Day Two: European Adventure

(Molly Post)

It was a little hard to get started on day two. The jet lag was a little more difficult for me than Cody. But we were up and out by 11:30. Unfortunately, we missed breakfast at Bewleys, so we wandered around Temple Bar for a little while trying to find someplace that served brunch all day. We found a small cafe, enjoyed an Irish breakfast, and decided to head straight to the Guinness Factory. When I lived in Dublin, I made it to the factory once...but only to the bar at the top. This time, I was determined to go on the tour. Below is a picture of the crystal clear water Guinness uses to brew their beer (it's not from the Liffey).

In the old days, they used wooden casks to transport the Guinness around the world. They had a video showing how they made the barrels - Cody was enthralled by it.

They had a wall where you could leave a comment. Most said something along the lines of "I was here" or "I love Guinness". Cody had a different idea... He wanted to make sure all tourists to the factory knew Jesse smells bad...what a big brother!

At the end of the tour, you get a free pint at the Gravity Bar - a circular bar at the top of the factory with windows that look out on the city. Below is a picture looking back toward Temple Bar.

We decided to hoof it back to the hostel along the Liffey. Along the way, Cody remembered the Oldest Pub in Ireland was right around the corner. We couldn't miss that! There is a hotel over the bar...maybe that's where we will stay on our next trip...

After trying a few half-pints of beer, we made our way back to city center.

Before dinner, Cody wanted to check out the Smallest Pub in Ireland, which is near St. Stephen's Green. It is very small - maybe 20 people can fit standing. Steps take you down to a small room with a miniture bar. We enjoyed a pint there before heading back to Temple Bar.

For dinner, we went to the Quays (pronounced "keys"). The food was delicious, but the service was a little slow. Cody kept me entertained as we waited for the check.

We finished off the night at Gogarty's with a little music. It was our last night in Dublin and we both were sad to be leaving, but our excitement for the warmth of Southern Italy was growing.