Dublin (Ireland) | My Goodness My Guinness - Day 172-173

Tirana International Airport is a small airport that is surrounded by beautiful mountains. I couldn't have asked for better weather on my last day in Albania.

Today is the Albanian Independence Day. As I wait for my bus to the airport, I hear the sound checks from Skanderbeg Square, where the massive stage is located. Traveling with little research and planning is always a balance between things I cannot participate in and others that present themselves unexpectedly. For example, I am unable to join in the festivities tonight. However, I could partake in celebrations in France on Bastille Day. I realize that I cannot be in multiple places simultaneously, and today I am looking forward to returning to Dublin. It is all a give and take in my travels.

I was surprised that British Airways was the least expensive, as they are known for being one of the priciest airlines. Unfortunately, my plane is 1.5 hours late departing. Fortunately, I have a long layover in Heathrow, England. So instead of arriving in Dublin at 1030 pm, it will now be closer to midnight.

I finally arrived at my hostel last night in Dublin after 1 am, then I slept till 9 am. So already, my day in Dublin will go quite fast. I leave the hostel and wander to Henry's Street. I want to see Dublin decorated for the Holidays, and I need to visit with someone at Vodaphone about my options to top off my SIM card.

Arnotts is the oldest and largest department store in Ireland. It is beautifully decorated with nutcrackers and lights. As I wander down Henry Street, I hear several conversations in languages I don't recognize. I recall having this same experience the last time I was here. I forgot how diverse Dublin was. It feels terrific to be here.

I want to visit the Guinness Storehouse today. It is one of the things I should have done when I was here last July. However, I remember feeling like my cup overflowed with Irish experiences the last time I was here, so I took time to relax instead. 

Dublin is not only a diverse city, but it is also stunning. I can spend many more days here than I have. Unfortunately, I was not willing to cut my time short in the Balkans, so there will have to be future Ireland trips in my schedule.

The Guinness Storehouse is a 2-3 hour immersive tour of the Guinness brewery. The tour takes place on 7 levels of the Storehouse and ends in the round sky bar that offers panoramic views of the city. Nearly 1.8 M people visited the Storehouse in 2017. This may be why I delayed visiting the Storehouse till now. I bet it is packed in the summer!

Around the corner is the entrance and where the experience begins.

The tour is an immersive journey into how Guinness beer is brewed. Only four ingredients are used, water, barley, hops, and yeast. A reserve batch of Guinness yeast is always kept in a safe as a backup should something happen. It is one of the unique ingredients preserved since Guinness was first brewed.

Each floor is dedicated to a specific part of the brewing process. For example, the second floor focuses on barley, how it is roasted, and prepared for brewing. I just realized Guinness has nearly twice as many hops as other beers. This was surprising to me. In addition, Guinness is not a bitter beer, a characteristic of "hoppy" beers.

St. James Gate in Dublin is home to the Guinness Storehouse. In 1759, Arthur Guinness leased the property for £45 (pounds) per year for 9,000 years. Now that is believing in your product and process.

One of my favorite floors is the 5th. It is dedicated to advertising, and all the iconic Guinness ads are present. The ad below is the first-ever Guinness advertisement. I love the health-giving value and nourishing properties. According to this ad, we should all drink Guinness when sick if we want to improve.

My other favorite ad is this one. The ad campaign launched in Australia says, "A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle." Then the commercial closes with a fish riding a bicycle, letting everyone know that a woman needs a man. This iconic ad campaign was recognized for its edgy approach to advertising.

On the 6th floor, I learn to pour the perfect pint. Guinness should be poured in two steps. First, the glass is tilted at 45 degrees and pour about 80%. Then the pint is left to settle. The remaining 20% is then poured with a head that is proud and sits about the rim of the glass. An ideal pour has between 13-18 mm (0.5-0.75 in) foam (i.e., head).

As I sit enjoying my freshly poured Guinness, I strike up a conversation with two Americans, Tommy, and Sandford. They are here for two days on a work-related trip and decided to take the Storehouse tour today on their arrival day. We chat about travel, places I have visited, and our love for Guinness.

Around 5 pm, I finally make it up to the sky bar for another pint. This time, I ordered the Hop House 13 Golden Lager. It is a beer I have yet to try. It is good! The view east towards Dublin is stunning from up here.

After the Storehouse tour, I grab a cab. "Have you been to Dublin before," asks the driver. Yeah, this is my second time, I reply. My driver begins giving me a personal guided tour of the city. "See that hotel there with the dome? That hotel was built in 1852. It is now owned by Bono and The Edge. You know, the lead singer and guitarist from U2," he says. The Clarence Hotel was bought in 1992 and refurbished before reopening in 1996. The Clarence Hotel is the building in the center of the picture.

After a quick stop at the hostel, I make my way to midtown to meet up with Anne. Anne works in Dublin, though she lives about 1.5 hours away in Northern Ireland. It is great to see Anne. Over dinner, we share stories about our adventures and what is next.

You are going to be in Vietnam for two weeks, correct? I ask. "Yes, I will be there over Christmas.

I am looking forward to being on the road again, " replies Anne as she pulls up a map of Vietnam. Sounds like you have a fantastic trip ahead of you. I can't wait to see pictures, I say.

"I am getting a vibe that you are finally ready to go home from you," she says. I am embracing it now that I have committed to going home. We all reach that point where it becomes apparent to others. "What are you looking forward to when you get home?" she asks. Oh wow! I  hadn't thought about it. I am looking forward to seeing my family and spending time with them. And pumpkin pie, I say. "Did you miss Thanksgiving? Do people really eat that much food on Thanksgiving?" she asks. I tell her all about the strange tradition in the US that involves over-eating, family time, turkey (preferably smoked), and pumpkin pie.

I am so glad we got an opportunity to see each other again. "I know. Who would have thought that we would have seen each other this many times after the Camino," she says. I am so glad we met in Muxia! I say. "Yes, you were a bright spot in my day. Thank you for picking up my spirits," she says. Anne and I take a selfie before parting ways, "I'll send it to you so you can put it in the blog," she says.

On my way back, I pass this bridge spanning the River Liffey. The bridge has multi-colored hoops that, despite my best efforts, I cannot fully capture. Nevertheless, the reflection in the water is pretty.

It feels great to be in Dublin, and this time around, I would have easily spent more days here. For now, I will ensure I have more days in Dublin when I return to explore the country's southern part. For now, this has been an excellent way to close out this fantastic voyage. Tomorrow morning I fly home.

Christmas is just around the corner now, and I can't wait to spend it with loved ones!