Troy Posing With A Real-Life Leprechaun
The Formal Gardens of the Royal Hospital Kilmainham,Near the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA)
"Symmetry Is The Way Things Have To Be" -- Jane Siberry
The Staircase Leading to the Gardens
A "Single Portion" of Ice Cream: Five Scoops in a Soup Bowl
Casks of Irish Whiskey at the Jameson Distillery
Sculpture on a Bridge Over the River Liffey
Fish and Chips, Anyone?I honestly wish that this wasn't the case, but I am afraid that our time in Dublin is almost over. What a fan-feckin-tastic vacation this was. I had never expected to enjoy the city as much as I did. In fact, this evening, at Carrolls, the souvenir shop, I nearly started weeping, thinking about leaving Ireland so soon. It didn't help that "Danny Boy" was playing on the sound system.
We awoke this morning on our own at 8:00 a.m. sharp. We took our time getting ready, and even watched some TV. We made it down for breakfast, where Troy had the smoked salmon, and I had the traditional Irish breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast and jam, sausages, bacon and white blood pudding). Honestly, I think I prefer the blood pudding to Irish bacon... I have really enjoyed the music they play in the hotel. Last night, at dinner, they played Björk ("It's Oh So Quiet") and Tori Amos ("Winter"), and this morning, at breakfast, they played Kate Bush ("Wuthering Heights"). You would think that they were playing songs from my iTunes or something...
After breakfast, we headed downtown on foot and ran into a few people dressed in leprechaun suits and I took a picture of Troy beside one. We then took a tacsai (taxi) to our main destination this morning, the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA). Troy really wanted to go there, so I was happy that we could make time to go there today. The first gallery was a little disappointing: it featured contemporary prints and lithograph series, some of them printed in 2010, and none by artists we recognized. We got through the very small gallery in mere minutes. The curator then told us that most of the museum was closed because they are planning the next big exhibit, and only one more small gallery, the one devoted to American Modern Art from after the Second World War, was open. So, we took a break from the exhibit and ventured outside to visit the formalist gardens behind the IMMA. Wow! If anything, the gardens were way more impressive than the art we had just seen. We strolled through the gardens slowly, taking dozens of photographs. There were a few raindrops just then, but as this was the first time during our trip that it really rained, we still considered ourselves very lucky with the weather we have had.
After our stroll through the grounds, we entered the only other gallery that was open, and we were both pleasantly surprised by what we saw. This gallery was somewhat larger than the last one and featured works by such artistic heavyweights as Marcel Duchamp, Christo, Jasper Johns and Roy Lichtenstein. My favourite piece was "Little Orphan Annie Is Forty", by Richard Merkin. Troy's was John Goodyear's "Two-Sided Movement". And we both really enjoyed Marcel Duchamp's six different pieces he called "Rotoreliefs". All in all, a great visit of the IMMA, which was saved by the American art exhibit.
We left the museum some time around 2:30 p.m. I told Troy that as we suddenly had more time than expected, perhaps we could do the other site he had been hoping to see during our trip to Dublin, the Jameson distillery. We walked the ten or fifteen minutes it took to get there, bypassing the Cobblestone Pub along the way. When we got there, Troy announced that he was starving, and I was quick to echo that sentiment. So, we went to the Jameson distillery restaurant and had a great bite to eat. I had the pork dinner: a generous serving of roast pork, with roasted potatoes, parsnips and carrots, with apple stuffing and red wine gravy. Troy had the broccoli and Cashel blue cheese soup, the turkey ciabatta, and a side order of french fries. Very yummy meals all around.
As I was waiting for my dessert, Troy got in line to get us tickets for the guided tour of the distillery. The waiter asked if I wanted a single portion of ice cream. I hesitated, then said that yes, one portion would be sufficient. I thought I would try to be good. When dessert came to the table, I discovered that one portion meant five scoops French vanilla ice cream in a soup bowl. Let's just say I didn't complain...
