Dublin - Saturday
Oh, Saturday was a day full of things! We got up and tried to set up a rotation of who would shower and who would eat breakfast, so that everyone could do both. C's alarm went off and I woke up, she showered first, then I showered, which made things simpler for me. Gradually everyone else awoke. When everyone was showered and fed, we discussed what we would do that day. The plan for the rest of them was a musical pub crawl, put together by the same people who did the free tour on Friday.
Now, if you know me, you know I'm not really a drinker, and I didn't feel like doing a pub crawl, so I booked The Gravedigger ghost tour for the evening. After that was all arranged, we headed in the direction of Trinity College. There a decision was made, M and I would take the tour through Trinity College which ends with the library and access to viewing the Book of Kells, then we would all meet up at a local market place called Meeting House Square to grab some lunch before making our plans for the afternoon.
The tour was very nice (only €10, done by students). Our tour guide had just finished his exams, and he was very good, funny. We lingered a long time in the library (because it was beautiful), before we realized we would have to head off to the meeting point. After some confusion, we did manage to find each other. I think most of the rest of them ate samosas, but I found a stand called Mero Mero selling chicken fajitas and it was delicious. I also got a cup of fresh squeezed apple juice. Just, yes, if you are in Dublin, it's a good place to stop and get lunch.
The rest of the girls decided that they were going to do an afternoon of shopping, while M and I were going to head over to Christ Church, which wasn't so very far away. It was agreed that we would meet back at the hostel around 17:00 so we could head out to dinner together. So M and I headed off on our separate way. We arrived at Christ Church just in time to hear a some of the Christ Church Cathedral Girls Choir, though they finished not too long after we arrived. After that it was touring through the church and it's crypt, lingering. M took quite a number of photos (she has a proper camera), and I sat, because I was still suffering through the blisters I had gotten the day before.
Afterwards, M really wanted to head to the Guinness Storehouse, which I had no problem with though I wasn't as interested in touring through it. We thought it was close, but it turned out to be much further than we thought. It didn't help that we got a little lost at times (the map did not have all the street names labeled). When we finally made it, we had a bit of a discussion. The tour is about 1 1/2 hours long, which was precisely the amount of time we had before we were supposed to be back at the hostel to meet up with everyone. However, we had walked all that way and I did not want M to have gotten so close only to not tour through the place. She managed the tour in about an hour, while I waited in the lobby (where I chatted with beowulff and read some from my book). I'm glad that she got to take the tour, and I still hope that she doesn't feel bad about leaving me in the lobby, I really did not mind. It was exactly what I wanted, to just sit somewhere and relax for a little bit. (Also, the Guinness Storehouse has very nice free wifi, so there was no way I was going to be bored.)
Anyway, that tour completed, we headed outside to get a taxi. The reason for the taxi was because I had looked up how long it would take to walk back to our hostel and Google maps told me a little less than half an hour. We were not doing that. I was already less than enamored with walking more, but we simply wouldn't have the time. Luckily, a taxi pulled up after we had come outside, and it cost us €10 to get back to the hostel.
We made it, though a little late, but with enough time for me to put some special band-aids on my blisters, then for everyone to head out to dinner. The plan was, originally, that we would finally eat at an Irish pub, but there was a football (Americans: soccer) match on, so the pubs were packed and loud. Also, we had a time limit, the pub crawl started at 19:45 and I had to be at the bus stop for my tour by 19:35. Naturally it's hard to find a spot for 8 people, and we had to be sure that the vegetarians in our group also got a lovely meal. Eventually we came upon the Jewel in the Crown. Reasonable prices, space for us, tasty food, they were very helpful. By this point it was about 18:00 and we all wanted to be done by 19:15 so that we would have the time to get to our respective evening activities. They got us out pretty much right on schedule, which is a feat considering we had starters and appetizers, as well as a main dish.
After yet another dinner filled with great conversation, laughter, and food, I took my leave from the rest of them to meet up with my ghost tour. I was a little nervous, going solo, but I wasn't going to let that stop me from having a good time. I chatted with a few other people who were going solo before the bus arrived. I ended up seated next to an easily startled Polish woman. All around, it was a very fun and interesting tour. I was thoroughly entertained throughout, and while it is pricier than any of the other tours I went on, it was (I feel) well worth it. It does come including a free shot half way through, and the do take in to account people who don't drink alcohol.¹ Otherwise, it was lots of laughter, a few small screams, and some interesting ghost stories and a little bit of history.
The tour was a little longer than usual, due to the fact that One Direction was performing, and so we got stuck in traffic. But once released, I made my way through a number of One Direction fans back to the hostel. I was the first back, so I took the time to call beowulff, so we could properly say good night, then I read a little. Around 12:30 or so, C, J, and S came back from the pub crawl. We chatted a little bit, caught up on how each other's nights went, then went to bed. We were so sound asleep that we didn't even hear everyone else come back.
[Sunday will be posted tomorrow]
(I would do photos but I didn't take any, and I don't want to use other people's photos without their permission, which I haven't asked for. I may never ask, and there may never be photos. So there.)
