Guinness Gives You Strength

This weekend we have guests! Maggie came in to visit from Paris with Alicia and brought her friend Anna. They arrived at UCD at about noon, and after dropping off their stuff, we headed to the city centre. Now when you have guests you are finally able to show off your skills and experience about your new foreign home. We took them through St. Stephen's Green and down Grafton Street which was particularly lively today with street performers due to the incredibly spring like weather. We headed towards Temple Bar area in hopes of grabbing something to eat at the Bad Ass Cafe, but it was closed so we ended up going to the Quay's Restaurant. Quay is actually pronounced "key" which we learned in Blarney from Carol Hallahan. We had a very peppy waitress and we ordered burgers, stew, salad, and paninis. All delicious and filling. It was a very cute restaurant and the food was mighty tasty.

(The Quays Restaurant where we had lunch)

Afterwards, I took them along the River Liffey to the Guinness Storehouse. We decided it was a nice tourist event to see and we had yet to experience it. We took some touristy photos by the main gate, St. James', of which the Guinness Legacy has a 9,000 year lease on. That means in like 10,100 Guinness could still be occupying that space. The tour was 11 euro for students and included a pint at the end of the tour. Basically, you walk around and see what goes into the beer...barley, hops, water, yeast (from what I remember) and just about that.

Making beer is an intense operation. It was actually a very cool museum type place. We got to sample some freshly brewed Guinness (about 7-10 days old) and it still tasted awful to me. Not a fan. We looked at old advertisements that declare that Guinness is good for you and Guinness gives you strength. Questionable advertising. Also, we found out that the Guinness Book of World Records is linked to the Guinness beer, as it was first published to end disagreements about the fastest, biggest, or whatever things in pub talk. The storehouse itsself is a giant pint glass in the center, with the "foam" part being the Gravity Bar at the top where you get your free pint. After enjoying the tour, we headed up. I ended up getting a Fanta, since I was still full from lunch, Guinness is like a meal, and I do not enjoy the bitter barley taste. We had a great 360 degree view of all of Dublin, so it was a great atmosphere.

It was about 5 when we left the storehouse and we headed back into Grafton Street area, taking a few detours so our wondrous guests could see Dublin Caste, Christ Church Cathedral, and Trinity College. We got back on the bus and headed home. We ended up eating a light dinner from Centra-- and I found Crispy M&Ms. I loved Crispy M&Ms and then they discontinued them in the States. It was a great find but they tasted different then at home. OR at least what I remembered.

Anna and Maggie wanted to experience Dublin night life so we took them to Temple Bar. It was so packed that you couldn't move. A French man wearing a beret and a red scarf tried to grab my hand when I walked by him. It was really strange, and he looked like the Frenchman from the final scene in the Mask when Jim Carrey has to paint a flush leveler to save Cameron Diaz. Anyway, it was odd. After I rejected him, he moved on to trying to hold Maggie's hand. Also rejected. It was too packed to stay there even though I liked the music so we headed down the street to Fitzsimmons. I had heard good things about it, so I thought we should give it a shot. There was live music on the main level but it was packed and we all wanted to sit down so we ended up going to the roof top terrance. Thank you Dublin weather and heat lamps for making it somewhat comfortable to sit outside in February. We chilled there for a bit before heading downstairs to a room in which Shaggy "It wasn't me" and Mambo #5 were playing. We sat there for a bit then decided to wander down the street to Porterhouse. Also hopping. The blues singer was back but it was kind of giving me a headache so we decided to head home. Our visitors and us had a long day.

Anna is staying with me so we pulled the couch into my room and made a makeshift pillow out of a pillowcase stuffed with clothes. Ingenius, I think yes. I called my favorite brother to wish him a Happy 24th Birthday.... he is worth the phone call. It was good to talk to him. :) I also now really want cake, thanks for the mental picture Allie Jones.

That was a very abbreviated version of a busy day, but I'll add photos later. It's almost 1:30 and we're going on a day trip tomorrow so I have to be up early.