Travel Series | Dublin, Ireland
The next stop on our European vacation was Dublin, Ireland. Once we landed, Austin and I headed straight to a traditional Irish pub to enjoy some local grub for lunch. Afterwards, I pit stopped at H&M to update my wardrobe, as my sweater was too light for the chilly nights and my sandals were tearing up my feet. Once we rejoined the group, we explored Stephen’s Green before walking to Trinity College. Unfortunately, the Trinity Library was closed for the night, so we had to put it off until the next day. Instead, we enjoyed a round of Guinness at the famous Temple Bar. I was very eager to go inside, as I simply took a photo from outside the last time I was in Dublin a few years ago. The music was fantastic and the lively atmosphere was one-of-a-kind. I highly recommend this spot to anyone visiting, even to those who don’t drink — my shirley temple was just as delicious as everyone’s Guinness! After quenching our thirst at Temple Bar, we meandered down Grafton Street to ogle the street performers and indulge in some delicious gelato. As our long day came to a close, we trekked back to our hotel to turn in for the night.
The next morning, we got to sleep in (a rare treat these days!) before catching the hop-on-hop-off bus to Trinity Library. Now, I’ve visited this site the last time I was in Dublin, but I swear I’ll visit it every time — that’s how much I am in love with this place. It is seriously my dream library, and Austin and I spent pretty much the whole time analyzing every inch of the room, planning how we could make a customized replica in our future dream house. Honestly, I would be totally a-okay if this library comprised my entire home — add on a back room for a kitchen and bathroom and we’re good to go!
Then we caught the bus in search of the Guinness Storehouse. We had lunch inside on the top floor, and the view of the city was incredible! I just think it’s crazy that Arthur Guinness originally signed a 9,000 year lease for the property back in 1759! Almost 300 years down, 8,700 to go. But the self-guided tour was truly insightful and insanely expansive. Each floor takes you through the different ingredients, how the beer is made, the company’s historical marketing, a tasting room, a pouring lesson, and much more! I wasn’t able to do this tour on my last solo trip to Dublin because I could barely afford to eat one meal per day, but I highly recommend it to anyone who can fork up the $30-ish for the experience.
After getting our fill of beer (or hot chocolate, in my case), we dined at the Church Restaurant for dinner, in which Arthur Guinness himself was married in 1761 before the building was converted into a restaurant. Despite being in a foreign country with a plethora of local cuisine options, pregnant me only wanted buffalo chicken wings (for the second time in two days). But the food here was absolutely delicious! We then strolled through town before going straight to bed to squeeze in a meager couple hours of sleep, as our next flight was due out at six in the morning…
Next stop: Paris!
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