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Published: December 8th 2008
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Adventures formally known as:
Welcome to Dublin. What the F**K is that!:
Where are all the Irish people at? and--
Give some magic tits, Christmas?
Sláinte chugat!
So Kaitlyn ad I flew over to Dublin in order to start our Ireland adventure, an adventure it was. We landed around seven and were greeted by this strange half completed structure that looked a little- well sketch. We have traveled enough to realize that every airport basically the same, you are not going to walk out and be greeted by a quaint Irish village but, what we later found out would be a new terminal, was a little off putting.
So to make a long and cold story short, we missed our free transport bus (they changed their pick up times and failed to inform anyone) but we made it to the hostel in one piece after having to be in a bus full of load annoying American student (We can not seem to escape them anywhere and they just give the rest of us a bad name.)
The hostel was... functional. Some interesting folks stayed their with us, which is a given when
Our View
That be the commerce building across the street from Paddy's Palace. traveling on a budget.
Our day in Dublin started early, on a bright, cold day. We started out with a hunt for St. Patrick's. The church was lovely and we were hoping to hear the choir sing but one of the wee lads fell down some of the marble stairs and had to be taken out by medics. He was okay but they just wanted to be safe.
One part of St. Pat's that was haunting was the memorial to the ranks that served in the two world wars. The flags that fly there where the ones that the men carried into battle, they were all torn and blackened. Really made you stop and think.
As legend has it, Saint Patrick's was the origin of the expression "chancing your arm" (meaning to take a risk), when Gerald, Earl of Kildare cut a hole in a door there, still to be seen, and thrust his arm through it, in an effort to call a truce with another Earl, James of Ormond, in 1492. Ormond had locked himself and some of his men in a room in the church. Kildare new that if the conflict was allowed to keep
going so many more men would die because of it. He tried to get Ormond to agree to call off the fighting but he would not open the door. Kildare, to show his sincerity cut a hole in the door with a hatchet and reached through to shake hands.
Next to the church, which -SURPRISE- was under construction is a very nice park where it is said the holy the spring that St. Patrick would christen children with is there.
From there we wandered through Dublin 8 in order to find the infamous Guinness Storehouse. I was surprised at how much I liked it, not a huge fan of the brew but the museum was great. My favorite part was the video they had made decades ago of a traditional cooper making the barrels. Made me long for the days of skilled craftsmen, using nothing but wood, iron tools, fire and his two hands and eyes to make a flawless piece.
(I know, I am a major nerd)
Kailtyn and I enjoyed lunch of guinness beef stew and a guinness burger, while looking out over Dublin. We made it to the top where we had our pint
It doesn't look like Philly!
This was one of the few parts on the banks that didn't look like Philly Pa. of Guinness. I drank all of mine, Kaitlyn had maybe a fourth. We both say it is crap that it is made from pure spring water and all these special components, it is water from the river Liffey and dirt from Phoenix Park. (Both still a 100% Irish)
After our pints and a very long walk, in which we got lost in Dublin 8 (Never trust a frenchmen for direction while in Dublin.) we made it to our final adventure Kilmainham Gaol.
Kilmainham Gaol was built in 1792, it is Ireland's most famous disused prison. It held throughout the years many famous Nationalists and Republicans in members of the Society of United Irishmen (1798), Young Irelanders (c1840s), Fenians and Land agitators, Parnell, Davitt. The leaders of the 1916 Ester Rising were executed here.
The prison was closed in 1924. This building gives a good insight into the history of Irish Republicanism and the 'newest' cell block as been used in many movies. The museum is very well set up with a lot of hands one things and the tour guides are well informed and engaging. We give the Gaol five stars and a must visit if you
St. Patrick's
This side was not under construction. are in Dublin and have any interest in Irish national history.
Our day was fun but a few things worried us. We had hardly met any Irish people, one waiter, our tour guide at the Gaol and a nice old women who helped us with directs were the old ones we met. Plus while walking back to center city from the Gaol we got to walk along a six lane highway- unlike in Edinburgh everyone drives and no one seems to walk in Dublin- Kaitlyn misread a billboard. You have most likely seem the one where it is Santa and a small child that reads "Give some magic this Christmas" and it is about Coke, yeah well Kaitlyn read it as "Give some magic tits Christmas." We laughed the rest of the way back to the hostel.
Dublin was fun, but I wouldn't want to spend more than a day or two there. I am not a city gal, give me the countryside, but we had fun, had a few laughs, and with a little luck didn't get hit by the trains on the new tram system.
Slán leat!
xox Vanessa
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