Favre European Vacation 6/17/18: Dublin, Ireland Day 1

Despite our best efforts, we still couldn't get on our normal schedule of being early risers. We didn't get up until 9:00am and took our sweet time getting ready, so finally left the hotel around 10:30am. I suppose one could say that we were on vacation and should enjoy the time and slow pace, but then again, there's always so much to do and see!

We grabbed breakfast to-go at a nearby deli/restaurant called Roly's. It was quite convenient. We packed in quite a bit our first day in Dublin. After walking through Merrion Square and letting Keira run and play on the playground for a bit, we caught the red hop-on-hop-off bus to take us to our destinations. Other than slightly different routes, I don't think there's a difference between the red, green or other colored tour buses. I liked that our bus driver did the talking. I know similar bus companies that just play an audio recording. That must be much easier for the driver, but I liked the personal touch to the sights we were taking in.

Similar to Scotland, we purchased the Dublin Pass which included use of the hop-on-hop-off bus. What we didn't know was that the hop-on-hop-off privilege was for same-day usage only. If you visit the places we do, or plan to visit more if you're in Dublin, I'd highly recommend the Dublin Pass to save money and get fast-track entry for some attractions. We didn't spend any additional money to get into these attractions. Also, you can buy an extension for the hop-on-hop-off bus pass for quite cheap if you've already purchased one individually or through the Dublin Pass. We didn't know all this in advance or we would've taken advantage of that offer.

Anyway, we visited the Dublin Castle, stopped in the cafe for treats and beverages, and checked out the Chester Beatty Library as they were all situated in the same vicinity.

Smiling in a field of flowers in Merrion Square

Playing on the playground 

Goofing off before heading into Dublin Castle

Guess our family is made up of goof balls

We found the library

After a few ours in that area, we jumped back on the bus and headed to St. Patrick's Cathedral and the Guinness Storehouse. If you go to St. Patrick's, make sure you check out their availability. They aren't open all the time as they close the doors for touring when they have service which is fairly frequently. Of course, you're welcome to attend the service, but then you won't be at liberty to walk around!

The Guinness Storehouse was a zoo - not sure if it was because it was a weekend day (Sunday) or because it's a popular tourist destination, perhaps both. However, it's manageable. I tend to get claustrophobic, but didn't have any issues. It was fun to see and learn about the process of making the iconic beer, but we did skip some of the steps. We wanted to get to the beer (Mark did) and food part (I did). Our entry included a pint of Guinness for adults and a glass of soda for Keira. The bartender was really kind and convinced Keira to try the "currant" (I think) soda by letting her know she'd pour her a sprite if she didn't like it. Well, Keira liked it...Before the bartender finished pouring the beers after the soda, Keira was halfway through drinking it. It was a teachable moment. See Keira! If you try something new, you might discover something new that you like! I tried the stew made with Guinness from the cafe on-site and it was delicious. Yummy!

St. Patrick's Cathedral

All about Guinness

Double fisting while Keira eats a banana

After the Guinness tour we were back on the bus to get dropped off at Temple Bar which is a well-known bar/shopping area in Dublin. We crossed over the Ha' Penny bridge and chose Eat Tokyo for dinner that night followed by shopping in the many stores surrounding us. 

Udon noodles and tempura for this girl

Sushi for this guy

Unfortunately, by the time we were done, we discovered we had missed the last bus, so we were forced to take a taxi back as we were too far out to walk. Plus, I don't know if our legs and feet could've handled it. We were back at the hotel around 9:30pm and in bed by 10:00pm. It was a packed first day.