After a late arrival, we settled into our hotel. While perfectly adequate, it was a step down from our prior accommodations. In Bratislava, we basically stayed in a tiny castle. In Budapest, it was a B&B, but clearly a local-owned one. In Dublin, we stayed in a chain hotel. Anyway, we weren’t there for the hotel room, so it was fine enough.
We started the day with Dublin Castle. I don’t think we were here when we came to Dublin nearly 18 years ago. In fact, I only recall seeing Trinity College’s library and the Book of Kells when we came previously. Sadly, this is another one of those places where you can only see some parts on a guided tour, so we stuck with the palace parts which we could self-tour. Dublin Castle is a working palace, and while the president doesn’t live here, official events are still held here when other global dignitaries visit.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral was next. In Dublin, we found that most sights included audio guides (either hand-held or as a phone app). These were not things we experienced in Budapest or Bratislava. While I do like to learn about what I’m looking at, I am not convinced that the audio guide is my favorite. Sometimes the written visual placard is less intrusive.
St. Patrick’s Cathedral had one really interesting trait that I had never thought would be possible – it identifies as both Anglican and Catholic. How that can be, I simply don’t quite understand. At least historically, those two religions have fought and been the cause of so many lives lost, that to think of them both sharing a cathedral is shocking. I suppose modern Ireland is in a different place, but their religious-fueled battles are not so ancient (when we were in Belfast 18 years ago, there was a car bombing).
We stopped for a fancy lunch (we were hungry, so we picked the first thing we saw, otherwise, we all get cranky and then nobody can make a decision). This was the self-proclaimed 6th best steakhouse in the world. Luke and Anna-Sophia certainly seemed to enjoy their meat. I was blown away by the fact that they had a vegan Wellington on the menu. Europe is light years ahead of the US when it comes to vegetarian food. Every restaurant has options (plural), and they are clearly marked on the menu. In the US, I typically have one option, and it is either the veggie burger (typically, mushy and salty), or the grain/rice/stir-fry bowl (typically uninspired). Going out to eat in the US is not always that exciting for a vegetarian, but in Europe, it feels like they really try.
After lunch, we went to the Christ Church Cathedral.
This also had an audio guide, but I liked it better because it gave a short (<1 minute) explanation of an object/sight, and then there were options to hear more about different aspects of it. This experience was more of a choose-your-own-adventure type.
As with our experience in St. Matthias Church in Budapest, this church gave visitors a variety of angles from which to explore. Here, the church has a large crypt with artifacts (including a Magna Carta from the 13th century and a mummified cat), as well as a stunning interior.
We spent the afternoon exploring Dublin’s quaint little streets and shops, then went back to the hotel to rest a bit. Luke and I had a Guinness at the hotel bar, and we marveled at how they poured it. There are these funny-shaped cans that go into what almost looks like a beer pat mixed with a press. The press pierces the can, and the beer slowly pours out into the glass. When it is about 80% full, it pauses to allow the beer to settle (as Guinness is designed to be poured), and then the bartender completes the pour after the beer has had it’s 2-minute rest. It was a pretty cool way to have a properly-poured Guinness without a true nitrogen tap system.
On Sunday morning, we went over to the Guinness Storehouse. Anna-Sophia was not initially excited about touring a beer factory, but she did agree afterwards that the museum was really well done and was interesting both in content and from a multi-media presentation perspective. Of course, we had to have our pints in the Gravity Bar overlooking the city and peruse the shop for Guinness merchandise before heading home.
All in all, this was a great trip. We don’t travel in Europe too often lately. As much as the countries are all different, it can feel a bit repetitive after being to man of Europe’s major cities, but Bratislava and Budapest offered really different perspectives than Rome or Paris. In hindsight, I slightly wish I had done them in a different order. I’d do Dublin first, because it is the most like other major European cities. Then I’d do Bratislava, which was adorable and easy, and then I’d end in Budapest. Or Budapest and then Bratislava, but with Dublin still first. Still, it was a really nice mix of cities, with a little bit of everything.
Vacation Days 