From there I made my way to do a walking tour of Dublin. The main road was all cordoned off, police everywhere. It turns out today is 100 years since the Dublin Lockout, and the city was undertaking a re-enactment.
The walking tour went for two hours and took us through little hidden/secret places, many that I hadn't come across in my previous days here. The tour guide Pauline, was extremely knowledgeable on all historical matters, but I particularly liked her because she focussed on the social aspects, the people of Ireland. And that's where my main interest lies along with the political aspects.
Google this story:
An old church converted to a pub and club. Mr Guinness himself, married here:
She walked us through Temple Bar (and that's where I'm staying), and I thought I had seen most of Temple Bar, turns out I had missed, oh about a whole half of it. She took us to City Hall and Dublin Castle as well as lots of other spots of interest and finished up at Trinity College.
After the tour ended, I went back to check out the other parts of Temple Bar that I had previously missed. There was a food market on that day, so my lunch consisted of a piece of Apple pie (so much for improving my diet). But on the walking tour I had noted that there were a couple of photography exhibitions near the food market so I went and had a look at both of them. One of them isn't worth mentioning (although the portraits were excellent), and the other was from an artist who went back to where she grew up in Dublin, and whilst the photos were very good, the subject matter did nothing for me.
It was a really cold day in Dublin today, and this morning I hadn't put socks and boots on (because I was sick of them already), and so by this stage I was frozen and I just went back to the hotel, and had what is turning out to be a very regular nanna nap.
I was intending to get back to another library today, but that didn't happen and when I woke from my nap, I actually had to spend a bit of time in the hotel sorting out my plans for tomorrow. It's my last night in Dublin tonight, and tomorrow I pick up my hire car and start seeing some of country Ireland, and I needed to work out where my first stop was going to be, and book my B&B. Without much deliberation, I decided on Kilkenny, then changed my mind to Waterford!
Content with sorting that out, I organised myself and went and got a bite to eat (Italian restaurant - unplanned, just happened, malangiana parmagiana). And then I hunted out a pub to have a Guinness at, that also had live music. I ended up back in the one I first went to on my first night in Dublin that the taxi driver had recommended.
Live music all over Temple Bar. Love it!
I thought I better start off with a half a pint because I wasn't sure if I would like Guinness. That went down quite well, so I had another. I'm now not sure if I like it or not, as it has quite a bitter after-taste to it. The live band (one vocals/guitar, the other banjo) were incredible and had the place rockin'!
Dublin has been amazing. But worth noting, it has only rained once since I've been here (it poured down for about 5 mins after I got into my hotel last night - perfect timing!). In contrast, Milan rained every day I was there. In Dublin I have been prepared by carrying umbrella and disposable poncho with me everywhere because rumour has it, it rains a fair bit here... Actually, I have Jamie to thank for his recommendation to me many years ago (if you're reading Jamie, I'm not sure if you remember), but he advised me to plan to go to Ireland in September, as that's when you'll get the best weather. So, firstly, I'm glad I listened, and secondly, let's see how this goes... But if, nay, when it does rain, I plan to be prepared!
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