In order to not have a good baker’s dozen worth of places to write about in the future, I have to stay current and write up one Ireland. Although the excitement for my 5 country, 6 city adventure with my family is mounting, I have to concentrate and try to learn for one more day. Impossible.
DUBLIN, IRELAND
For anyone who has ever flown on Ryanair before, you know that upon touching down in a timely fashion, they will play a recording congratulating themselves on arriving to the destination on time. I always expect to hear “… another on time flight…” serenading me in an Irish accent as we land in our next destination. Well, as usual, we land on time, but this time the accent rings a little truer. After all, this Irish accent is now in its home country. It cannot be said to be peculiar sounding anymore. NAY! It is the norm here! Let the Irish accent begin.
Ireland has been one of the hardest countries to get into to date. That isn’t saying much, seeing as usually I don’t even need to show my passport to any customs or boarder control whatsoever. At customs, Hillary and I were the only two passengers out of 100+ to go into the Non EU line. I approached the desk and handed over my passport.
“Why are you visiting Ireland?”
“Tourism.”
“Where are you staying?”
“With a friend.”
“What is your friend’s name?”
“Uhhh… Will.”
“What is his surname?”
“Well, actually it is a friend of a friend, I don’t know his surname.”
“Do you have a contact number?”
“Only for my friend.”
“Where does he live?”
“I don’t know.”
At this point I am starting to feel suspicious of myself. What are my motivations for entering Ireland, really? Oh wait, no, I am not here to smuggle leprechauns out of the country. I am innocent. Act cool.
“What are you studying in Spain?”
What? How did you know… oh, my visa. “Civil engineering.”
“When are you leaving Ireland?”
“Sunday the 10th.”
“Do you have proof?”
Seriously? “Yeah, I have my boarding pass.”
“Can I see it.”
I show him my boarding pass. The stamp hits my passport. YES! Not only am I in, but your stamp is green (just what I expected) and it takes up half a page! I am that much closer to filling my passport (which in reality is not very close, this open boarder deal is not helping me out).
With that over I board a bus into Dublin with Alex (a friend from Austria, see my Belgium trip) and Marcus (Alex’s German friend). I listen to Dropkick Murphys as we drive through Irish countryside and suburbs and wear a green Cornell tee with a shamrock on it. Yes, my first time in Ireland and I am a walking cliché. But hey, it’s fair! I am an eighth Irish! That basically implies that I am part leprechaun. Back off. I watch out the window, desperately hoping I will be able to find the Spire that I am to meet Iona at.
Then I see it. If anyone can miss the Spire they were honestly not trying. In fact, they would have to be trying to not see the Spire. As you can see from my posted pictures, it is the tallest thing around in Dublin. It is, if I remember correctly, the tallest free standing monument in Europe, or possibly the world. Really, it is just a really, really tall needle poking the eye of God.
Well, with the Spire in sight, I dismount the bus and spot one of the only brown people around. IONA! (Yes, the same one I met up with in Madrid.) Having been in Dublin for a day already, Iona walks me around to all the sights she has seen. Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. Dublin Castle. Christchurch. Saint Stephen’s Green. Trinity College. Temple Bar District. We pretty much see everything there is to see from the outside in Dublin. Eventually we grow tired and hungry and head out of town to Santry, where we are staying with Iona’s friend’s friend Will. Will is studying abroad at DCU, Dublin City University and has an apartment/dorm nearby. Graciously, he lets us stay in his living room area, saving us some money for Guinness. What a great guy. Seriously though, he was a great host.
The next day Iona and I head into Dublin for a free tour of the city. Like usual, this was a great tour. Our guide was funny and informed and entertaining. I love these tours. I think Iona liked it a little bit less as a bird left a present in her hair at the end of the tour. Well, I heard that that is good luck, that must count for something…
After the tour, we head to the Guinness Factory. The Guinness Factory tour is kind of expensive. I think it was about 11 euro, which is steep to see a factory if you think about it, unless you count the “free” Guinness that you get at the end of the tour. Oh, and a great view (probably the best view) of Dublin. You know I am a sucker for views. So we make our way through the factory. We saw the 9000 year long factory lease, all the ingredients that go into the stout, the different means of advertising over the years, and finally make it to one of the best parts: the crash course on pouring the perfect pint of Guinness. You may think, easy, I can pour a pint. And you are right, it is easy. But you do need to know the steps first. It isn’t like pouring a normal pint. A stout takes to steps. First you have a fast pour down the side of the glass. You have to wait about a minute and a half for the beer to settle. Then you have a slower pour to top off the drink. You are left with a creamy head and your perfect pint of Guinness. We drink our pint and then head up to the Gravity Bar, the bar on the 7th floor, to see the city. Let me tell you, it is worth it.
Iona and I then spend a little more time walking about Temple Bar district until we grow cold and hungry and head back to Santry for dinner and rest. Tomorrow we have a big day! We booked a tour to the Cliffs of Moher and western Ireland!
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