Gabi On The Go: Nov. 11th - Dublin: last day :(

ST. STEPHEN'S GREEN PARK

Ireland is my lucky country!

So many lucky things have happened here since I arrived, including the weather. Actually, since England the weather has been amazing, considering how much it normally rains in this part of the world... especially in the fall. Well, today was a little different, because nothing is perfect. Still, I could enjoy walking around with an umbrella and the bad weather stopped in the afternoon.

Lucky me!

My first attraction of the day was the St. Stephen's Green park, just a few steps from my hotel.

It's a small, but a charming park.

FROM WIKIPEDIA: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Stephen%27s_Green

St Stephen's Green is a garden square and public park located in the city centre of Dublin, Ireland. The current landscape of the park was designed by William Sheppard. It was officially re-opened to the public on Tuesday, 27 July 1880 by Lord Ardilaun. The square is adjacent to one of Dublin's main shopping streets, Grafton Street, and to a shopping centre named after it, while on its surrounding streets are the offices of a number of public bodies as well as a stop on one of Dublin's Luas tram lines. It is often informally called Stephen's Green. At 22 acres (8.9 ha), it is the largest of the parks in Dublin's main Georgian garden squares. Others include nearby Merrion Square and Fitzwilliam Square.

The park is rectangular, surrounded by streets that once formed major traffic arteries through Dublin city centre, although traffic management changes implemented in 2004 during the course of the Luas works have greatly reduced the volume of traffic. These four bordering streets are called, respectively, St Stephen's Green North, St Stephen's Green South, St Stephen's Green East and St Stephen's Green West.

The Three Fates Fountain

The "Three Fates" fountain in St. Stephen's Green is a bronze sculpture by German artist Josef Wackerle that was gifted to Ireland by the people of Germany in 1956. It represents the mythological figures who spin and measure the thread of life and was a gesture of gratitude for Ireland's help sheltering German refugee children after World War II.

I wish I knew the name of these birds.
Gorgeous!

This is an sculpture by artist Edward Delaney, named Famine, which commemorates the victims of the Great Famine, in which over a million of Irish people died and after which millions emigrated.

FROM WIKIPEDIA: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Famine_(Ireland)

The Great Famine, also known as the Great Hunger, the Famine and the Irish Potato Famine, was a period of mass starvation and disease in Ireland lasting from 1845 to 1852 that constituted a historical social crisis and had a major impact on Irish society and history as a whole.

The population of Ireland on the eve of the famine was about 8.5 million; by 1901, it was just 4.4 million.^[7] During the Great Hunger, roughly one million people died and more than one million more fled the country,^[8] causing the country's population to fall by 20–25% between 1841 and 1871, with some towns' populations falling by as much as 67%.

OSCAR WILDE

There he is!

The Oscar Wilde Memorial Sculpture is a collection of three statues in Merrion Square in Dublin, Ireland, commemorating Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde. The sculptures were unveiled in 1997 and were designed and made by Danny Osborne.

Across from the statue, is the house where Wilde used to live and it's a museum today.

FROM WIKIPEDIA: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Wilde

Oscar Fingal O'Fflahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 1854 – 30 November 1900) was an Irish author, poet and playwright. After writing in different literary styles throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular and influential dramatists in London in the early 1890s.

He was a key figure in the emerging Aestheticism movement of the late 19th century and is regarded by many as the greatest playwright of the Victorian era. Wilde is best known for his Gothic novel The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890), his epigrams, plays and bedtime stories for children, as well as his criminal conviction in 1895 for gross indecency for homosexual acts.

‘SHE said that she would dance with me if I brought her red roses,’ cried the young Student; ‘but in all my garden there is no red rose.’

From her nest in the holm-oak tree the Nightingale heard him, and she looked out through the leaves, and wondered.

‘No red rose in all my garden!’ he cried, and his beautiful eyes filled with tears. ‘Ah, on what little things does happiness depend! I have read all that the wise men have written, and all the secrets of philosophy are mine, yet for want of a red rose is my life made wretched.’

(FROM THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE BY OSCAR WILDE)

TRINITY COLLEGE

My next stop was the Trinity College, the most important university in Ireland, and the oldest still running in the country.

FROM WIKIPEDIA: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_College_Dublin

Trinity College Dublin, officially branded by the board as Trinity College, the University of Dublin, and by decree as The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, is the sole constituent college of the University of Dublin in the Republic of Ireland. Founded by Queen Elizabeth I in 1592 through a royal charter, it is one of the extant seven ancient universities of Great Britain and Ireland. As Ireland's oldest university in continuous operation, Trinity contributed to Irish literature during the Victorian and Georgian eras and played a notable role in the recognition of Dublin as a UNESCO City of Literature.

I was there!

Another statue of a man in an educational place.
Its about time to start seeing statues of women who also have impacted positively their society through education.

WALKING AROUND

St. Ann's Church

FROM WIKIPEDIA: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Ann%27s_Church,_Dawson_Street

St. Ann's Church on Dawson Street in Dublin, Ireland is a Church of Ireland church, constructed originally around 1720 following the establishment of the local Anglican parish in 1707. In the early 21st century the church presents itself as ecumenical within the tradition of the Church of Ireland.

The most famous windowless building in Dublin is the Bank of Ireland, on College Green, which it was originally the Irish Parliament House. The lack of windows on the main facade is an enduring reminder of the window tax imposed during the 1700s.

