Ireland, Part 1!

Hey there! I know I've been slacking in the posting departments, but don't fret. Over the course of the next three days you are going to be treated to a posting frenzy!

Ireland, where do we start? Well, the boy (who I will refer to by his real name Sean from here on out since it's not like we have to keep it under wraps) and I left Philly on New Year's Eve at 9pm, thus avoiding the debacle of deciding where we wanted to piss away our money for nothing just to watch the clock turn strike midnight. Anyone else loathe NYE anymore? The flight was non-eventful, although it was the first time in ages I got a hot meal on a flight so traveling internationally has it's perks! My ass is always in coach and I'm usually traveling to such exotic locales as Dallas or Boston for matches. We landed in Dublin at around 9am. After grabbing our luggage and easily finding bus transportation into the city, we found our hostel, The Townhouse Bed & Breakfast, checked our bags at the desk and headed out in search of breakfast. It was dreary, quiet and gray everywhere. A bit strange for a major city. We then realized that nobody was awake yet after their New Year celebrations so it felt like we had the whole city to ourselves! We wondered over to the touristy Temple Bar area and found a pub that just opened. I ordered a mini Irish breakfast, Sean ordered the Full breakfast, go figure :)
Dublin isn't a city that seems to even want to be a big city. Nothing except the Guinness Storehouse and the Spire of Dublin is above 4 stories high so the entire city had a small town feel to it. The only thing that let's you know you are in a big, fancy city are the prices, which are outrageous! Once residents and tourists woke and started making there way out onto the streets it was apparent that the crowds on the streets and in the bars are predominantly tourists. As vast as it is, it's extremely walkable and suprisingly easy to get your bearings. Everywhere you go, there were tricket shops and tour buses so it leaves you wondering if this is the lush, green Ireland that everyone raves about? Later on, we met up with Tim and Laura out at FitzSimon's (pictured) for some adult beverages of the malted variety. I know most people drink Guinness in Ireland, but I was a huge fan of the Bulmer's cider so I stuck to that almost exclusively. It was only in the morning that I realized the punch it delivered! The evening was fairly low key (it was a Tuesday afterall) and we retired a bit early so we could be rested for a full day of touring the next day.

Here are the rest of the pics from this day. I have to keep remembering that I have a camera and to keep taking pictures! It's not like it's a disposable and I have to ration them or anything. Cheers!