"Marlborough Street is the only street in Dublin that you should worry about."
This was the first piece of advise Dustin and I were given when we arrived in Dublin. Our cab driver said this to us as he was driving us to our hostel on Marlborough Street. "I suggest in the morning you find a different place to stay." Of course we didn't listen but we had no problems during our stay.
We arrived in Dublin Wednesday night and went straight to the hostel. It had been raining there all day and it was cold. Typical weather for the island this time of year. We got to the hostel and then went walking around the block. We did not do much since we were waking up early the next morning. The hostel was not too bad either.
The next morning the weather was still dreary but we went caught the train to Cork anyway. When we got to Cork we walked to the bus station and headed to Blarney to go see the famous castle where the Blarney Stone resides. The castle was like the rest of the European castles i had seen, in ruins. It was still really cool. We walked to the top, checking every nook and cranny on the way up, and of course kissed the Blarney Stone. After Dustin and I reached the bottom of the castle we decided to check out the Rock Close which was a garden along the river that was at the base of the castle. The garden was lush with vegetation and the green was broken up by fallen tree leaves. We walked around taking pictures for a while and then headed back into Blarney to get lunch at a little restaurant by the bus stop. After lunch we left for Cork and got to the train just in time to get to Dublin. We arrived in Dublin and it was raining. Lucky for us, the tram stopped right by our hostel so we took that to avoid getting soaked. After arriving at the hostel, we relaxed then went to go get dinner. We stepped out the door and it began hailing on us. It stopped after a few minutes and then the rain disappeared. We walked down O' Connell Street and turned the corner by the river to discover a chinese buffet. We had dinner here then went back to the hostel to plan for Friday's adventure around Dublin.
On Friday Dustin and I started the morning by packing up and checking out of our hostel. The hostel let us keep our bags there which is good because our flight wasn't until 6am on Saturday. After checking out, we walked across the river and to Trinity College. The campus was fairly empty when we got there but not long after there were students running across the courtyard in the center. We went to the library and saw the Book of Kells exhibit. The book is one of the earliest English translations of the Bible and the exhibit explained the history behind it and how it was made and ended with a dark room that had the 2 of the 4 parts of the anthology on display.
After visiting Trinity we walked to the Temple Bar area to got to the National Photographic Archives. Unfortunately it was closed so we went to the Big Ass Cafe for the Big Ass Breakfast. Potatoes, mushrooms, baked beans, an egg, toast, juice, and coffee for 7 euros. Not a bad deal and it was delicious. When we finished breakfast we walked to St. Stephen's Green which is the Dublin equivalent of Central Park. The park was beautiful and we had a bright blue sky above us. We walked around the park for a little bit and then headed over to St Patrick's Cathedral to wait for our friend, Christy, who had been traveling around Ireland all of the break.
When Christy finally found us the three of us walked to the Guinness Storehouse to learn about the famous stout. At the Storehouse we learned how it is brewed, what makes it different from other beers, history behind the beer and the brewery, and about their advertising campaigns. As you follow the self-guided tour, you work your way towards the top of the building. At the top we redeemed our tickets for a complimentary pint. Dustin got his from the gravity bar but I decided to learn to pour my own from the tap. I never knew that their glasses are designed for the perfect pint and that there was so much science behind it. Also, at the top, in the gravity bar, we got to see one of the best views of Dublin in the city.
After the Storehouse we walked back towards O'Connell Street to get dinner. We went to a '50s style diner that was extremely overpriced but was still fun. After that we went into a few shops and then met up with another guy named Dustin that goes to FUA with us. The 4 of us walked back into the bar area to find a place to enjoy our Halloween. We ended up at a place called Porterhouse Brewing Co. There was 5 floors full of people in their costumes and all having a good time. We hung out here for the rest of the night just talking and having a good time. The new Dustin left us to go back to his hostel around midnight but Christy, Dustin, and I stayed until about 1am and then walked back to the hostel to get our bags and go to the airport.
We had to check in at 4am and got to the airport around 130am. The airport was desolate when Dustin, Christy and I first walked in but when we went up stairs to the food court to find a place to sit there were people everywhere sleeping, waiting for the morning flights. The majority were college students. We found a table and as soon as I put my head down I was passed out. Dustin and Christy woke me up just before 4 and we walked down to check in. After checking in we went to the gate until take off. The flight was really empty. I had an entire row to myself but was not tired so I stared out the window for the 3 hour flight. Dustin and Christy were asleep as soon as we were in the air. There wasn't much to see but I did see an amazing sunrise and the clouds broke away when we reached the Alps. Staring down on these mountains made them appear to be a child's toy. Their snow-capped peaks glistened in the sun and then disappeared as the clouds reformed. We landed in Pisa just before 10am and then were in Florence by noon. Our trip had come to an end but will not be forgotten.