¹ I have to say, that the tours I did in Dublin always seemed to have a break somewhere for a drink. Generally a pint, but whatever you fancy is good.
Now, if you know me, you know I'm not really a drinker, and I didn't feel like doing a pub crawl, so I booked The Gravedigger ghost tour for the evening. After that was all arranged, we headed in the direction of Trinity College. There a decision was made, M and I would take the tour through Trinity College which ends with the library and access to viewing the Book of Kells, then we would all meet up at a local market place called Meeting House Square to grab some lunch before making our plans for the afternoon.
The tour was very nice (only €10, done by students). Our tour guide had just finished his exams, and he was very good, funny. We lingered a long time in the library (because it was beautiful), before we realized we would have to head off to the meeting point. After some confusion, we did manage to find each other. I think most of the rest of them ate samosas, but I found a stand called Mero Mero selling chicken fajitas and it was delicious. I also got a cup of fresh squeezed apple juice. Just, yes, if you are in Dublin, it's a good place to stop and get lunch.
The rest of the girls decided that they were going to do an afternoon of shopping, while M and I were going to head over to Christ Church, which wasn't so very far away. It was agreed that we would meet back at the hostel around 17:00 so we could head out to dinner together. So M and I headed off on our separate way. We arrived at Christ Church just in time to hear a some of the Christ Church Cathedral Girls Choir, though they finished not too long after we arrived. After that it was touring through the church and it's crypt, lingering. M took quite a number of photos (she has a proper camera), and I sat, because I was still suffering through the blisters I had gotten the day before.
Afterwards, M really wanted to head to the Guinness Storehouse, which I had no problem with though I wasn't as interested in touring through it. We thought it was close, but it turned out to be much further than we thought. It didn't help that we got a little lost at times (the map did not have all the street names labeled). When we finally made it, we had a bit of a discussion. The tour is about 1 1/2 hours long, which was precisely the amount of time we had before we were supposed to be back at the hostel to meet up with everyone. However, we had walked all that way and I did not want M to have gotten so close only to not tour through the place. She managed the tour in about an hour, while I waited in the lobby (where I chatted with beowulff and read some from my book). I'm glad that she got to take the tour, and I still hope that she doesn't feel bad about leaving me in the lobby, I really did not mind. It was exactly what I wanted, to just sit somewhere and relax for a little bit. (Also, the Guinness Storehouse has very nice free wifi, so there was no way I was going to be bored.)
Anyway, that tour completed, we headed outside to get a taxi. The reason for the taxi was because I had looked up how long it would take to walk back to our hostel and Google maps told me a little less than half an hour. We were not doing that. I was already less than enamored with walking more, but we simply wouldn't have the time. Luckily, a taxi pulled up after we had come outside, and it cost us €10 to get back to the hostel.
We made it, though a little late, but with enough time for me to put some special band-aids on my blisters, then for everyone to head out to dinner. The plan was, originally, that we would finally eat at an Irish pub, but there was a football (Americans: soccer) match on, so the pubs were packed and loud. Also, we had a time limit, the pub crawl started at 19:45 and I had to be at the bus stop for my tour by 19:35. Naturally it's hard to find a spot for 8 people, and we had to be sure that the vegetarians in our group also got a lovely meal. Eventually we came upon the Jewel in the Crown. Reasonable prices, space for us, tasty food, they were very helpful. By this point it was about 18:00 and we all wanted to be done by 19:15 so that we would have the time to get to our respective evening activities. They got us out pretty much right on schedule, which is a feat considering we had starters and appetizers, as well as a main dish.
After yet another dinner filled with great conversation, laughter, and food, I took my leave from the rest of them to meet up with my ghost tour. I was a little nervous, going solo, but I wasn't going to let that stop me from having a good time. I chatted with a few other people who were going solo before the bus arrived. I ended up seated next to an easily startled Polish woman. All around, it was a very fun and interesting tour. I was thoroughly entertained throughout, and while it is pricier than any of the other tours I went on, it was (I feel) well worth it. It does come including a free shot half way through, and the do take in to account people who don't drink alcohol.¹ Otherwise, it was lots of laughter, a few small screams, and some interesting ghost stories and a little bit of history.
The tour was a little longer than usual, due to the fact that One Direction was performing, and so we got stuck in traffic. But once released, I made my way through a number of One Direction fans back to the hostel. I was the first back, so I took the time to call beowulff, so we could properly say good night, then I read a little. Around 12:30 or so, C, J, and S came back from the pub crawl. We chatted a little bit, caught up on how each other's nights went, then went to bed. We were so sound asleep that we didn't even hear everyone else come back.
[Sunday will be posted tomorrow]
(I would do photos but I didn't take any, and I don't want to use other people's photos without their permission, which I haven't asked for. I may never ask, and there may never be photos. So there.)
¹ I have to say, that the tours I did in Dublin always seemed to have a break somewhere for a drink. Generally a pint, but whatever you fancy is good.