Wrapping things up in Ireland

We spotted a couple trying to take pictures of themselves by this statue so we offered to take a picture of them with their camera so they could be in it together. We ended up with three couples exchanging cameras all around and I think this is the only picture I have of Hans and I together on this trip.


When we were done, Hans looked at the name on the statue which said 'Phil Lynott' and asked, "Who the hell is that anyway?"


One of the other couples laughed and said, "It's Thin Lizzy and he was from Dublin."


I'm really surprised that Hans (being Mr. Music Man) didn't know that but now he does.














This is a guard station at the Dublin Castle.


With his white socks and black shoes I'm sure Hans would have made a fine guard back in the day.


Very commanding!


















Outside of the Guinness Brewery here are some horse drawn buggies.

See my umbrella? Well of course it's raining (remember we're in Ireland), and if you succumb to the 'I have to take something back to the kids guilt thing' then take along a water proof bag and don't for even one second trust the pretty bag that the Guinness people provide. By the time we walked from the tram station to our hotel in winds that literally pushed me backwards (thank God I had 8 big cans of beer from the off license in my shoulder bag as an anchor) that Guinness bag was in complete sodden shreds. Hans had to cross his arms over it and carry it against his chest and was just barely able to keep my stuff from blowing away.

Three thousand visitors at $15.00 euro each go through the Guinness Storehouse daily. It's the original and only Guinness Brewery in the world and along with beer sales and souvenir sales they have to be making a mint!!
Oh, they also originated the Guinness Book of World Records.


















Hans is at the Gravity Bar with our tickets which allowed us to a 'free' pint of Guinness.




Ignore the lady in front of him, I have no idea who she is.


















While I was trying to get a picture of Hans (you can see him in back of the guy on the right) these guys moved in the way and insisted that I get a picture of them.
No problem.
Everyone has fun in the Gravity Bar.


















It's very difficult to see but there is a shamrock figure in the top of the foam of each glass of beer. The bartenders do a little swirly thing at the end of pouring each glass.
Kind of like the DQ (Dairy Queen) curl.
Only I like this better.






So we left the 60 something temperatures of Dublin and arrived home at the Dulles airport to the 90 something temperatures and I'm more than glad to put my leather coat away.