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We traveled all day Friday, which was annoying but at least I got some really good views of the Welsh countryside from the bus. It made me want to go to Wales all the more. Then we took the ferry from Holyhead to Dublin. It was slow moving but really fancy inside, although I felt a little light-headed the whole trip. That night when we got into the city we went out to the pub and walked around the Temple Bar area, where all the restaurants, bars, clubs, and pubs are. Dubliners really like to party!
Saturday morning we saw the Guinness Storehouse, where I learned all about making beer and discovered just how delicious Guinness is. I was amused by the cultish slogans all around the factory: "Guinness is good for you," "The essence of Guinness is all around you," and my personal favorite, "There's poetry in a pint of Guinness." Although I wouldn't go that far, I have to admit that Guinness was the best tasting beer I've ever had, and I don't even like beer. There's just something about it's malty foaminess that I loved. At the end of the tour we went up to the "Gravity Bar" at the top of the factory and got a free sample of Guinness, and saw great views of the city.
Later in the day we walked around Phoenix Park, the largest city park in Europe and twice as big as Central Park. Dublin was a city that really grew on me as I saw more of it. At first it was a bit disappointing because we had just come from Paris and we were comparing the two cities, when they're so different that they can't be compared. Also the first day we were in the less affluent part of town, so it wasn't as nice.
Sunday was entirely different, as we went south of the River Liffey and saw tons of cool sights, and by the end of the trip I had come to love how laid-back and friendly Dublin was. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, and we wandered through Trinity College (a gorgeous campus), and the Medieval District (where we saw Dublin Castle, St. Audoen's Gate, the old city walls, Christchurch Cathedral, and St. Patrick's Cathedral). St. Patrick's was built on the site where St. Patrick is said to have baptized early Irish Christians. Inside the church was an exhibit dedicated to Jonathan Swift, the famous writer and satirist who was also the Dean of St. Patrick's. He and the love of his life, Stella, are buried inside the church as well. I learned a lot about Swift that I never knew; he not only wrote Gulliver's Travels and "A Modest Proposal" but also advocated for the rights of the oppressed Irish and the mentally ill. His writings helped stop the English from enacting a law that would have devalued Irish currency, and on his death he founded a hospital.
Finally, we ended the trip by exploring the Iveagh Gardens and St. Stephen's Green. I couldn't believe how pretty it was, like spring had come early---there were even flowers and a pond with ducks and swans! Lots of people were relaxing around the green because it was such a great day out. After a bit of shopping, the day was over and we left Ireland for England again. Some interesting things I noticed about Dublin: the accents (or rather, lack thereof). I expected to hear lots of lilting Irish accents, but in fact I heard lots of foreign accents as well. And while Dublin is certainly known for its writers and beer, the food was indistinguishable from English fare. We actually ate a pseudo-American diner for dinner one night, and got Greek kebabs the other night! The diner was called "Eddie's Rockets", aka "Johnny Rockets." I don't know what's wrong with me. Back home I rarely ate there, but in Ireland all I wanted to eat was a greasy hamburger and chocolate milkshake. And I'm still craving American pizza! I never appreciated my own cuisine until I went away!
Still, Dublin was great "craic" (fun). I can't wait to get back to Ireland, next time to the Irish countryside!
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