1/26/18 – 1/28/18
Dublin, Ireland
As we landed, the morning sun was rising, illuminating the
Irish landscape surrounding Dublin. After the friendliest customs experience,
we took a double-decker bus to the city center. We met up with our friend and
gracious host Andrew Love at the Google Dublin office. After a quick nap at his
apartment, we rented bikes and made our way to the Guinness Storehouse. This
was much easier said than done. With no cell service or Google maps, we took
off on the left side of the road. No less than twenty wrong turns and a tumble
over the trolley rails later, we arrived at Guinness an hour and a half after our
ticket time. They kindly let us on the next tour, and we learned all about the
history, advertising, and distribution of one of the most recognized beers in
the world. The tour ended at a rooftop bar featuring a 360-degree view of
Dublin in all of its hazy glory.
Full of Guinness, we headed to the Temple Bar
district of Dublin to meet Andrew for some local seafood. After we got our fill
of local prawns, mussels, and oysters, we left the restaurant tired, happy, and
ready for the journey ahead.
Saturday started out with brunch at Farmer Brown’s. After a
recovery meal and some relaxation at the apartment, we headed off to the old
Jameson Distillery. At Jameson, we learned a great deal about Ireland’s most
popular whiskey and got the chance to sample and compare it to Jack Daniels and
Johnnie Walker Black, which are the top selling American and Scotch whiskeys,
respectively. Later that night, we returned to the Temple Bar district for a
birthday party for Andrew’s coworker, Aida. It was a circus-themed soiree,
complete with a rented private room at a bar, clown noses, and a photo booth.
After the soiree, we soldiered on to Copper Face Jacks to continue a night of
dancing and drinking with new friends.
Sunday was a relaxing day with a walk around town. We enjoyed
a night in eating Thai takeout and watching Parts
Unknown for our last night in Dublin.
