I always take holidays off work when I need a break but never actually do anything with it because my friends have no money/jobs which leads to me just bumming around with them. Not this time. I wanted to go somewhere - I saw some cheap-ass Ryanair flights to Dublin and back a few months ago so just impulse booked them.
After I had impulse booked them everyone was just telling me I hope I have savings, its an expensive place! Luckily my repayment from the bank fell through a week before!
I arrived pretty early and took a chance at trying to check in 3 hours before my check-in time. They advised me it would be around 15 minutes so I went round the corner and ordered a coffee, I'd been up since 4am. The coffee was a mega size!
Most of my mates were telling me to go straight to Temple Bar to get pissed, but I don't see the point in visiting other places if you're just going to get pissed. I bought a 3 Day Dublin Pass which allows free entry into the majority of visitor attractions. It is normally €65 but they were offering 10% off - I took a chance and said the stand in the airport had offered me 20% off but the woman put me off buying it there and then. She honoured the '20%' off so I got it for €52.00
First stop was Dublin Castle. I was going in pretty blind to it all, done no research on anything so it was all a surprise. The tour was very Irish history based, but I loved this because I always find the best way to learn is the 'practical' method rather than the 'theory' method.
Spot the modern amendments.
The castle courtyard.
We weren't allowed to take images inside the castle but I managed to sneak this one of a fanastically decored corridor.
Its a shame we didn't get to take photos of the inside as there was so much interesting stuff including the actual throne used by Queen Victoria back when the Irish Republic were under the British Monarch (it was initially built for King George IV who was grossly overweight and thats why the throne is ridiculously sized), and also the desk used on the inaugaration of every Irish Presidency where they sign their declaration of office.
After visiting the castle I decided to take a further walk down the road to the Guinness Storehouse. I initially wasn't going to visit here as its so clichéd along with me not really liking Guinness but I had this pass which let me in free so what the hell.
I'm glad I did, it was a great tour and has made me LOVE Guinness. The last time I had drunk Guinness was when I was around 15 swigged out of a can... NOT how its supposed to be drunk obviously so tasted awful and put me off.
As you arrive at the storehouse you get a brief introduction about the 9,000 year lease Arthur Guinness signed for the site of the brewery...
The whole storehouse is shaped like a pint glass... its hard to get an image of it really but this is looking up from the ground floor.
The first floor takes you through the ingredients used for Guinness, including water demonstrated in this fantastic waterfall
They then take you through the process, including this projection of the Barley being roasted...
Theres a floor about the transportation of Guinness but I didn't take many (any) photos here.
You then take a look through the various merchandise and advertising used throughout the years.
I'm realiably told that 7'6 is around 37.5p. Six cans for 37.5p? Amazing!
THE Harp.
So for dinner, I had Beef & Guinness Stew with Guinness Brown Bread and a pint of Guinness! I'm clearly getting into the spirit
It tasted unbelievable.
At the top of the factory is the "Gravity Bar" where you can redeem your free pint of Guinness and take in a 360 view of Dublin. Sadly for me it was a misty day providing lacklustre views.
I don't know if you can see it but just to the right of the middle of this image, there is a very thin line rising from the ground above the skyline. That is the Dublin Spire on O'Connell street which I have an image of later....
On the way out I got some randomer to take a photo of me in front of the Guinness gate, Hoyer has already twattingly point out the bint didn't get the whole logo in but whatever...
I went back to the guesthouse after this, the 4AM start was taking its toll and I needed a nap.
I went out round the Temple Bar area later for tea (or dinner!) and a few drinks. I tried Irish Coddle which is basically like Sausage Stew but they use a cream sauce instead of a gravy which was really sickly. I could only manage half of it!
I met some girl from Venezuela who had recently moved to Dublin a week ago and she took me to THE Temple Bar (Temple Bar is a distrcit of touristy pubs but there is a pub within the district actually called the Temple Bar). This is a photo of the bar part of Temple Bar.