We managed to get tickets for the 4:00 p.m. tour. We learned how Jameson whiskey is made from just three ingredients: pure water, malted barley and unmalted barley. The tour guide showed us a film on John Jameson's life, trying to gloss over the fact that he came from Scotland (the whole "who invented whiskey, the Irish or the Scots" debate seems to be a deeply entrenched one in these parts!). After the film, we saw rooms that explained each process in the making of Jameson Irish whiskey. But before that, the guide asked if there were any volunteers -- 4 men and 4 women -- who wanted to sample the difference between Irish whiskey (Jameson), Scottish whiskey (Johnny Walker) and American bourbon (Jack Daniels). I knew that Troy would really, really like to be one of those volunteers, so I caught the guide's eye and shot my arm up in the air. I was rewarded with the first chance to sample the three, which I gave to Troy. He looked like a happy camper. At the end of the tour, he was invited to sit at the head table with the other 7 volunteers and taste the difference between the three. As for the rest of us, we all got our free drink that came with the price of our ticket. At the end of the sampling the guide invited family and friends of the volunteers to taste the difference between the three, so I got to see that Jameson was my favourite. The Johnny Walker had that smoky taste that I despise so much in many other foods (smoked oysters, smoked mussels, smoked bacon... yuck!), and the Jack Daniels, being made out of corn, was way too sweet. And as for Troy, who also preferred the Jameson, he earned himself a certificate in whiskey sampling, to go with his certificate as an apprentice master brewer that he earned at the Guinness brewery.
We crossed the Ha'penny Bridge just as the sun was setting, making our way to the south side of the Liffey in our quest to find Isolde's Tower. There is nothing there anymore except for a marker, so I took a picture of it.
It was then time to do a bit of shopping. We went primarily to Carrolls and bought all of the souvenirs we still wanted to get. Troy happened to smash a small leprechaun while we were there, but we didn't have to pay for it. I got my friend Martin some gifts for looking after my cats, whom I miss a lot, actually, if truth be known. (The cats, not Martin, LOL).
Upon returning to the hotel, around 7:00 p.m., we packed all of our things, ready for tomorrow's early morning flight. An hour later, we were seated in the restaurant, listening to U2, Sinéad O'Connor and the Cranberries on the sound system there. Troy ordered his last beef and Guinness pie in Ireland, and I got a huge serving of fish and chips. We then went to the adjoining bar to listen to the live band that was playing there, in front of a large audience of sports fans who flooded into the place after the important football match tonight. I had a Jameson and cranberry juice, and Troy had a Jameson straight up before trying a Tyrconnell. We decided to call it an early night, so we paid our hotel bill tonight ahead of our departure tomorrow morning and headed to our room where Troy read his new book and I typed today's activities in my blog.
That's where we're at right now. I'm about to read Troy my blog entry. Then I will be off to bed. Once I get back to Canada I will write one final entry and add some photos.
I have loved every minute of my stay here and cannot wait to return again soon.
All best,
M.
PS- I tried reading Troy the blog entry for today, but I had to stop half-way because he was snoring. I hope that's no comment on my literary prowess...
;-)
Good night.
We awoke this morning on our own at 8:00 a.m. sharp. We took our time getting ready, and even watched some TV. We made it down for breakfast, where Troy had the smoked salmon, and I had the traditional Irish breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast and jam, sausages, bacon and white blood pudding). Honestly, I think I prefer the blood pudding to Irish bacon... I have really enjoyed the music they play in the hotel. Last night, at dinner, they played Björk ("It's Oh So Quiet") and Tori Amos ("Winter"), and this morning, at breakfast, they played Kate Bush ("Wuthering Heights"). You would think that they were playing songs from my iTunes or something...
After breakfast, we headed downtown on foot and ran into a few people dressed in leprechaun suits and I took a picture of Troy beside one. We then took a tacsai (taxi) to our main destination this morning, the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA). Troy really wanted to go there, so I was happy that we could make time to go there today. The first gallery was a little disappointing: it featured contemporary prints and lithograph series, some of them printed in 2010, and none by artists we recognized. We got through the very small gallery in mere minutes. The curator then told us that most of the museum was closed because they are planning the next big exhibit, and only one more small gallery, the one devoted to American Modern Art from after the Second World War, was open. So, we took a break from the exhibit and ventured outside to visit the formalist gardens behind the IMMA. Wow! If anything, the gardens were way more impressive than the art we had just seen. We strolled through the gardens slowly, taking dozens of photographs. There were a few raindrops just then, but as this was the first time during our trip that it really rained, we still considered ourselves very lucky with the weather we have had.
After our stroll through the grounds, we entered the only other gallery that was open, and we were both pleasantly surprised by what we saw. This gallery was somewhat larger than the last one and featured works by such artistic heavyweights as Marcel Duchamp, Christo, Jasper Johns and Roy Lichtenstein. My favourite piece was "Little Orphan Annie Is Forty", by Richard Merkin. Troy's was John Goodyear's "Two-Sided Movement". And we both really enjoyed Marcel Duchamp's six different pieces he called "Rotoreliefs". All in all, a great visit of the IMMA, which was saved by the American art exhibit.
