In the morning we set out to make up on some other missed attractions from the day before. Let your itinerary flow when you’re in Ireland, especially if you’re spending a few days in the area.
Carrols
We were on our way to St. Michals when we passed by Carrol’s gift shop where a cabby had told us to try to find our souvenirs. It wasn’t long before we had in our possession some swanky tees and an amazing viking hat.
Jeweler
We set out again for St. Michals but the lady had been coveting a Claddagh ring and a nearby store there had a cute display on the street that drew us upstairs. It wasn’t long before she had found the ring that was ‘just right’ at the jeweler there.
St. Michals
We finally made our way over to St. Michals using the street signs that helpfully point out nearby attractions. The church, like many in Ireland, is an architectural marvel and quite beautiful inside. Many people in the country are still very religious. The thing I was most interested in was the crypt tour.
In comes the tour guy with a cigarette and a coffee. My first impression was that he was hungover and we had made a huge mistake. He led us around the church and to the crypt entrance. As people filed away into the underground he asked each group where they were from and a little bit about their trip, which I thought was cute but annoying since it took us a while to get down there.
When we got down there I understood pretty much everything. He was a master at describing the different tombs and the situations that each was in, from the hated nobleman to the still active burial area. He had asked about where everyone was from so he could pepper in some local language and jokes when descriptions were too complicated form limited English speakers. It was a big enhancement overall and a completely brilliant performance.
We were then allowed into the first crypt (we were doing our tour backwards) which housed some naturally mummified bodies. A large part of our initial group had taken off to do other things leaving about 15 of us for the first crypt tour. We were patient for the tour guide and he came down to talk about the crypt there as well.
Since the group was so small, we were allowed in to touch the finger of the ‘Dead Crusader’ for luck. If you’ve never touched a mummified finger before, let me assure you it is utterly disgusting.
Jameson Distillery
We shot over to the Old Jameson Distillery for another tour. In the first room Janet was given a Jameson cardboard tube and proclaimed the recipient of a free whiskey tasting. This, of course, left a bad taste in my mouth when I was glanced over for the honor.
Jameson was another ex-factory tour where you were just told what had gone on there at some point in the past. From what I understand the Jameson factory near Waterford is an active facility in which you get a more involved tour. This affects my enjoyment, but the tour was still interesting.
We got to the end and everyone was given a choice between several Jameson mixed drinks or a straight shot of their aged 12 year. I picked up a Jameson and Cranberry while Janet nabbed a Jameson and Ginger. Then she was called up for her tasting!
In front of the rest of us unwashed slobs a panel of 12 were given a shot of Jameson aged 12, a shot of Jack Daniels Red Label, and a shot of Scotch, then asked to chain sip them to compare. Ten out of twelve people picked the Jameson 12.
We also had lunch there, which was delicious, then picked up some souvenirs (including a Jameson truffle bar which remains untested, to my own chagrin). I’d suggest anyone who plans on doing these touristy things bring a backpack or prepare to suffer as a walking billboard.
St Patricks
By the time we got to Saint Patricks cathedral there was some actual sun! We stopped off in the park outside to soak up some rays and got the chance to see a real Irish argument in action, which as you might expect is just two different people saying passive aggressive things loudly in public.
The cathedral was beautiful, definitely the most beautiful and most photogenic of the churches we visited. There are also some ancient sigil banners hanging in one section which were a treat to look at and take pictures of.
Mall of Dublin
What can I say about the mall stores in Dublin? They were all sectioned off in Temple Bar and were easy to get through, but by the time we got there we were exhausted! I’m sure we could have enjoyed this part of the trip better if we hadn’t been exhausted.
One thing to note when trying to find food: Everything has mayo on it. All of the premade sandwhiches have it, and if you don’t specify that you want no mayo on ordered sandwiches there’s a good chance you’ll end up with it. So just clarify with most of your choices or you’ll end up wandering Dublin for hours trying to find something that isn’t already drenched in animal fat.
We finally trudged over to the Ginger Bread Man pub. We ordered some food and I ended another night with a pint of Irish red. The particular brew escapes me but it was delicious as was our food.
To close out our little venture in Dublin and our last day in the hotel we brewed ourselves a spot of tea and had the last of our animal crackers while watching the London news crew comment on the Olympic teams.
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