I’ve been to the Guinness Brewery in Dublin twice. I know, right? So many people have never been, and I’ve been two times. Crazy. The picture above is from the first trip (circa 2001). I was not long out of college and went to visit my friend Karen who was in Scotland for grad school and we took a whirlwind side trip to Dublin.
It was the quintessential broke college student style trip. We took a train to a ferry to another train (cheaper than flights) and then stayed at Trinity College, which opens their residence halls to young travellers in the summer (breakfast was included!). One of the few things we splurged on was the Guinness Brewery tour, the best part of which was the bar at the top of the building that offered panoramic views of the city and (of course) a pint of that famous frothy stout. Somewhere, there is a great photo of me holding a Guinness in this bar, looking quite tired. It was 10:00am and the night before had been a late one. (If you ever forget how awesome digital photography is, try to find one specific photo in a box of them.)
The second visit to the brewery occurred on the way to Karen’s wedding in Scotland three years later. My husband and I had a lengthy layover near Dublin, so we hopped on a bus and had a pint of Guinness overlooking the city.
I think about these two trips every year as the American celebration of St. Patrick’s Day rolls around and I raise a pint* to friends, close by and far-away. And to travel. To spontaneity. To adventure; long nights and early mornings. And to laughter. Especially to laughter.
Please take a minute and let me know what you’re toasting this year in the comments below. Cheers!
*For the record, I eschew the dyed green beer trend for a good old-fashioned Irish Stout because . . . actually no need to give a reason — dyed green pretty much covers it.
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Trips like that are the memories I hold on to the hardest! And when it comes to Irish holidays, I usually grab a Smithywicks (or two)!
Excellent choice! (and yes, travel memories are some of the best memories!)
I have a similar memory from the Heineken factory in Amsterdam. I was a broke student on a broke student trip down from the University of Manchester. We took a charter bus (and a ferry) for 15 hours to get there. Realistically a flight probably would have been comparably priced, but we got caught up in the idea of a huge group vacation. After a big night out, my partner in crime Dominique and I rolled to the Heineken factory at… 10 AM (sound familiar?). My parents are cleaning out the house ahead of a big move and my mother sent me all of the things I collected from that trip (Heineken swag included). I don’t think I’ll ever forget that glass of 10 AM lager.
Yes! I love this story! These are truly the moments in life that are unforgettable, I agree.