just about everything you can imagine. I would have gotten something, but we already have Guinness glasses at home, and I didn't have a use for any of the other stuff they had there. It was still cool to see all the stuff you could get with the Guinness brand name on it.
After leaving Guinness, our group of four split into two's, as my friend and one of the girls wanted to go to Trinity to see the Book of Kells. I went with the other girl and walked to Grafton street, where we stopped at Burger King for a quick bite and watched/listened to some very talented street performers. We then met back up with the group and walked around the Grafton street area looking for a place to get traditional Irish food. But, as Dublin is an international city, this proved fruitless, so we ended up at a restaurant called Captain America's. We then stopped at the Porterhouse Central pub, as I wanted them to try their Plain Porter. Then, after such a long day, we finally called it quits and my friend and I went back to UCD.
My friend left this morning for Galway, so now I'm just doing homework and getting ready for this week. Coming up I have pick up soccer and an open mic night on Tuesday, and possibly some jazz on Wednesday. Hopefully I can get a group together this week to go into the city center and hang out. Overall, a pretty good touristy weekend.
And now...back to Ireland...
The past two days were a big blur of tourism for me. On Friday, my friend from my Scout troop back home, who is studying abroad in Rome, came to visit me with two girls from his college. So the first thing I did was meet him and one of the girls at their hostel, near Trinity College. We went to KC Peaches for lunch, then came back to UCD to buy tickets for the Guinness Brewery. Afterwards we went back into the city center to north of the river for Dublin's Ocktoberfest. The place was at George's Dock. They had a bunch of tents set up, with music, dancing, beer, etc. It was a pretty fun time. After that we went to a bar called the Grand Central. It was quiet at first...until a bachelor party from the UK walked in. It was quite a site to see. The groom was wearing a red, woman's flight attendant uniform, and was sufficiently drunk. They continued to play drinking games, and having an overall great time. They even gave us an email address for us to tell them the things they did, as they weren't planning on remembering the night. Then we met the last friend at the hostel, and went to the Temple Bar. After some time there, we dropped off the friends at the hostel, and then my friend and I went back to UCD to make some grilled cheese (yum!) then go to sleep.
Saturday was another day of tourism. After arriving at the hostel to pick up the girls, we began our walking journey through Dublin to get to the Guinness Storehouse. Along the way, we stopped at Dublin Castle, which was the seat of British Rule in Ireland.
The castle almost seems to be fake against the sky doesn't it?
There was some event going on with a tent and cameras, so they blocked the brick pattern on the grass.
After the castle stop, we continued until we happened upon Christ Church Cathedral, where we stopped to snap some photos. We didn't have time to go in, so I'll have to come back. We also walked through a street market, where you could get 9 bananas for one euro (is this real life?). We also saw a very cool looking church called St. Augustine's.
Christ Church Cathedral
When taking this picture I remember thinking again, that the church doesn't look real against the sky.
St. Augustine's...couldn't get a proper picture of the front without cutting the view in half.
Inside of St. Augustine's...quite a site to see.
We then arrived at the Guinness Brewery, which was quite an experience. It started with seeing the original 9,000 year lease Arthur Guinness signed in 1759.
Outside the entrance
The 9,000 year lease...he really knew what he was doing
Then we walked through an exhibit of how the different ingredients (barley, hops, water, yeast) are used. After that they had different exhibits on old Guinness memorabilia and commercials.
There's a commercial where a guy sits on a bench looking at the foreground guy, so we tried the picture...didn't really work.
We stopped at one of the cafe's for some lunch, then did the traditional activities at the brewery. We started with going to the top of the pint glass shaped building to the Gravity Bar for 360 degree views of Dublin. After that, we went to learn to pour the perfect pint of Guinness (there are 6 steps). First you obtain a cool, dry, Guinness pint glass. Then you hold it at a 45 degree angle. Pull the tap forward and fill the glass until the level reaches the Guinness name, then level out the glass until the beer reaches the harp. Let the Guinness settle, then push the tap forward to slowly fill up the rest of the glass so the foam head rises just above the rim of the glass.
Apparently it takes 119.5 seconds to properly pour a pint of Guinness.
Filling up at a 45 degree angle.
First part of the beer settling, developing the foamy head (mine is the one on the left).
My finished pint with the head above the rim. It looks brown, but it's in the process of settling.
After leaving Guinness, our group of four split into two's, as my friend and one of the girls wanted to go to Trinity to see the Book of Kells. I went with the other girl and walked to Grafton street, where we stopped at Burger King for a quick bite and watched/listened to some very talented street performers. We then met back up with the group and walked around the Grafton street area looking for a place to get traditional Irish food. But, as Dublin is an international city, this proved fruitless, so we ended up at a restaurant called Captain America's. We then stopped at the Porterhouse Central pub, as I wanted them to try their Plain Porter. Then, after such a long day, we finally called it quits and my friend and I went back to UCD.
My friend left this morning for Galway, so now I'm just doing homework and getting ready for this week. Coming up I have pick up soccer and an open mic night on Tuesday, and possibly some jazz on Wednesday. Hopefully I can get a group together this week to go into the city center and hang out. Overall, a pretty good touristy weekend.
No comments:
Post a Comment