Éire go Brách - Part II

I had a little bit of a late start today as I rolled over a few times to go back to sleep, obviously trying to make up for the recent lack. I got down the the dining room right as they were cleaning up their breakfast service, but they were kind enough to give me a plate of still mostly warm breakfast. What they call a full Irish breakfast is a plate with a couple sausage links, a bit of ham, an egg (mine was over easy), a thick slice of cooked (baked?) tomato, and a helping of baked beans. It wasn't going to win any awards, but it's tasty and hearty mix that lasted me quite a while. I imagine it's a bit better when you don't wait until the last and get the last bits of breakfast.

With an already late start I wasn't in much of a hurry to get out the door and I didn't have much in mind for the day. When I finally did make it down to the street it was gloomy but the rain was holding off so I decided to just walk around, heading southerly towards Trinity College. I managed to get a bit turn around trying to navigate some road work and ended up going all around the college without ever making it onto the ground. I ended up south of the college in a small greenspace called Merrion Square Park. Despite the fact that it's only an area roughly one block by two blocks, it's well wooded and once inside it feels far more secluded than it really is. After walking through the park and down a couple blocks I ducked into small pub called Doheny & Nesbitt. It's an old-style pub full of dark wood and teeming with little nooks and crannies for groups and couples to tuck away. I had a pint, and for some reason I felt compelled to order the soup of the day (a delicious leek soup) despite the fact I wasn't even remotely hungry. They have lots of traditional music at nights and the place is supposed to get extremely packed after work. It's a place I definitely want to check out again.

The rain came, though lightly, while I was in the pub so when I left it was wet and drizzling. It was nowhere near enough to hamper a walk so I turned down the street and within a few minutes I was at St. Stephen's Green. The Green is a park about twice the size of Merrion Square, and although it's full of large, old trees it felt a bit less secluded than Merrion. However it does have a couple nice duck ponds, a big open area with gazebos, and is pretty heavily trafficked by people cutting through, people having lunch, and people who don't seem to have much else to do. Whether the latter group is homeless or just aimless I'm not sure, but nobody begged me for money or smokes so I don't suppose it matters. I sat in one of the gazebos and people watched for a bit, catching a glimpse of a wide range of ages, nationalities, and classes all coming and going without paying much mind to the damp, slightly chilly weather. There was still a fair amount of daylight left, as dim as it was, but I still wasn't up to my prime so I slowly made my way back toward my room. I meandering up the bustling high-end shopping area of Grafton St. - the home of fashionable boutiques, fine hotels, and pricey food and drinks. I'm not really the shopping type so although it was a nice area, it wasn't really my scene so I didn't investigate much beyond what I saw as I walked.

Once back at my room I laid down to regain my strength after walking a few miles and then up the four flights of stairs to my room and surprisingly fell asleep (I don't nap...it rarely works for me). When I woke up it was getting dark and I was getting hungry so I popped out and hit The Parnell where I had eaten the night before and had my first Guinness in Ireland and a very respectable fish and chips. I'm honestly not a big Guinness fan, but I do think it was a fair bit tastier than the stuff back home. It could just be psychological, being in the land of Guinness, but I kinda doubt it. And that marks the end of my rather uneventful day. I didn't take my camera out with me since I really just wanted to get a feel for the town, but tomorrow I'm thinking of heading out to a interesting looking cemetery and the botanical gardens surrounding it. Or I could just sleep in and drink...we'll see.