FROM WIKIPEDIA: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Window_tax

Window tax was a property tax based on the number of windows in a house. It was a significant social, cultural, and architectural force in England, Scotland, France and Ireland during the 18th and 19th centuries. To avoid the tax, some houses from the period can be seen to have bricked-up window-spaces (which can be (re)glazed later). In England and Wales it was introduced in 1696 and in Scotland from 1748. It was repealed in both cases in 1851. In France it was established in 1798 and was repealed in 1926.

GUINNESS STOREHOUSE

My last stop of the day was the Guinness Storehouse.

I've always thought of Ireland when I heard Guinness and the other way around, but I didn't know the connection was so strong. Guinness is a national pride here, an identity, a way of life!

I've never been a Guinness drinker, but still, I highly recommend to visit the biggest brewery in the world.
As I said, you can't make sense of Ireland without Guinness.

FROM WIKIPEDIA: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinness_Storehouse

Guinness Storehouse is a tourist attraction at St. James's Gate Brewery in Dublin, Ireland. Since opening in 2000, it has received over twenty million visitors.

The Storehouse covers seven floors surrounding a glass atrium shaped in the form of a pint of Guinness. The ground floor introduces the beer's four ingredients (water, barley, hops and yeast), and the brewery's founder, Arthur Guinness. Other floors feature the history of Guinness advertising and include an interactive exhibit on responsible drinking. The seventh floor houses the Gravity Bar with views of Dublin and where visitors may drink a pint of Guinness included in the price of most admission tickets.

The self guided exhibition is simple and easy to follow.
Through installations, sounds, videos and photographs, you slowly move up the 7 floors building, learning about the history of the place and the chemistry behind this world class beer and its brand.

Yeast, Hops, Water and Barley: the four ingredients that make Guinness a recognizable product, anywhere.

The chemistry behind it is fascinating and complex, but the exhibition makes it simple enough to understand.

The Guinness Storehouse explains the history of beer. The story is told through various interactive exhibition areas including ingredients, brewing, transport, cooperage, advertising, and sponsorship.

Some of the old machinery can be seen here as well.

I heard that people who work in the company are part of a big family. Locals told me, that the Guinness company treats their employees fairly, offering medical, dental assistance and other benefits.

What are the employee benefits of work?

Employee benefits extend beyond just salary. Key categories include health and wellness, financial security, work-life balance, and career development. Health insurance, retirement plans, PTO, flexible work options, and wellness programmes are among the top benefits every HR professional should prioritise.

"A woman needs a man like a fish needs a bicycle"

There is a room of the museum dedicated to the well known Guinness advertisement.

I could not resist. :)

Looking for a job?????
It's tasting time.

This is the tasting room. I was so excited to taste from this little cup, that I didn't pay much attention to what I was trying. I just know that the taste was amazing and I could feel all the flavours possible in different parts of my month.

THE FIRST LABEL - 1862

As Guinness began to spread its reach across the globe in the 18th century, the company realised it needed a way to identify Guinness as an Irish beer and serve as a mark of its quality. The harp device first featured on a Guinness bottle label in 1862 and has been synonymous with the brand ever since.

The exhibition finished in a bar on the top of the building, on the 7th floor.

There you can enjoy a free pint of the original Guinness or another type of Guinness beer, including the non-alcoholic beer, overlooking Dublin.

The pouring of Guinness into the glass also seems like an act of precision.

Then, the beer settles in the glass in a special way.

There you go! It's ready to be tasted! Cheers!

A LITTLE MORE OF WALKING AROUND

Church of Saints Augustine and John The Baptist

DOHENY & NESBITT PUB

I woke up today with a gastronomic intention: to find an authentic Irish Shepherd's Pie.

Well, it turns out that it's almost impossible to find a place that serves it in Dublin. I checked over 20 pubs and restaurants, and they all had the same answer: "sorry, but we have Cottage Pie, instead."

What's the difference? Shepherd's Pie is made with lamb, and Cottage Pie with beef. Same thing? Not really, if you love lamb like me.

Anyway, this quest -although frustrated - generated great small talks and laughs throughout my day, like:
A female musician stopping her singing to say: "they are the same thing", as the offended bartender yells back from behind the counter: "no, they are not." Laughs!

I gave up... and my last Irish traditional meal was a Cottage Pie, which made me as happy as a Shepherd's Pie would, I think!
Still, you owe me a Shepherd's pie, Dublin!

This pub was one of the most beautiful restaurant and bar I have ever been.

It looked like an old library, but with drinks.

It was recommend by a random man from another pub, saying this place has the best Shepherd's Pie... excuse me... Cottage Pie, in Dublin. :)

FROM WIKIPEDIA: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doheny_%26_Nesbitt

Doheny & Nesbitt is a Victorian pub and restaurant on Baggot Street in Dublin, Ireland. The pub is a tourist attraction and notable political and media meeting place and has been described as "one of the most photographed" pubs in the city.

In his 1969 book Irish Pubs of Character, Roy Bulson describes the establishment thus: "Over 130 years old, it still maintains its original character. You can see old whiskey casks, pumps and tankards in the bar and the wood partitions, marble-topped tables together with the antique mirrors give a genuine and pleasant atmosphere in which to drink".