Dublin Day Two

I apologize for going silent for a week. Ireland was crazy and at the end of every day, instead of sitting down and writing, I crashed hard. I was exhausted by the time we checked into wherever we were staying for the night. So let me fill in you on everything that happened.

We awoke day two, charged and ready to attack Dublin aggressively. We each grabbed a bagel, some coffee and tea from a local cafe, and went out exploring. Stop number one? The Old Jameson Distillery. We aimed for the 10 o'clock tour (I'm dedicated to my whiskey) but missed it by a few minutes, so we had to settle for the 11 o'clock tour instead. And boy was it fantastic. Seeing the old machines, hearing the story of John Jameson, and of course tasting it. I even became a "certified" Jameson taste tester, certificate and all.

Next, belly's warm from the whiskey, we wandered over to the Guinness Storehouse. Yup. Double duty on the booze. Now I understand I same the Jameson Distillery was fantastic, but the Guinness Storehouse was literally like the Willy Wonka of beer. Waterfalls, large containers of malt, interactive videos, tastings. I felt like a kid in a candy store. Running around, reading all the signs, watching all the videos - completely enthralled. Best part? At the end of the tour, you end up in the Sky Bar, a giant glass bar at the top of the storehouse with panoramic views of Dublin. It was absolutely breathtaking. Throw in a free pint upon arrival and I really couldn't be much happier. We ended up meeting a nice older couple from South Africa while sipping on our pints and shared life stories with them before finishing our drinks and heading out back into the city.

From Guinness, all a little tipsy by this point, we headed through the antiques section of Dublin, down to the Church of Christ and an old castle in the middle of the city. Both were stunning. The architecture,  stained glass, history embedded within. Truly unlike anything you can find in this country. After the tour of the church, we sat out in a park for a little bit relaxing, before heading over to Trinity College.

Unfortunately by the time we got there, the library was closed (shucks) but the campus was still great. Rich in history, encased by beautiful buildings, lush lawns, and cobblestones galore. I'd compare it to George Washington or Princeton, but lets be real, Trinity came first and those others can't touch it.

After Trinity we did some brief trinket and souvenir shopping. Nothing too special, but like any trip, necessary. When shopped out, we made our way back to our flat where we recharged before heading back into the city to the Arlington Hotel for dinner and some live Irish music and a step dance show. I'm sure I sound like a broken record, but the meal, music, and dancing were all amazing. I had a lovely lamb stew, listened to some great music (heck, they even played one of my favorite Flogging Molly songs), and was mesmerized by the dancing. Through the entire night my mom couldn't stop smiling - which was the best outcome.

Stomachs full, we trudged back upstairs and passed out. Ready to leave early to drive down through Waterford, Kilkenny, and eventually end up in Killarney to drive the Ring of Kerry.