LISA

Dublin Day 1

Feeling more than a little decadent and quite rebellious we caught a flight to Dublin Thursday morning after only 3days back at uni. It was a new experience, this international flying that's shorter than domestic Australian flights. The flight was so quick we were only at cruising altitude for about 20mins, and we arrived in Dublin (with just our little day packs - packing light) before lunch time. We caught a bus to our accommodation, went shopping and checked in all before 2pm.

On our self-guided Iwalk tour to the 'home of Guinness' (the Guinness Storehouse) we got our first taste of Irish feistiness in the form of a huge protest march. The marchers, who were mostly old farmers, punctuated our walk with chants, whistles and fog-horns - quite entertaining.

Arriving at the Guinness Storehouse we were amused to find ourselves standing inside "the world's largest pint". Putting aside the issues with having different sized set measurements (it's like saying the world's largest litre), we took it as it was intended meaning the largest Guinness glass. It was effectively a giant glass and steel surrounded hole down through the middle of all of the floors shaped like a pint of Guinness. It entertained me anyway.

The self guided tour took us through the ingredients, the brewing, the history, tasting, advertising, storing (videos of talented coopers making the casks by hand) and transport of Guinness. Highlights were: tasting the roasted barley, the CGI assisted machinery that looked like it was actually working, the cooperage and the ad-campaigns for the iconic brand.

Upon reaching the 'head' of the giant Guinness we were rewarded with a free pint, and a breathtaking, 360degree, panoramic view of Dublin in the Gravity Bar. Quickly getting over the taste but determined to finish my pint I downed it a bit too fast (now is the time I mention I've never had a pint of anything before - except orange juice) and was feeling rather odd as we made our way down the seven flights of steps to the shop and then home for dinner. I was, however, perfectly aware of everything I was doing and didn't make a fool of myself, and have sworn off ever drinking a pint of anything again. :D