Today was our last full day in Dublin, so we had some decisions to make in regards to site-seeing. We hit the cathedrals, St. Patricks and Christ Church. St. Patricks was 11E (Euros) for the two of us. Even with the Euro in peril, it still puts the USD to shame. 1E is equal to about $1.40 USD (making the castle entry about $15.40 in American dollars, and causing our fun times in Dublin to come with quite a price tag).
St. Patricks is awe inspiring. Named after "the" St. Patrick (who wasn't Irish!), it's an impressive structure, housing the remains of old war heroes and battle flags from the 18th century. We then meandered to Christ's Church but the 7E entry fee was a bit too precious for us.
It was time... time to make our way to the American Disneyland of Dublin, The Guinness Storehouse! This place is not what you may think. It has been extremely modernized, and feels more like a visit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland than it does an old-world brewery. We figured it has turned into this commercialized, Gatlinburg-esque monster due to the large volume of people who wish to tour the factory. Nevertheless, we enjoyed ourselves. In the 2 hours we were there, we estimated at least 500 people were touring along with us. It's not just a beer factory, it's a money factory. All tours are self-guided. At the end, we walked up to the late 20th century observation deck to collect our free pints and a fabulous view of the city.
We walked back exhausted from our tours for a short nap. Then it was off to the "Brazenhead", Dublins oldest pub (1198), for "Folklore, Fearies and Food", a three-hour show of music and stories hosted by an Irish historian/folk musician named Ollie to compliment a three-course meal. We along with the other patrons made up of primarily Americans, learned of the hidden Irish (the country's early to mid-19th century middle-class), the famine of 1845-1849 and its affect on the country, and the fact that the people of Ireland don't think too much of the phrase "the luck of the Irish". Ollie also told us how to keep tabs of the weather in Ireland; "If you can see the mountains, it's going to rain. If you can't see the mountains, it's raining."
After a wonderful evening of fantastic fish cakes, heavenly Harp, wonderful wine and good laughs, we caught a glimpse of the BBC on the tele to find out about the shootings in Aurora, Colorado.
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