Ireland Odyssey II: Day Two---Dublin

Bill's sister Margaret waiting to hop on the bus for a tour of Dublin.  What a first full day for all of us in Ireland.  We walked for miles and rested our feet only on the bus, which took us on a grand tour of points of interest in Dublin.  We hopped off the bus to visit St. Patrick's Cathedral, the prison which served as a setting for "In the Name of the Father" with Daniel Day Lewis and for the long-awaited, much anticipated visit to the Guinness Brewery.  We walked to the Irish Museum of Modern Art.  We walked on both sides of the River Liffey, played tourist at a Carroll's souvenir store and rested our feet once more at Foley's Restaurant just blocks away from our hotel.  Tired bodies, yes, enlightened minds, yes, loving Ireland, YES. Today we'll move on to do some serious geocaching in the Wicklow Mountains, kiss the Blarney Stone and end up in our temporary townhouse in Killarney.  

Take whatever Euros you need.  We're getting acquainted with which size coin buys how much.  

On the tour bus near St. Patrick's Cathedral.

A prison which reflects a history of Irish struggles----a national monument.

Site of a firing squad execution in the prison yard. 

Mike, on the left, turned 50 yesterday.  He and his buddy Terry were walking their dogs on the green at St. Patrick's Cathedral. Mike drives a taxi, while Terry owns a bike shop.  They are among the many "new best friends" we've met in Ireland.  Ireland has incomparable beauty but its most admirable asset is its people. 

Just street graffiti of a lovely nature. 

At the Irish Museum of Modern Art.

At St. Patrick's.  We'll be visiting the Cathedral on our return trip to Dublin. 

Snack time on the run:  Willie, Debbie and Annie.

Yes, we visited Guinness, and, yes, we tasted.

 " 

My new best friends at Gravity, the top room at Guinness Brewery, which overlooks the city of Dublin.  These are students from East Coast colleges.  Some even befriended me on Facebook.  A Guinness staff member insisted on taking our picture.  We happily obliged.

Willie meets the virtual greeter at Guinness.

We witnessed a protest reminding us that all is not bliss in this huge world. 

A significant moment:  Bill using the automatic teller for the first time in his life.  It took some doing, but we talked Bill into securing a bank card for this trip.