Our last company visit was a formal visit with Guinness at the Guinness Storehouse. While Lauren and I had walked to the museum yesterday, we had both wondered about the large, circular glass room at the Guinness facility, and we were soon to find out. We began our visit with a talk with the media marketing director, who talked about how the point of the Guinness Storehouse is to be more than a tourist attraction; Guinness already receives more than half of all the people who pass through the Dublin Airport. The Guinness Storehouse is supposed to be a pilgrimage site, for devoted Guinness brand enthusiasts, for locals and tourists, and for everyone who wants to appreciate the history of a beer that is older than America (founded in 1759). It was a remarkable place, and the interior glass atrium was shaped like a giant pint glass. After talking about media impressions for Guinness, St. Paddy's Day prep for Guinness, and discovering that the world's per capita greatest consumers of Guinness are in Nigeria, we headed downstairs for a proper tour of the facility.
We had a guide, who spoke to us all via microphone transmitted to our headsets, which was quite a handy way to talk to 25 people at once. Her microphone box was giving us some serious feedback, so at one point she had to swap her mic, but overall, it was fairly useful. She talked and explained the various steps of production, and taught us how to drink Guinness correctly. Elbows out, eyes to the horizon, drink through the head. All the men on our trip with facial hair have come to appreciate the pleasure of the Guinness head in their mustaches. Guinness appears black, but is really a very deep ruby red color. This is the time, by the way, to say Slainté. We all had a little baby pint of Guinness, and I am glad they only gave us a baby pint, because, as usual, I hadn't eaten breakfast. Always good to start your day with a Guinness at ten in the morning. I think I might really be Irish by now.
We continued on, and took our group picture within the life sized Guinness advert. Our guide left us on the next floor, where we learned to pour a perfect pint. I have a few pictures of myself pouring a pint, and Tanner (who happily drank my Guinness for me, because I didn't want to) said that I am a very good pour. I posted to Facebook from the canteen, because Guinness very much wants people to brag on the internet about their brand, and I think it has already been decided that when it comes time for a house party, I'll be pouring. It takes exactly 119.5 seconds for a Guinness to settle after the initial pour, so don't rush me, this is for science. I wish we had gotten some kind of cert from Bushmills when we went, because between my Jameson tasting diploma, and my Guinness perfect pour document, I am certainly more than qualified regarding Irish alcohol. Not going on the CV, but certainly on the wall.
We took our perfect pours up to the Gravity Bar to enjoy. The Gravity Bar is in that circular glass structure, and it had an absolutely beautiful view of all of Dublin. If you followed the glass interior of the Storehouse structure all the way up, the Gravity Bar is the head on top of the pint. As soon as we walked into Guinness Storehouse this morning, I knew I wanted some good beef Guinness stew. I had my heart set. I wanted it desperately. When I saw that the lunch special was for Guinness stew, I nearly died. And it did not disappoint, it was rich and fabulous. I ate every last bite. It was amazing, and exactly what I wanted.
We took our cabs back to Leta's hotel, and departed for the hostel to change out of our monkey suits. I wore the dress I bought in Dingle, and got a fair few compliments from the guys on the trip. I did look rather dashing. In the scheme of good Irish purchases, this one has definitely already paid for its self. And it matched the peach shoes I had brought, and who can ask for more than that in life? But it was time to remove the suits anyway, and Lauren and I, ever the explorers, set off in search of the Chester Beatty Library. Chester Beatty was an American, and like many Americans around the turn of the 20th century, he had money, so he bought his culture. He had a massive book collection, hence the library, but he was also quite interested in other bits and pieces of history. He collected quite a few relics from the three major faiths of the world, and snuff boxes (finally found out that snuff was powdered tobacco and spices. I was certain it was cocaine, so teach me, I guess.), and fans and amulets and things. There are several pieces of the bible on papyrus, written in Greek, from somewhere around the fourth century.
The adventure, really, was in getting there, because neither of us had bothered to look it up. We knew it was "behind the Dublin Castle", but that could have meant anything. We wandered up and down Dame street, coming across competing information from the many directional signs that pointed the way. Usually these are quite helpful, and indeed, far more helpful than the paltry signs in Seattle. Eventually, after walking thoroughly up both sides of the street and doing a fair amount of jay walking, we ducked into a candy shop and asked for directions. I fear the man was trying to be helpful, but his description was less than illuminating. His map was slightly more helpful, but this notion that the roads sort of snake around the castle and lead to the library was somewhat overly optimistic. I am a woman, but I am generally quite good at navigating, and street names would have been useful, or at least some landmarks. Luckily, once we presented ourselves on the corner with Leo Burdock's fish and chips on one corner, and the Christchurch Cathedral on the opposite corner, and looked around for another directional sign, it was quite easy finding the place. It was truly behind the castle. A very pleasant circular grass field, surrounded by stone walls marked the plaza outside the entrance, and we went inside to tour the two floors of exhibits. We popped up to the roof top garden, which was not remarkably different from any feng shui rooftop garden that I have seen in Seattle or any other metropolitan area.
After our tour, we had a few minutes at the hostel before meeting with our group at Leta's to walk down to Boxty's near Temple Bar Square. This was to be our final dinner together, so after eating three delicious courses (I had the beet and orange salad with sunflower seeds and candied pecans, aka, girly food, Irish gnocchi with mushrooms and a bleu cheese sauce, and some incredible Bailey's cheesecake with fruit on top.), we settled in to debrief our time in Ireland. I feel a little bad for the people who got stuck in the same room with us, but they were quite supportive of our events, so they didn't seem too cut up about it. We talked about all our company visits, and which ones were our favorites and why, we talked about all of our tourist stops, and which were our favorites and why, and Leta gave us all awards for funny things that happened to us during the trip (I got Most Likely to Get a Proposal from a Horse Cart Driver). We said thank you to Leta, and we got each got a picture of our group from the Jameson factory to take home. I look slightly like a disembodied head, but at least I am smiling, unlike a few unfortunate souls.
We headed back to the hostel, and Lauren and I debated trying to go out to find music again. But we had just walked through Temple Bar, which was our best bet for music, and nothing coming out of the pubs sounded older than the early 00's, so we decided to stay in and pack and shower instead. Everyone else was leaving at intervals over the night and next morning, and I would have the whole room to myself from 9 until 10:30 when I had to check out, so I mostly observed.
Reilly and Koryn left at 4 in the morning, and I did not really wake up to hear them go. That left only Lauren and Evalina to leave at 8:30 and 9 respectively, with nearly all of the boys and a few of the other girls. Around 8, I couldn't deny their departure any longer, so I roamed around and said good bye to everyone. I gave lots of hugs, and everyone promised that we would see each other again at school. All the business majors I will definitely see again, regularly and often, but a few in other majors may be harder to stumble upon. Supposedly Toto is working on the reunion party already, so I will hopefully see them again soon. I didn't expect to miss everyone quite so much, but after they all left, I was at a loss for what to do. (I will start a new post, regarding my time in Dublin alone, but I just wanted to get something up before I connect with my flight to Seattle.)
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