The Dublin Report

Having only two full-days to explore Dublin was not nearly enough to see all it had to offer, but I tried to make the most of my time. My hotel was about 40 minutes away from the city-center, so I had to access it with a tram (Dublin has no Subway system - the first time in a year I didn't have access to one).

The center is really where the bulk of the action happens, with countless museums, galleries, cultural centers, and general entertainment. I spent yesterday just waking around it, enjoying several museums. They are free, but most don't allow cameras.

The weather is pretty cold, hovering between 9 and 15 degrees, with a constantly strong wind. There's also sparkles of rain every few hours - nothing big, just enough to make those cold, underdressed, uninformed tourists pop-out from the locals (Yep - I popped out).

Today, I visited Dublin Castle, which was somewhat unimpressive; it houses a few exhibits, but is largely used as a government complex. There didn't appear to be much left from the original structure, which dates back to the 13th century.

The day was redeemed, though, when I visited the Guinness Storehouse - a 7-floor exhibition very near the Guinness breweries. It talks of the history of Guinness, the brewing process, advertising, and so on. This year, it's celebrating the 250th anniversary of the beer - which started in 1759. At the time of the creation of the complex, Arthur Guinness signed a 9000 year lease with the city - costing him a whopping £45 a year.

The place offered free 'tasting samples', as well as a free Pint at the end of the visit, while sitting in a bar that gives a panoramic view of Dublin. Needless to say, it was a terrific visit.




















Well, that's it.

Tomorrow I finally head home - I leave at 9:00am from here, and land in Ottawa (after a short stopover in Newark) at 2:40pm. Lets hope storm Danny doesn't give me too rough a ride.

Being able to say 'I'll be home tomorrow' feels incredible - I'm very excited, and will see all of you very very soon.

Happy Friday!