Comments (0) Today I’m putting Dublin behind me and traveling out to Cork!
There are many ways to go from Dublin to Cork–trains, planes, and automobiles will all take you there. But I figured a train ride would be nice. After all, for the train ride all I need to do is settle in and watch the scenery fly by.
So, in a short moment I’ll be dragging my suitcase out of my hotel heading down to Dublin Heuston station and hoping on the train to Cork.
I’ve been mulling this over in my mind for a few days and when I went to Guinness they had what looked to the be original (though I would certainly have been more at ease if it was a copy instead of the original in front of all those people) lease that Arthur Guinness signed for 9,000 years.
My first thought then and still an issue that I’m pondering is–is a lease for 9,000 years really valid? And if in the 8,953rd year of the lease the contract is breached are they going to apply 1760s law?
My second thought was that perhaps, just perhaps, I had been a tiny bit corrupted by law school (only in a good way of course).
Harry Clarke's Illustrations for Hans Christian Andersen's 'Fairy Tales'
This picture does not do it justice. But today I went to the National Gallery of Ireland and saw a gorgeous exhibit that I would recommend that you make sure to see if going to the National Gallery (or if you are just in Dublin). Go see Harry Clarke’s Illustrations for Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales.
It’s tucked up in the back of the print gallery so you might be tempted to miss it.
Don’t.
Harry Clarke brings a world of vivid stained glass color to his illustrations of classic fairy tales. It’s utterly amazing and definitely worth a vist. Plus the National Gallery has free admission which always is a plus.
And if you prefer more traditional art there are four floors filled with art of all eras.
The Red Bus v. The Green Bus
I didn’t rent a car, but I certainly wasn’t going to walk everywhere (it would severly limit the reach of my expansion). So, I decided to take the bus. I went with a hop on/hop off tour that allowed me to go at my own pace through 20+ areas of Dublin.
There are two buses in Dublin that offer similar service. In one corner we have the Green contender, Dublin Bus Tour. In the other corner we have the Red and Yellow contender, Dublin Tour. They have similar name and similar routes (Dublin Tour has 26 stops, Dublin Bus Tour has 23) . In fact most of their stops are right next to each other. But which one is better?
I decided to find out.
The first day in Dublin I hopped on the first bus I saw, the red one: Dublin Tour. Dublin Tour includes all red and yellow buses (the red and yellow buses share most of the stops and then each have about 3 distinct stops that only the red or only the yellow bus goes to). Though they said the bus would arrive every 10 minutes, I found it closer to 20 sometimes. However, the guides were nice and I was often one of the only people on the bus.
My second day in Dublin I hopeed on the green bus: Dublin Bus Tour. With Dublin Bus Tour I never waiting more than 10 minutes and a few times the bus had just arrived as I was getting out of a particular sight. The green bus was much more crowded though. That being said, I was always able to sit down–but if you want a bus to yourself you’ll want the red/yellow bus.
So who won in my book? On my third day in Dublin I took the Green Bus (if that tells you anything. 
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eLSI
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bus, dublin, transportation
If you go to the Old Jameson Distillery in Dublin and take the tour, volunteer. At the beginning of the tour, eight lucky people are chosen (I didn’t know to volunteer so I didn’t) for a taste test at the end.
The tour itself explains the process of making whiskey which, since I have never made grain based alcohol, I was unfamiliar with it. After learning about the history of Jameson and the process of making whiskey, the tour ends with a taste of Jameson’s Old Distillery Whiskey (as long as you are 18 or over that is) as you watch those eight volunteers participate in a taste test.
Taking three whiskeys that are comparable in aging, but different in how they are made (American Bourbon, Scottish Whiskey, and Irish Whiskey) those eight get to compare the three. Though I wasn’t one of the eight tasting, it’s something that I’d definitely want to do if I go again. And even if you don’t volunteer it is fun to watch.
I want to soak up the sun
Fish and Chips might be what people traditionally think of, but one of my favorite foods from the UK is Chicken Tikka. The recipe itself varies whether you are in England, Scotland, or Ireland–but they are all basically the same. On my first day in Dublin I happened across a sandwich shop that sold Chicken Tikka sandwiches.
Yum!
I took my sandwich and lemon lassi smoothy and ate it in the park that sits in the shadow of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. It was lovely to just sit in the park and soak up the sun.
I didn’t catch the name of the cafe, but it’s the only one that is next to the park next to St. Patrick’s. I highly recommend it. Both the sandwich and smoothy were tasty.
the way out?
When in an unfamiliar city, maps are more important than I usually give them credit for. After stopping at the hotel to drop off my luggage I set out for Trinity College to see the Book of Kells. Google Maps had promised me it was a short ten minute walk, so when I forgot my set of three maps I didn’t really mind, I had my short directions after all.
About an hour and a half later (after a delightful detour through St. Stephen’s Green) I realized I was lost in what apparently was the business area of Dublin. With not a map to help me I wandered until I found a bus stop with a map, found it and then headed back to a familiar area and Trinity College.
Side note about the Book of Kells, guide books say that tourists will line up hours before it opens (at 9:30), I got there about 9:15 and was the third person in line…so hours might be a bit excessive.
On my way out of Trinity College I, once again, got stuck in the mobius strip that was my day–luckily for me they had a sign that directed me to the Way Out. (I found it rather hilarious).
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