Dublin.. I love you... Day 2... (Wicklow)

Woke up very early morning on day 2. Qiaowei said must see the sunrise from the bridge, didnt really know which bridge she meant. But still managed to see a very beautiful sunrise.

After sunries, went back to hostel, ate breakfast and checked-out. Waited for the bus of Wicklow tour at the tourist centre. The bus went back to O'Connell street to pick up other people. The guide said Dublin has as many taxi as in New York. Quite impossible, but noticed that the taxi at Dublin looks very different. Then I realised that the taxi are actually private cars in any maker and any model. Even the Madza 3 and Toyota Prius became taxi at Dublin.

The Wicklow Mountain National Park. Look at the colour of the water, dont confuse it with Guinness.. hehe... it is the mineral make up the colour of the water...

The scenery at Wicklow mountain. It is also the scene of filming the movie "PS I Love You". Didnt watch that movie before I went to Ireland. After coming back from Ireland, searched the movie online and watched it. It is a very nice love story. For anybody wants to go to Wicklow, please watch the movie before going.

My face looks so numb cos it is freezing cold out there, the wind was blowing like hell.

The Lake of Guinness. The lake was bought by Guinness family because the shape and the water colour of the lake looks like a pint of Guinness. The family put some sand at the west of the lake making it looks like the bubble form at the top of a pint of Guinness.

Where we stopped and had lunch.

A traditional Irish pub.

How can an Irish pub without Guinness...

The Irish stew again

and the Irish coffee... the bottom is the burned sugar, the middle layer is Irish whisky and the top layer is coffee. It is not meant to be stirred, but drunken directly like that. The whisky is so strong, but it was good in cold mountain weather.

Tour continued, yup we took pictures at a commentary, hopefully wont see anything special in our pictures.

The upper lake and the lower lake...

Back to Dublin city and had dinner before heading to airport. This time I got to try the true boxty. The boxty is actually the potato pancake with different filling. My filling was lamb stew.

Time to say goodbye to the lovely Ireland...

My flight was on the next morning 6.30am. To save the hostel fee, I went to airport at 11pm and spent my night at the airport. Surprised too meet so many ppl like me spending a night at airport. Everybody slept at the cafe sofa after they closed down at 12pm but was awaken up by the staff on 4am when they were about to open. Anyway, gained another bagpacking airport sleeping experience.

Got back to Manchester on the next morning and had to rush to Birmingham meeting up with marina and kemhan for our gathering and farewell.

Dublin.. I love you... Day 1... (City)

After coming back from Barcelona, take one day rest at Manchester and grabbed the time to buy shyuan her ROM gift. Continued my travelling to Dublin, Ireland on 11/11 (happy birthday to CK and jennfang.. :p)

Weather at Dublin is never better than Manchester. Remember I saw a t-shirt at a gift shop

The t-shirt drawn with 4 sheep in four seasons - spring summer fall winter. All 4 sheep carry umbrella as it rains in spring summer fall and snows in winter. Now you know how's the weather in Ireland. Never mind, that weather wont disappoint a tourist from England.

Along the river

The custom house

Mr O'Connell who fought for the independence of Irish Republic.

The main street of Dublin, the O'Connell street. The eye-attracting monument of the O'Connell street is the Monument of Light, built for commemoration of Millennium and meant to be the highest monument in Europe. 

The view of O'Connell street

The post office building, interestingly the mail box in Ireland is in green colour.

The Henry street, many shopping outlet here.

The Irish banks.

Dublin is also famous of its long history. The oldest university in Ireland, the Trinity College.

Rugby, the sport Irish is very proud of.

The book of Kells, collected in the Trinity College, a Gospel manuscript with ornamentation which dated back to 9th century.

 
Dublin is the home of Guinness, the most popular stout in the world. St. James's Gate Brewery and the Guinness StoreHouse.

This year is 250 years anniversary of Guinness.

The ingredient of the Guinness Stout:
The barley

The hops

and the secret recipe from Arthur Guinness.

The barley is roasted, that produces the dark colour of the stout.

Guinness is served at the tasting lab and they show you how the tester in the factory test the stout before it is released into market. But i was too thirsty and drank it a one shot, paiser... hehe...!!!

The marketing of Guinness stout, still remember the George Lam TV commercial?

The Irish harp, the logo of Guinness.

Full pint of Guinness stout served at the skybar. Having a pint of Guinness with the full view of Dublin city.

Can see the difference of a draught Guinness? The tiny small bubbles create the smooth flowing of the draught Guinness.

 

No idea who is this guy, but his name is Larkin, same as our bus terminal at Johor Bahru, hhahahahaa...!!!

Time for dinner, but of course not this one.

The famous and the oldest bar, the Temple Bar. The area is named after it. and also many other restaurants.

The must-try dish, Irish stew and the boxty cake. I wanted to try the boxty which is the famous Irish dish, but I dont know why they served boxty cake which was totally different from the boxty.
ps: the stupid picture rotated when i upload it.