3.00am came and I was done in, ready for bed so retired to the guest house for the end of Day 1!
After I had impulse booked them everyone was just telling me I hope I have savings, its an expensive place! Luckily my repayment from the bank fell through a week before!
I arrived pretty early and took a chance at trying to check in 3 hours before my check-in time. They advised me it would be around 15 minutes so I went round the corner and ordered a coffee, I'd been up since 4am. The coffee was a mega size!
Most of my mates were telling me to go straight to Temple Bar to get pissed, but I don't see the point in visiting other places if you're just going to get pissed. I bought a 3 Day Dublin Pass which allows free entry into the majority of visitor attractions. It is normally €65 but they were offering 10% off - I took a chance and said the stand in the airport had offered me 20% off but the woman put me off buying it there and then. She honoured the '20%' off so I got it for €52.00
First stop was Dublin Castle. I was going in pretty blind to it all, done no research on anything so it was all a surprise. The tour was very Irish history based, but I loved this because I always find the best way to learn is the 'practical' method rather than the 'theory' method.
Spot the modern amendments.
The castle courtyard.
We weren't allowed to take images inside the castle but I managed to sneak this one of a fanastically decored corridor.
Its a shame we didn't get to take photos of the inside as there was so much interesting stuff including the actual throne used by Queen Victoria back when the Irish Republic were under the British Monarch (it was initially built for King George IV who was grossly overweight and thats why the throne is ridiculously sized), and also the desk used on the inaugaration of every Irish Presidency where they sign their declaration of office.
After visiting the castle I decided to take a further walk down the road to the Guinness Storehouse. I initially wasn't going to visit here as its so clichéd along with me not really liking Guinness but I had this pass which let me in free so what the hell.
I'm glad I did, it was a great tour and has made me LOVE Guinness. The last time I had drunk Guinness was when I was around 15 swigged out of a can... NOT how its supposed to be drunk obviously so tasted awful and put me off.
As you arrive at the storehouse you get a brief introduction about the 9,000 year lease Arthur Guinness signed for the site of the brewery...
The whole storehouse is shaped like a pint glass... its hard to get an image of it really but this is looking up from the ground floor.
The first floor takes you through the ingredients used for Guinness, including water demonstrated in this fantastic waterfall
They then take you through the process, including this projection of the Barley being roasted...
Theres a floor about the transportation of Guinness but I didn't take many (any) photos here.
You then take a look through the various merchandise and advertising used throughout the years.
I'm realiably told that 7'6 is around 37.5p. Six cans for 37.5p? Amazing!
THE Harp.
So for dinner, I had Beef & Guinness Stew with Guinness Brown Bread and a pint of Guinness! I'm clearly getting into the spirit
It tasted unbelievable.
At the top of the factory is the "Gravity Bar" where you can redeem your free pint of Guinness and take in a 360 view of Dublin. Sadly for me it was a misty day providing lacklustre views.
I don't know if you can see it but just to the right of the middle of this image, there is a very thin line rising from the ground above the skyline. That is the Dublin Spire on O'Connell street which I have an image of later....
On the way out I got some randomer to take a photo of me in front of the Guinness gate, Hoyer has already twattingly point out the bint didn't get the whole logo in but whatever...
I went back to the guesthouse after this, the 4AM start was taking its toll and I needed a nap.
I went out round the Temple Bar area later for tea (or dinner!) and a few drinks. I tried Irish Coddle which is basically like Sausage Stew but they use a cream sauce instead of a gravy which was really sickly. I could only manage half of it!
I met some girl from Venezuela who had recently moved to Dublin a week ago and she took me to THE Temple Bar (Temple Bar is a distrcit of touristy pubs but there is a pub within the district actually called the Temple Bar). This is a photo of the bar part of Temple Bar.
3.00am came and I was done in, ready for bed so retired to the guest house for the end of Day 1!
