Fresh from a nap and ready to rock, we went to the only other brewery other than Guinness located in Dublin, Porterhouse. They had a live cover band, which played everything from Bob Marley to Pink Floyd, stopping on Tom Petty and Aerosmith. Right at home. The atmosphere was cool, but as we quickly learned, the big 3 cities (Dublin, Paris, and London) are quite keen on squeezing that dollar out of us. Not this Jew. I managed to score a free sample and a pint of Hersburcker for 5 euro after boasting that California's plethora of micro-brewing was far superior to any of Europe's attempts. Success! After a pint, Becki and I decided that we would turn in. McDonald's runs 24 hours, that's how that story ended.
-Thursday-
I awoke excited as shit. Today we would go to Guinness! And recoup all of the forgotten/lost items of our lives! Early was not in Becki's cards, and after losing her breakfast and lunch, she caught up on some much needed sleep. I couldn't wait, I went downstairs, planned out a couple stops on the search for a new phone charger (the converter fried mine) and a new camera charger for Bex. It's common knowledge in America that Kodak is known for its film making, yet somehow, their cameras find their way into the hands of innocents trying to save a buck. This couldn't be more apparent in Dublin. Only one licensed dealer. The first camera shop experience ended quite good- the assistant gave us the streets and names of the other shops in Dublin, but giggled as we mentioned Kodiak. When you're the butt end of an industry inside joke, things seem bleak.
Our first stop was St. Stephen's Green- let me stop here. If you have never been to Europe, continue reading. The prevalence of gardens and parks seamlessly blended into the intertwined streets, alleys, and paths throughout Dublin, is breathtaking. You may find yourself in what could have the makings of a slum from New York and come upon what looks like a Garden of Eden. And the word, "park", is but merely an under-appreciated compliment. These parks are so well designed, maintained, and choreographed, you feel as though you are walking amongst aristocrats discussing who has better cheese whiz- it's both daunting and humbling. Abundantly alive arrangements of poppys, rhododendrons, and chrysanthemums add contrast and vibrancy; cement and stone exemplify the necessity of remembrance that has succeeded without question. We leave the park in search of many new things- ha! I kid, just the stupid camera and phone charger. On the next street east of the park, we discover a cellphone store, and after much confusion over the differences in European model names for American phones, I exit victorious! Now to tackle the Kodakism in Dublin. After arriving at what appeared to be another shoddy camera shack (not bitter), the cashier offers to charge the phone for 10e- which, in part desperation and part shame, we accept. 2 hours to kill before that finishes. Off to a coffee shop. Along the way, we stop into a quaint little church, which to my amazement, could be on the list of reasons why I should be Catholic. The stained glass portrayals of the betrayal and crucifixion of Christ, the story of Peter, and portraits of Mary were beautifully restored and well paired with the ivory tones of the churches' Gothic archways and Roman columns.
Alas, sans camera, it will only be recorded to memory. Beautiful.
After retrieving the camera, we head to the Christ Church Cathedral located in the center of town- wow. My words can barely serve justice, so I hope you get a chance to see the pictures. There was a crypt with buried gifts from Kings around the world, a 4 story organ, and tombs that you didn't know existed outside of rumors. It seems I've become a little biased in my comparisons between America and Ireland, so let me clarify. Ireland has a lot of warmth, help. and beauty. Dublin still remains one of the last port cities in which the portways run through the city, lined with spectacular architecture, the infamous church designs, and beautiful gardens. But under a lot of beauty lies many issues, that if you are reading for the sights and sounds of Europe, again I ask you to move to the next paragraph. Dublin, for all it's beauty, is the shining light in Ireland. As of now, they (Ireland) are in one of the worst recessions, and are struggling mightily to balance the security of the EU with the power of indepedent work forces. A new bill, called "Lisbon", at a glance will add more jobs, but drop the minimum wage to an big time low-1.84e, which amounts to roughly $3.24 an hour- minus taxes. But yet there aren't any homeless save a beggar here and there, and the streets are meticulously clean. You wouldn't assume the disparity without the closer look. That being said, here are my complaints, enough of theirs. Ireland is an island, and with that comes a restricted diet due to tariffs, taxes, and the inability to have a large produce selection due to a 200 day rainy season. The oranges, apples, coffee, water, bread, and liquor selection suck. And suck bad.
So the dream of hungover mornings saved by delicious breakfasts quickly dissipated to much sadness. But I said liquor... not beer. And the selection sucks... but when you have Jamison and Bushmills, who needs anything else?
The Guinness brewery, for anyone who appreciates the art (yes, art!) of beer production is Eden. It is the largest privately owned piece of land in the city. In spans nearly 10 blocks (1 mile) and is on the southern side, but practically dead center in the city. Quick facts, not off the pamphlet- the initial lease was $340 and $45 a year for the land, and a DIRECT ACCESS to the main source of water for the city. That means before it goes to every home in the area, Guinness gets 1st stab at it. Did I mention they have a 9000 year lease? It's
encased in the front room of the brewery's lobby. Ridiculous. I don't care if you don't like Guinness, you have to respect the sheer brilliance of the business practices. The tour was self-guided (awesome), had great videos, and ended in a free pint at the Gravity Bar, Dublin's tallest accessible tower (the Spires in Phoenix Park and on O'Connell street are around the same height). The view and beer up there are breathtaking. Also, for you beer heads, the Guinness Foreign Export is not available in America, and it's fucking delicious-
too bad for you. As soon as we leave it rains hard for about 5 minutes, and clears to sunshine- all you Humboldt county readers, I swear to you, it's exactly like home. Seattle, it's like you plus actual sunshine.
We make it home, dry off, and cook some food.
Updates will become sparse; the hostel we were staying at lost internet for a day or two. On the note, the one we stayed in was around $15 a night per person, has a kitchen, tv, extra computers, and was a great resource. Thanks to Laura at Abbey Court!
Cheers.
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