It was a bit hard leaving the hostel in Edinburgh. I'd lived and worked there for 5 weeks and had become pretty close with the people staying long term at the hostel. There was a brother figure, a sister figure, a father figure and a mother figure.. We even called here Mum!
My flight pulled in at around 9:20am in Dublin airport. The flight only took an hour but I slept literally from the moment I put my seatbelt on to the moment rubber made contact with the tarmac. The quickest flight ever!
I haven't had long to get a real feel for Dublin yet, only having been here for two days but from what I see, the next two weeks is geared to be a cracking time! Dublin itself isn't quite what I imagined. I expected a really dull, grey and cold city but thanks to the walking tour I did yesterday I was exposed to a whole new perspective. What's more is the history. Like many other European capitals, Dublin boasts a whole world of antique buildings, lanes and stories which the Irish are only too keen to tell. The Irish themselves are amongst the most friendly people I've come across so far on this trip. It's amazing. They actually say sorry when they bump into you here on the street. I was shocked haha.
The walking tour itself covered a whole range of things. Our guide talked passionately about everything from old Celtic and Viking routes right through the tale behind the Easter rising to the rising of U2. He even took us to the the venue where they were first noticed. The venue for their celebratory pint was just across the road!
Speaking of pints, after the tour I was quite buggered from all the walking we'd done but as our guide wrapped up his talk he pointed out the Guinness factory which towered over the city in the distance. My afternoon had just become booked out... This factory was AMAZING. Like nothing you've ever seen. I haven't been to every brewery in the world but I wouldn't be too bothered in saying that the Guinness factory would have to have the best brewery tour available. They've converted this old fermenting plant into this massive tourist centre. It's about 9 stories high and at the top there's this 360 degree panoramic platform bar where you're offered your complimentary pint at the end of the tour. The views of the city were grand!
The night before, together with some Aussie girls from the hostel, we went to the world renowned Temple Bar area. The Temple Bar is this massive network of traditional Irish pubs and bars bound together by a cobble-stoned road. As the cultural centre of the city, the Temple Bar has a whole range of things to see. Everything from traditional folk music to men in big leprecon suits!
We thought it was only right to have my first pint of Guinness at the Temple Bar's Temple Bar. I gotta hand it to the place, it is a crackin' little venue. They have live music on offer at night and the place just has a good vibe whatever time you're there. It was about 8pm when I went to the bar and asked for one pint of "your finest Guinness". When this cheeky little Irish fella told me how much it was I thought I was having trouble hearing him over the live music so I asked him again: "How much sorry mate?".. To which he repeated: "Yes mate, you heard right. 7 Euros. Welcome to Ireland." .... THAT'S 14 AUSSIE BUCKS!!!
... We only had one pint there.
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