Dublin - Wednesday, 5/21/2025

• Lemon Jelly 
• The Liberties
• Guiness Storehouse 
• St Patrick's Cathedral
• Kingfisher Restaurant
• Cloud Nine Gelato

Lex got in to Dublin with his orchestra at 9:30 am. They flew from Mpls with a 8 hour + layover in Dallas (via United).  Sheesh! As soon as they got to their hotel, they went off on a bus tour.

We slept 10 or 11 hours and now feel mostly normal. We ate late breakfast at Lemon Jelly, an all day cafe here in Dublin.  Crepes, eggs, bacon, etc. Irish bacon is really more like thin sliced ham in America.

Other weird Irish things. Of course, they drive on the left side here. We've seen at least 4 near misses with autos, bicycles, pedestrians, maybe because people aren't looking the right way. They don't have wash cloths in the hotel. Evidently, they are considered personal things, like tooth brushes. Waiters don't bring water, unless you ask for it. Also, unless you ask for the check, they are content to just let you sit at the table after eating. No tipping, or at least, it's very unusual.  This last item is weirdness I can really get behind! 

On our walk to the Guinness Storehouse, we went through an area called "The Liberties."  It's a blue collar area with a slightly rougher vibe.  The neighborhood lads were already out, enjoying a few pints in front of the pubs.  As we walked through, we saw an argument evolving into a fight and someone else stealing a beverage off the back of a delivery truck.  Fun!

We got to the Guinness Storehouse around noon.  It's certainly the leading attraction of Dublin for good reason. We spent a couple hours on the self guided tour, doing a tasting, and then another hour enjoying the complimentary pint in the rooftop bar. Recommended! Admittance was about €35 per person.

We had intended to then walk over to Kilmainham Gaol, a historic prison, another mile west, but luckily decided to check tickets online first. It was sold out.  Good thing we didn't walk all that way only to be disappointed. 

So instead we walked to St Patrick's Cathedral. It was not a huge detour on our return to the hotel.  It was an enormous church.  They have an €11 entrance fee, a bit strange for a church. But lots of stained glass and statues to check out. 

I had Google searched earlier and found a Balkan/Serbian near our hotel. We walked there, but it was in an underground shopping center and Yelena got an icky vibe.  So our backup plan was "The Kingfisher" restaurant across the street.  The "Best Fish and Chips in Dublin" or so they bragged.  My opinion?  It was good, but the best?  Hmmm.  I think there could be better out there.  Yelena had the salmon. The kids had fish and chips and "an Irish hamburger," which turned out to be hamburger with minced onions. 

After dinner, we walked down the main pedestrian shopping street, Henry and Mary, and got gelato at a shop - pistachio, salted caramel, Kinder bueno nut.  Tottenham is playing tonight, so Austin was going to watch from his room or a bar. Via photo sharing, we found out that Lex was having a big group dinner with a show and had Irish stew.

Our plan tomorrow is a morning trip to Glendalough and the Wicklow mountains (there's a chance we could run into Lex. His group will be there around noon). Then afternoon at the Irish emigration museum, an emigration ship, the Jeanie Johnston; and then Lex's concert tomorrow evening.

Photos from today.