Sorry for that short last post, but I thought it was very funny.

Now to my trip to Dublin.  Its really hard to describe how great it was in typing, but I will try to do my best to give you a small picture.

We left here at 6:45 and got to Dublin at about 9 in the morning on Sat.  We were going to grab a bus company that would pick us up and drop us off basically at our own convenience at the main tourist destinations around the city.  We decided against that and just started to walk.  Like the stereotypical tourists with our big backpacks and our old fashion map. (peoples iphone's internet does not work here except in wifi areas).  The map was great though!  We basically walked the span of O'Connell street on our first leg.  It is the main drag that runs straight through the middle of the city and across the River Liffey.  Across the river from our bus stop was the Spire.  Not really quit sure what its there for to be honest, but still kind of a cool structure.

Then we thought about where we were going and basically figured out that we walked the exact opposite direction from Trinity College which was literally right across the street from our bus stop so we went back.  Trinity College was BEATIFUL!  THe greenest grass in the world and all stone buildings were very very cool.

We walked across the Greens to the library where the Book of Kells is held, but seeing it was a very long queue (line) and very expensive.  I know bad excuse, but we took pictures of the sign instead.

We then took the short walk from the college to Grafton street which is the main high end shopping area of DUblin.  Obviously I did not buy anything, but it was a very cool walk.  I am becoming a huge fan of streets that cars do not drive on.  It seems that all cities here have street that are forbidden to drive on except emergency vehicles.  It really adds something and I think they are really cool.

We then walked across the city making small pitstops to site see, but if I wrote about the small stops I would be writing FOREVER.  We went and had a snack and a few beers at the oldest pub in Ireland.  Brazen Head (we for whatever reason pronounced it wrong and were quickly corrected) BRAY-zen...It was a littel pub and Inn and very very cool.  We ate in the small courtyard in the heart of the pub.

Finally we made it to seemingly the most cherished piece of Irish culture.  The GUINNESS factory.  All joking aside the pride taken in this stout (beer) is truly remarkable.  And the Irish people really do take pride in brewing the best guiness (it is now brewed in like 50 countries i think).  The Guinness we drink in the states is not only not NEARLY as good as it is here, but it is not brewed here.  With its popularity only a select few people actually drink the Guinness brewed behind St. James Gate.  Authur Guinness is the founder and has his own holiday coming up this week Thursday I believe.  ARTHUR's DAY.  At the end of the tour I became officially licensed to poor guinness.

Fun fact for the day the harp is a traditional Irish trademark (it is on the back of multiple coins).  It is also the trademark of Guinness.  Guinness used the harp before the Irish government and the Harps actually face opposite directions.

After a very long day and a grand pub crawl on Saturday, Sunday was a struggle.  We knew there were a few things we had to do before we left, but the backpacks felt a lot heavier.  Also, Sunday was the day of the All Ireland Final for Irish football (close to the superbowl) the streets were full of green and gold for Donegal and green and red for Mayo.  It was very cool!!! Except the Donegal is close to the farthest north part of Ireland (farther north than most of Northern Ireland, but still part of the Irish Republic).  The people from the North have such a thick accent that you literally cannot understand a word they are saying.  I was relieved to hear that even other Irish cannot understand them at all, but it was kind of funny.  It was like they spoke a different language.

Sunday we did three major things walk ALOT AGAIN, see St. Patricks Cathedral, and the Jameson Distillery.  St. Patricks was absolutely incredible.  The amount of history in those walls was ABSOLUTELY incredible.  The feeling in there was sort of indescribable and the beauty was definitely indescribable.  

We walked to the Jameson Distillery, but we remembered how much walking it took to get through the 7 floors of the guinness factory and it was quite expensive.  So we decided to see how much we could see for free and move on.  And bought my best purchase in Ireland a Flat hat.  That barrel in picture two is the barrel that held the first batch of Jameson.

And here is what this long two days did to us...

IN OUR HATS!