Ireland

Here’s the brewing process for inquiring minds.

Heading toward the Storehouse…even the approach is cool.

We also met Christian and Rose (love them) from California at the Guinness Storehouse. Here’s a blurry photo of us heading into the Storehouse together after I needed to inquire about Christian’s sweater, which proudly bears the image of a kitten. That is an awesome sweater.

This is a more different piece of an enormous bronze sculpture that is part of the transportation display.

Heading up to the top floor to take in the views from Gravity Bar.

One of their most recognizable ad campaigns.

The glass walls of the gravity bar are very cool and also a little unnerving.

The building is full of little moments like this one. <3

The tasting room was full of white mist coming from several different barrels each representing different flavor notes in the Guinness. It was rad.

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Hanging out in the Gravity bar with a 360 view of Dublin

Serving up the good stuff in Gravity Bar

There was a huge wall of casks from the display about the coopers (cask makers).

Details were not spared in this building. This is a small piece of an enormous bronze sculpture that is part of the transportation display.

This is the water display — an ode to the importance of the water source, the Wicklow Mountains.

Diego’s perfect pint

Our wonderfully weird waiter at JJ’s.

We also met Christian and Rose (love them) from California at the Guinness Storehouse. Here’s a blurry photo of us heading into the Storehouse together after I needed to inquire about Christian’s sweater, which proudly bears the image of a kitten. That is an awesome sweater.

The bakeries were mouth watering.

Another view of the Ha’penny Bridge

Courtyard of Trinity College

John’s Lane Cathedral

Love locks on the Ha’penny Bridge. Fun fact, the city has to remove these from time to time due to the maintenance issues the little rust producers cause. The last removal weighed in at 300KG/661LBS!

Cool details abound in the city…this is the base of a street light. St. Patrick’s cathedral is peeking out in the background.

The Ha’penny Bridge over the Liffey River

Yum!

Christ Church Cathedral

THE Temple Bar

Artichokes flower!!! Mind blown.

Diego’s favorite shop of the day.

A chill afternoon in the courtyard of Trinity College

The Spire on famed O’Connell Street

Elmira, New York!

A bird with tude and a rainbow

Cool bronze casts of Viking artifacts set into sidewalk pavers throughout the city give a nod to the city’s Nordic roots.

The complex maze of stone fences double as property boundaries

Trying not to ralph

View from O’Brien’s Castle

Kinsale’s harbor

Lefty

Actual working water fountain

I made a friend at dinner. Her name is Poppy.

Heading into Doolin

One of the ferries

Heading to our homestay

Inisheer taxi

We were the only passengers

standard travel pose

standard travel pose as near to the edge of the cliff as I dared to stand

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our “hike”

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Glendalough Monastic Settlement: A beautiful old monastery situated in Wicklow National Park.

Wicklow National Park — STUNNING!

A smile in rainy Killarney

Kinsale’s harbor

Cork’s English Market is like a farmer’s market on steroids. It has been around since 1788, it’s in the center of the city, and it’s chock full of family businesses. It is absolutely darling in every respect.