Day 16 – Last Day in Ireland spent drinking in Dublin. :)

I’m on my last full day in Ireland. Spending it drinking in Dublin. We were going to visit the Glasnevin cemetery, which is highly rated, but decided one more day of pub hopping was more fitting for our type of visit. The girls shopped and we’re now planted at the Celtic Lodge bar. We won’t be here the rest of the day, but it’s a nice start.

Here’s my final Musings on a wonderful trip.

• Ireland is green.  I’ve seen the 50 shades of green and then some.
• The people are as warm, friendly, and genuine as you could ever meet.
• The country side and the fresh air and the simpler way of life are probably not my cup of tea, but a great place to put your feet up and relax.
• The driving in Ireland is spectacular provided you’re not too cautious.  Grin & gun it.  And watch the sides! 
• Guiness beer is fucking awesome!  I love whiskey, but couldn’t get past the Guiness.  I’ve drank whiskey in Scotland.  I’m good.  That’s the best!  Don’t tell an Irishman that though!  However, Guiness rules all.  I’m sure I’ve drank about 100 pints since I’ve been in country.  No shit.
• Hostel life is awesome.  You shouldn’t be afraid of it when travelling.  Everywhere we stay is clean, safe, and relatively quiet.  A little light street noise at night I find quite relaxing.  There’s folks of every generation from all walks of life there and you can’t beat the price!  It’s the only way to travel here in my book.
• Staying away from other tourists is a great thing!  Nothing more disappointing than meeting other Americans at the bar.
• Just like our country, the different sides of Ireland are all very different from each other.  East, West, North, and South has it’s own ways of life and I think they’re all brilliant.
• I think everyone in the world is basically the same and all want the same things in life.  The chance to make an honest living.  Food, shelter, a safe place for you and your kids.  An opportunity for education and somewhere to unwind and have fun.  Scenery’s nice too.  I don’t believe it gets much more complicated than that.  We’re all the same wherever we’re from or who we call God.  Why is the world so complicated?  It really doesn’t need to be.
• Nothing beats walking in the footsteps of history. 
• Learning about a country, it’s people, it’s past, it’s present, and it’s future helps me appreciate and discriminate against my own way of life.  The more you know, the better person you are I say.
• Travelling with friends and family can only bring you closer to the ones you love.  The ones with you and afar.
• Oftentimes strangers are just as interested in you as you are in them and I firmly believe a stranger is simply someone you haven’t met yet.
• McDonalds Quarter Pounders everywhere in the world taste exactly the same.
• Irish & English beef kicks ass contrary to what anyone says.  The food we’ve eaten from takeaway to pubs to nice restaurants has never been anything short of delicious.
• Leprechauns are hard to find.
• Kissing the Blarney Stone is as much fun as it sounds!
• Temple Bar district sucks.  There are no Irish people anywhere.
• Gaslight Anthem is an OK rock band I suppose.
• Not all showers are created equal.
• Ask anybody anything and they’ll have an answer.  Might not be the right one, but you can rest assured your question will be answered.
• Big flocks of sheep grazing in the countryside are always cool to look at.
• Cows are bigger here.  Means they make bigger burgers and steaks.
• There are no coin operated laundries anywhere in Galway.
• The Giants Causeway is like nothing you have ever seen.  Truly unique and one-of-a-kind.
• Don’t wear hats when visiting the Cliffs of Moher.
• When ordering off a menu with Jenny and Michelle, make sure they begin perusing the menu at least an hour before the kitchen closes or you’ll be sorry.  And hungry. 
• Always dress for all types of weather.
• Axe bodywash doubles as shampoo just fine.
• Metallica, AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, and Led Zeppelin are the greatest bands of all time and make excellent travelling partners.
• Seeing Iron Maiden live at Donnington is extraordinary.  I saw Sabbath and Metallica there last year.  How fucking lucky am I?
• You can charge 17 things off a single power outlet with a little ingenuity.
• When leaving Phoenix Park from the south end, if you value living, do NOT try to find shortcuts.  Just go the way you came from.  We walked right through the “hood” and fortunately didn’t have to regret it.
• If you’re driving, take a GPS with the appropriate map or rent one from the car dealer.  And having a good navigator is a good thing too!  Thanks Michelle!  It makes driving a lot easier!
• After watching Irish dancing, I know where square dancing comes from!
• Traditional Irish “Trad” music sounds, to me, like the same song over and over to a headboard-banging-against-the-wall beat.  Good for fucking I suppose.  While I enjoyed it and it’s definitely right for the drinking environment with folks stomping, clapping, and singing along, I don’t see me  picking up any CDs in the near future. 
• The Irish say “Céad míle fáilte” which is Gaelic and translates to “100,000 Welcomes”.  Now, as I see it, 3 or 4 welcomes is plenty for anyone, but I felt the full 100,000 and appreciate every single one of them. 

Thank you Ireland. Love always,

Brentallica xoxoxo

 

Taken by the girls on Sla Head beach on the far west coast of Ireland.

Partying at The Dingle Pub in Dingle, Ireland.