Trip to Dublin

Guinness Factory, Dublin
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Trip to Dublin

I arrived in Dublin travelled  by bus to the city centre of Dublin in about 20 minutes. On arrival I went to the Tourist Info on the famous O'Connell Street  (the street with a huge tall metal monument in the centre).

the cherry on top of the cake was the pint of Guinness from Gravity Bar on the top floor of the building

After walking over the River and into Temple Bar area I eventually checked in to my hotel. The streets were really busy but t'was a good atmosphere. Being a fan of history I went to the National Museum and spent a good bit of time there.

Temple Bar, Dublin
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All manner of exhibits and some shared celtic history... but there was no mention of King Robert Bruce's brother who was King of Ireland for a time. Some political history I'd hoped to see concerning the Easter Rising had been moved to another museum - so an excuse to go back again. I did some shopping on Grafton Street and got some food. A mixture of UK and Irish Highstreet stores. The Irish shops have more character to them though!

In the evening I went to Boomerang nightclub at Temple Bar. Nice busy venue with 3 bars and livelymusic. Was there until half two then went back to my hotel. Needed to check-out next day....

The Spire of Dublin, getting cleaned.
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Guinness Factory & Tourist Bus

The next day I had an awesome breakfast: Fresh OJ, fresh baked fruit scone and a pain au chocolate. Marvellous. Then I checked out and went on the City Bus Tour. The weather was manky, deranged and miserable so staying undercover was my main aim since I was wheeling around my luggage.

Anyway, the Bus Tour was great and the driver told some groovy stories as we drove around the Dublin Landmarks. Value for money. I stopped off at the Guinness Factory and spent about 3 hours there. It was packed with excellent displays, old adverts, machinery, shop, restaurant and bars spread over 6 floors... and the cherry on top of the cake was the pint of guinness from the "Gravity Bar" on the top floor of the building. A circular glass viewing platform where you can see the whole of the city skyline... piped Irish music in the background and bar in the centre of the room which dispenses nothing but Guinness. Paradise?

Gravity Bar, Dublin.
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Back onboard the bus and I completed the City Tour taking in about 22 worthy landmarks.

As I went to find the airport bus I was interviewed for Irish television news about that big steel monument in O'Connell Street! It was being cleaned up at huge cost and disruption to the taxpayer - not to mention uprooting trees and phone kiosks to bring in a gigantic crane!  I'm told the locals don't like it but its a great marker for finding your way around.

Onward to the airport and back to Glasgow.