We left the museum some time around 2:30 p.m. I told Troy that as we suddenly had more time than expected, perhaps we could do the other site he had been hoping to see during our trip to Dublin, the Jameson distillery. We walked the ten or fifteen minutes it took to get there, bypassing the Cobblestone Pub along the way. When we got there, Troy announced that he was starving, and I was quick to echo that sentiment. So, we went to the Jameson distillery restaurant and had a great bite to eat. I had the pork dinner: a generous serving of roast pork, with roasted potatoes, parsnips and carrots, with apple stuffing and red wine gravy. Troy had the broccoli and Cashel blue cheese soup, the turkey ciabatta, and a side order of french fries. Very yummy meals all around.
As I was waiting for my dessert, Troy got in line to get us tickets for the guided tour of the distillery. The waiter asked if I wanted a single portion of ice cream. I hesitated, then said that yes, one portion would be sufficient. I thought I would try to be good. When dessert came to the table, I discovered that one portion meant five scoops French vanilla ice cream in a soup bowl. Let's just say I didn't complain...
We managed to get tickets for the 4:00 p.m. tour. We learned how Jameson whiskey is made from just three ingredients: pure water, malted barley and unmalted barley. The tour guide showed us a film on John Jameson's life, trying to gloss over the fact that he came from Scotland (the whole "who invented whiskey, the Irish or the Scots" debate seems to be a deeply entrenched one in these parts!). After the film, we saw rooms that explained each process in the making of Jameson Irish whiskey. But before that, the guide asked if there were any volunteers -- 4 men and 4 women -- who wanted to sample the difference between Irish whiskey (Jameson), Scottish whiskey (Johnny Walker) and American bourbon (Jack Daniels). I knew that Troy would really, really like to be one of those volunteers, so I caught the guide's eye and shot my arm up in the air. I was rewarded with the first chance to sample the three, which I gave to Troy. He looked like a happy camper. At the end of the tour, he was invited to sit at the head table with the other 7 volunteers and taste the difference between the three. As for the rest of us, we all got our free drink that came with the price of our ticket. At the end of the sampling the guide invited family and friends of the volunteers to taste the difference between the three, so I got to see that Jameson was my favourite. The Johnny Walker had that smoky taste that I despise so much in many other foods (smoked oysters, smoked mussels, smoked bacon... yuck!), and the Jack Daniels, being made out of corn, was way too sweet. And as for Troy, who also preferred the Jameson, he earned himself a certificate in whiskey sampling, to go with his certificate as an apprentice master brewer that he earned at the Guinness brewery.
We crossed the Ha'penny Bridge just as the sun was setting, making our way to the south side of the Liffey in our quest to find Isolde's Tower. There is nothing there anymore except for a marker, so I took a picture of it.
It was then time to do a bit of shopping. We went primarily to Carrolls and bought all of the souvenirs we still wanted to get. Troy happened to smash a small leprechaun while we were there, but we didn't have to pay for it. I got my friend Martin some gifts for looking after my cats, whom I miss a lot, actually, if truth be known. (The cats, not Martin, LOL).
Upon returning to the hotel, around 7:00 p.m., we packed all of our things, ready for tomorrow's early morning flight. An hour later, we were seated in the restaurant, listening to U2, Sinéad O'Connor and the Cranberries on the sound system there. Troy ordered his last beef and Guinness pie in Ireland, and I got a huge serving of fish and chips. We then went to the adjoining bar to listen to the live band that was playing there, in front of a large audience of sports fans who flooded into the place after the important football match tonight. I had a Jameson and cranberry juice, and Troy had a Jameson straight up before trying a Tyrconnell. We decided to call it an early night, so we paid our hotel bill tonight ahead of our departure tomorrow morning and headed to our room where Troy read his new book and I typed today's activities in my blog.
That's where we're at right now. I'm about to read Troy my blog entry. Then I will be off to bed. Once I get back to Canada I will write one final entry and add some photos.
I have loved every minute of my stay here and cannot wait to return again soon.
All best,
M.
PS- I tried reading Troy the blog entry for today, but I had to stop half-way because he was snoring. I hope that's no comment on my literary prowess...
;-)
Good night.
Hey Troy,
ReplyDeletere: snoring mid-blog... that makes two of us! Come to my arms!
-Nick
ps. Blood pudding over Irish bacon? Heretic!