Third Ireland Post: Guinness, Jack The Horse, Dublinia, and Christ Church
This was a big day! The day many people told us would be a highlight.
We were headed to the Guinness Brewery.
We had learned from our touring of the previous day that getting to Guinness early would be our best best for an enjoyable tour.
We took this advice to heart.
We popped down to the Luas, took it into the city, and walked to the brewery. With not much of a crowd, we quickly bought our tickets, and headed up and in.
Here’s the tour you can take online: Guinness Storehouse.
After a brief introduction in the main hall, the self-guided tour takes you and up into the brewery, explaining the history of Guinness, how that history is interwoven with the history of Dublin, and a wonderful exhibit gallery that has portrayals of present and historical figures talking about how Guinness impacted/s their world.
This gallery was done with large, motion-activated video screens, Hogwarts picture style. I found it fascinating, and Monkey made the time to stand before each portrait and listen to the character’s tale. This was one reason I was glad we arrived early. This room would have been very difficult to savor if it had been crowded.
Gravity Bar was another area where I was grateful for being early. We were able to get seats, which is unusual, so we were able to savor our drinks while we gazed out over Dublin.
It was fascinating to watch the people pour the Guinness from the tap. They pour, pour, pour the rich, dark, caramel liquid in, running it down the side of the glass. It foams up, and they stop pouring. They set the glass down to let the “solids” settle, then they top it off. The whole process takes about 2 1/2 minutes. I saw one couple get reprimanded three times by the bar tender with, “No, it’s not ready yet. No, don’t pick it up.”
She obviously felt they weren’t giving credit and awe where it was due.
After our drinks, we headed down to the gift shop.
After Guinness, we had one of the highlights for the girls. A line of horse-drawn carriages was waiting outside the brewery, and we loaded up for our trip downtown.
Martin, our driver, and Jack, our horse, were very willing to have the girls climb up on the seat so they could be right in on the action. The Buster was happy being snuggled in the carriage with Buds and me.
It will be one of the highlights of the trip for the girls.
Jack dropped us off downtown so we could go to Dublinia, an interactive museum to learn about being Vikings and that part of Irish History.
First we wandered around to find a pizza parlor. Monkey declared it the best pizza ever, which may have been her way of balancing The Buster not caring for it much.
The other highlight of the pizza parlor was the owner talking with us, and when he asked about “the three girls,” we said, “One boy, two girls,” he was literally shocked. He peeked out the window at the children who were waiting outside for us, and said to Buds, “Which one is the boy?” Even after Buds told him what The Buster was wearing, he still responded with, “A boy? Really?”
It totally cracked us up. Apparently he’d not seen a boy with long hair before, and apparently he thought we might not be able to tell gender very well in The States. The Buster does have delicate features, and he doesn’t mind being called a girl, so we just laugh when it happens.
On to Dublinia!!
Most of us loved the Dublinia Exhibit. Much fascinating information to read and think about. Buster had hoped for more interactive materials, as well as almost a guidebook about how to be a Viking, so he was disappointed. We did find some weapons to take home, as well as a Horrible History of Ireland we didn’t own, so those were wins.
Christ Church Cathedral is across the street from Dublinia, so we managed to squeeze in the children’s first Cathedral on this day, too. This is rather small, by Cathedral standards, but lovely. Monkey had no interest in going down to the crypt, but the rest of us went down, and I had to laugh upon discovering they have a cafe down there.
We were tired after this full day, so one last ride home on the on-off bus, and we prepared to head out of Dublin the next morning.
Next up: More driving practice and a cemetery…unrelated events.
