Ireland

Explorations with Athena: Part 2

Copenhagen was great. Could Dublin be even better? It is the home of Guinness after all. The three of us set out on an adventure to see what Dublin had to offer.

Day One: Whiskey, Beer, and Ukuleles

Since we arrived later in the day, there wasn't much sight seeing left to do. So we found our airbnb, freshened up, and went out to explore (read: find some delicious beverages). We made a quick pit stop (a whopping two minutes) to take the obligatory photo at Ha'penny Bridge

After being mercilessly made fun of by Athena and Mirek for taking them to a "truly historic site", we ended up in Temple Bar area. This area is known for its many Irish bars, music, and all night partying. So we found the nearest bar and quenched our thirst with a pint of the purest Guinness to be found.

Okay fine, maybe I drank a cider, but I was REALLY thirsty

Our thirst thusly quenched, temporarily, we headed off in search of a good tune to sway to. Lucky for us, it was ukulele night at a nearby bar, The Stag's Head. The coolest part about this was that people from the community could join in and it turns into one big jam session / sing along. We were thoroughly entertained.

Honestly, not really sure why I took a picture with this sign

To our dismay, the music ended far too early (who stops at 11pm on a Tuesday?), so Mirek and Athena decided it was about time for a taste of whiskey. We ended up at a google-recommended bar called The Palace Bar. Unlucky for Mirek and Athena, the whiskey room was closed... lucky for them, the bartender said he would serve them some exceptional whiskeys at the downstairs bar... even luckier, we were the last patrons they let it.

Okay fine, maybe the picture on the right was from the earlier bar, but it fits better here. Deal with it.

Day 2: Universities, Hiking, and More Beer

After realizing we spent the entire prior evening seeing nothing but the world's smallest bridge and the inside of bars, we decided some slightly more active sightseeing was in order. Enter Trinity College.

Trinity College is a beautiful place to explore, but if you want to go inside the famous Book of Kells, be prepared to pay a pretty penny for it. We weren't.

Continuing the trend of non-beer related activities, we took a short train ride out to the beautiful coast-town of Howth to go on an epic hike. This gorgeous 4 mile trek had stunning views of the water and definitely reminds you that you're on an island.

Also, Dublin has... palm trees?

And at last, sightseeing accomplished, we sat down and enjoyed our well-earned meal... I mean beer.

... and maybe some whiskey, just for good measure.

Day 3: Guinness, Guinness, and Goodbyes

Yes, it's the last day. No, we had not been to the Guinness Brewery yet. Shame on you for thinking we might not go, who do you think we are?

Sadly, after sipping our last bit of delicious Guinness, it was time to say goodbye to the lovely Athena Torres. Goodbyes are hard... beer helps.