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Published: August 28th 2009
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Sand sculpture
This large and detailed sand sculpture was one of four in Dublin Castle's Courtyard. After a little rack time, this morning I continued my training with a 5 mile run up to and through Phoenix Park and back. The cool air was a nice relief to the hot and humid weather in which I had been running for the past few months.
After a refreshing shower and some toast for breakfast, I set out to continue touring. I started with St Patrick’s Cathedral, a Catholic cathedral which is believed to have been built on the sight where St. Patrick was baptized.
Next was a walk around the grounds at Dublin Castle. I started with the gardens, an open lawn with narrow walking paths in the form of a Celtic design. This area featured many beds of bright flowers which accented the rich green lawn.
In the castle is a museum dedicated to Ireland’s Revenue department (basically the Irish version of the IRS). I toured this and found the exhibit on the creative ways that people smuggle goods into the country to be fascinating.
The castle’s main plaza featured a section with four sand sculptures. The detail embodied in these was amazing, especially the cracks of skin on an exhibit depicting praying
Man on the can
This was one of many displays within Dublinia. It is of a Dublin settler and describes how moss was a very common form of crack cleaning. The display had audio which conveyed that this gentleman must have ate something that disagreed with him as we could hear his moans and groans throughout the floor. hands.
From there I walked down the road to Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin’s Protestant Cathedral. Much like Protestant Christianity versus Catholicism, this cathedral was much less ornate than St. Patrick’s. There weren’t even pews - just simple folding chairs made of beige wood.
Across the street from Christ Church is Dublinia, a museum dedicated to the Vikings’ settling of Dublin and Dublin’s history. I toured this museum and actually learned something from and enjoyed its many hoakie exhibits.
Alas, it was time for the main event - a tour of the Guinness Storehouse. The Guinness Storehouse is Guinness’s version of Chocolate World as it is a replicated tour of the brewing process. Built on an old Guinness warehouse sight, the Storehouse describes the history of Guinness, holds the 9,000 year inflation unadjusted lease, depicts the brewing process, provides tourists with a sample to aid in the understanding of the tasting process and features a full pint of Guinness Draught at the end of the tour. This can be enjoyed in one of a few sampling rooms but, like me, most prefer to have it in the Gravity Bar, which overlooks most of Dublin.
Oddly, at least
Constable
Perhaps one of Swartz's ancestors? to me, the tasting of Guinness could be substituted with a soft drink. Other than for kids, people with allergies and maybe recovering alcoholics, this seemed strange to me. I am baffled why anyone would do a tour of Guinness and not try the product they just learned about. If I ever do anything noteworthy that justifies having a tour, it will be mandatory to try or participate in whatever it is that I made so famous. And in turn people might learn something about the product’s creator - he is stubborn and unsympathetic.
Finally, after Guinness and a walk up and down O’Connell Street, I grabbed dinner and a couple beers at a pub, where I drank O’Hara’s Stoudt off the cask, a draft of Castle Red and had a Guinness meat pie. This was much tastier than last night’s meal.
Tomorrow I leave Dublin for Belfast in Northern Ireland. Belfast is the home of Caffrey’s Irish Ale. Tours are apparently limited to groups but I’m going to try and finagle my way in anyway.
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