The One Picture

I figured it was time to have at least one wedding picture framed (professionally) so we can remember the special day. So, here it is (Mom, we finally did it):

Our wedding photo, or mural as Adam likes to call it, over our fire place.

Julian Lloyd Webber in Concert

For Christmas, Adam got us tickets to see Julian Lloyd Webber perform. We saw him play, accompanied only by a piano, at the Cambridge Corn Exchange. It was a beautiful concert performed in a really great space. His choice of cello pieces was impeccable. They included: Bach’s Adagio in G, Bridge’s Scherzetto and Elegy, Britten’s Scherzo Pizzicato, Fauré’s Elegie, Delius’ Sonata, his father William Lloyd Webber’s Nocture, and Rachmaninov’s lyrical Sonata. Wish you could have joined us!

Julian Lloyd Webber and his Stradivarius
http://www.huntspost.co.uk

If you would like to read a review, may I suggest this link: http://www.huntspost.co.uk/what-s-on/julian_lloyd_webber_wows_audiences_at_cambridge_corn_exchange_1_1189185

After the concert, we proceeded to a party that was lighted only by candles (there were hundreds of tea candles all over the house), where we sampled some delicious drinks (what kind of martinis were those?!), and where we huddled by a fire pit on a chilly winter night. Great party, Paul and Amanda!

The History of the Irish- Dublin (Day 3)

KILMAINHAM GOAL
One of the most enlightening experiences we had was on our last day in Dublin (we flew out Monday evening) was spending time at the Kilmainham Goal, a jail turned museum. It was an incredibly educational experience, reminding us both that it was not so long ago that Ireland experienced incredible tragedy as it struggled for independence, tearing families and friends apart. The story is told well, and the tragedy felt, while touring the Goal; rather an appropriate experience on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

The Jail

The front door of the jail where public hangings took place well into the beginning of the 1900s.

The older portion of the jail is built out of limestone. It was cold and damp, and served as a refuge for hundreds of people who were searching for food and shelter during the potato famine. During the famine, men, women and children were all held in single rooms all together. The ledgers for the jail, held in the museum, show many people held for petty theft (Ex: stealing

Looking out from a cell.

The newest portion of the jail, based on the idea of Foucault's Panopticon.

Looking out from a cell.

Spiral staircase inside Panopticon.

Jail grounds where daily exercise was held. The prisoners walked in a straight line with their hands behind their backs for one hour daily.

The flag and memorial plaque placed for the men killed in 1916 for their role in the Easter Rising.

The plaque honouring the men killed here, in the stone cutter's yard.

A FEW MORE DUBLIN SIGHTS

After the jail, we walked back to our hotel before heading home.

The tallest public sculpture in the world. Also referred to as the knitting needle.

Here it is, up close and personal.

Gardens at the art museum.

The General Post Office was the headquarters for the Easter Rising of 1916.

The River Liffey.

Our last sip of Guinness before heading home.

The Drink of the Irish- Dublin (Day 2)

We began Sunday with brunch at a great (albeit small) restaurant called Cafe Tiesan http://www.tiesan.com/. We miss being able to sit down at a restaurant for brunch at home, so it was perfect to sit and have coffee (the Cafe Latte was perfect-- lots of steamed milk), have delicious food (Adam had Guinness Bread French Toast), and read the paper. It was the perfect way to start a Sunday.

And after brunch, we headed to St. Patrick's Cathedral for Sunday service.

We don't have any of the pictures of the interior due to the fact that service was occurring. Rest assured it's beautiful (like all of the great European Cathedrals). And the choir during the service was fantastic. It really was mesmerising.

GUINNESS STOREHOUSE
And immediately after service, we walked to the Guinness Storehouse, of course.

And we learned how Guinness was made (the entire museum has a very industrial feel. It's great).

Ingredient #1: Barley

A huge supply of barley was on display.

Ingredient #2: Hops

Ingredient #3: Water

By the waterfall

Ingredient #4: The Brewer. Which is not to say, that despite this picture, that Adam is the brewer. Or that he was not excited to be there. :) But that the rest of the process is all about controlling the process. Including the boiling (this room in the museum is extremely loud, by the way)

 And we tasted some Guinness:

Just a bit to wet your whistle

Saw exhibitions about the transportation of Guinness throughout the world, it's advertising campaigns and the like. Did you ever make the connection that the Guinness Book of World Records was connected to the Storehouse? It is indeed.

"The word beer is thought to originate from..."

"...the Anglo-Saxon word Baere meaning Barley."

Original wooden casks. Making these was a word of art. When the factory switched to metal casks, they turned the wooden casks into furniture. Yes, it would be great to have an original cask table, wouldn't it?

The harp, like the one here, is the national symbol for Ireland. It is on the back of all Euros produced in Ireland, and is part of the national history.

A Guinness Ad.

And then headed to the Galaxy Bar on the fifth floor to have a full pint. We met a friend here too-- Tony the Dentist from Louisville who we had the pleasure of hanging with later that night at the Literary Pub Crawl. More on that in a minute.

The Galaxy Bar had a 360 degree view of Dublin. It was great.

See St. Patrick's off in the distance?

Cheers! (Your tour includes a pint)

All of the guide books say that the Guinness tastes different when you are in Dublin. I have to say that it did. It was not as harsh as it can be in the States. Adam, however, found no difference. And I have decided it will be time to have a pint the next time we are at the Elveden Inn, our newest favourite hotel/pub that is owned by Lord and Lady Iveagh. Lord Iveagh happens to be a descendant of Arthur Guinness, the original brewer of the drink itself. I'll let you know what we find. Or better yet, come here and try some with us!

BULL & CASTLE
We loved the Bull and Castle so much the day before, we had to go there again-- to try more microbrews, of course! And it didn't hurt that we walked right by it on our way back to the Temple Bar district from the Guinness Factory. No pictures, but great beer, and food, once again.

LITERARY PUB CRAWL
On our way back to Grafton Street, we saw the following. Adam thoroughly enjoyed it.

And then we got to Duke's Pub where the crawl began. During the crawl, we visited four pubs, all of which had to do with literary figures who are from Dublin (Seamus Heaney, Brendan Behan, James Joyce, Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw, Samuel Beckett... you get the drift).

A very blurry picture of one of the pubs we hit along the way: M.J. O'Neills.

 Two men were our guides (see below) who performed pieces of different literary works (ex: Waiting for Godot) along the way. It was a great time.

Our hosts/ performers in action.

Our hosts and performers.

I came in second in our pub quiz earning me a small bottle of Dublin Mouthwash: Bushmills Whiskey. (Note: it was small enough that I could take it home on the plane with me= perfection.)

We met some great people (including an entire college class from Lafayette University- boy, did that bring me back...), including our Guinness Storehouse friend Tony.

Our new buddy who promised that the next time we meet up (in another European city), he would "bring a female along" so that I would have someone to talk to. lol Oh, the joys of travel :)