We left Paris suuuuper late because our flight wasnt until 10:50pm, which turned out to kind of a hurdle for all of us, we were all quite tired from the day. I myself was feeling like death. You totally know you are living in university housing when you are sick all the time when the weather is cold. It was the same thing at SDSU when I was a freshman. But eh, that's life in the dorm. Shared air system and all. Last two years in San Diego at my own place with Nate, I was nevvvvver sick. So on the bus to the airport I just kept trying to remind myself...okay, you bought tickets a month ago, suck it up and enjoy this trip, you may never go back to Ireland, never know. So that was my theme for the 4 days in Dublin, enjoy this trip and dont let the common cold get in the way =)
We arrived in Dublin around midnight and got onto the airport shuttle to the main part of the city and it was oh so quiet out in the city...Wednesday night of course. We found out hostel which was actually a nice place that was well known in Dublin for being a good one, and they offer their own tours of the city, etc. The nice guy checked us in and I asked him 'hey, so... what time do all the bars close? 5ish?'and he looked at me like I was absolutely crazy!!!! haha. 'What, I said...oh sorry, we are coming from Paris, everything is open til dawn'. The nice guy in his THICK Irish accent responded 'oh my boy, everything closes at 2 here, last call at 1:30, then you have to go home and sleep it off so you can do it again the next night!'
So great. I just laughed with him and said, 'oh, totally like in the States', and let him know we are technically from San Diego, CA, but Parisians for our stay in Europe studying.
Left to find a pub so we could have an inaugural Guinness to start the trip off then head back to sleep, but to our demise, everything was closed! Sad sad.
Thursday started early so we could get a head start on the day. We left the hostel and went to get a light breakfast to save room for lunch. Walked around the main square and found a normal looking coffee shop and got a good ol' cup of Joe. Actual drip COFFEE in Dublin. Yessss... The man who helped us at the register was SO INSANELY NICE. Even coming from southern california, I am not used to such genuine kindness from strangers. Quoting the man 'morning lads! You enjoy that coffee there, your trip going well?'....more conversation...'well have a grrrrreat time in Dublin boys, do come back'... okay so right then and there, the tone for our trip was set. It was official, the Irish are the nicest people I have ever met.
Walking through Dublin with a hot coffee in hand, check, walking shoes on, check, ready for my day.
Walked over to Trinity College, which is a major University in the city and it instantly trumped ESSEC in the looks category. This place looks like an old Irish castle, very VERY much to my liking. The students were all bustling around with books in their hand and looking very collegiate. Not so much at ESSEC, everyone runs around, but with a cigarette in the hand...très Français haha. I would love to say I go to this school, ahhhh, the feel of going to school in a castle. Would be so great. Though, I'm pretty sure their student housing might have issues with it being so old. HAHA I guess I have a better living situation.
Stopping off at the Tourism Office, which is housed in an old cathedral which has the interior remolded for the store, office, and cafe on the second floor. Really awesome remodel. Definitely a cool welcoming point for visitors to Dublin. All the employees were of course...VERY NICE and helpful with all our questions about what to do and where it all is on the map. I bought some fun things from the gift shop to remember Ireland.
Heading over to Temple Bar which is the main point for all buy pubs and things to do literally all day and all night until closing. Temple Bar is a really famous pub in the area and we were lucky enough to stop in just as the owner was hanging out in the main bar area. We had mentioned to the bar tender who had welcomed us in with 5 Guinness' where we were from and all that jazz, and he said 'oh our owner would love to meet people from San Diego'! Fun to chat with the guy and tell him his pub is awesome. He even let us take a picture with all of us behind the bar holding the taps like we were pouring a Guinness. So fun. It is on John's camera I think, so I will have to track it down. CLASSIC picture.
One of the highlights for me was going to the GUINNESS STOREHOUSE, birthplace of the wonderful stout, Guinness. The old storehouse has been fully converted into a modern tour house and was amazing to see what all goes into the making of this drink. All so interesting. This building was HUGE by the way, I dont remember how many floors, but so very large. At the top, which is the end of the tour, you get to the 'Gravity Bar' where you get your free pint of guinness for finishing the tour. The Gravity bar is one of the best bars I have seen so far. It is at the top of the storehouse with a 360degree glass view of Dublin. Filled with people and a bar tender woman on the mic welcoming everyone into her bar and to cheers to the new visitors to Dublin. So fun. My default facebook picture right now is from the Gravity Bar.
We then headed back to the hostel for a good nap before going out that night. Heading out that night we of course headed back to Temple Bar and John said it was a must to start the night off with a Guinness and a shot of Jameson Whiskey (we had done that tour also). Oh man, it is going to be this kind of night. Despite the tour at Jameson speaking of the sweet honey and vanilla notes in the whiskey, I have never tasted them because I shoot it down fast and follow with a beer. Sorry Jameson, I have never tasted you...i'm not a fan.. But, When i Rome, right?
Great live music in every pub we went to. We headed over to this other pub called 'The Porterhouse' which ended up being our favorite place for the weekend and we returned every night. We made best friends with one of the bar tenders who was a great gal. This 'pub' was pretty big, three stories, and a stage on the second for musicians. Such fun. They had booked great bands that weekend.
This weekend was special because it was and Ireland vs. Italy soccer match on Saturday night, so the Irish were a buzz and Dublin was invaded by hoards of Italians to watch it at the stadium. We felt it a MUST to get Ireland shirts, so that is what we did! Have to represent our host country! We had dinner and our waitress LOVED that we had our green on.
She ended up being so great John and I gave her our emails and said if she is ever in San Diego to contact us. We totally want our friends from around the world to come see our beautiful city. Especially because a lot of Europeans say they tend to meet Americans who arent that nice and what not... John and I definitely want to change that for everyone that we meet. We want the people we meet on our travels to think we are nice and welcoming people, just as they all have been for us.
We ended the trip the next morning with...(which was on the TOP of my to-do list) a Full Irish Breakfast. Oh yes, the best morning after...well for me, whenever meal! haha. It consisted of a fried egg, toast, two regular sausages, then one black sausgage, then one white sausage also, beans, ham, a slice of tomato, and some potatoes. ... Someone call the cardiologist in advance please. All I have to say is that it was AMAZZZZZING. A definite must if you like meat and all that is on the list =)
My conclusions on Dublin: I will definitely be returning here many times in my life and definitely returning this spring in March for St. Patrick's day. Dublin isn't as beautiful as Paris or have as many cool monuments, but what makes Dublin great are the people and the inviting pub culture that made us not feel foreign for once in our Euro adventures. I will also have to travel to the west, which is where we heard from many Dubliners is where the real Ireland is...ahhh, the Irish. Such a great feeling when I left. Honestly I didnt want to leave, but heading home was a nice feeling too. Getting back on the Metro felt familiar, like home, like Paris has become my home.
Much love from Paris, I will try to write more often.
No comments:
Post a Comment