St. Patricks' Day

This was a while back as well, but it was great time I've never written about. A few days before St.Patricks' Day, I took a flight from Boston to Dublin; my starting point for a 3 month Eurotrip. This was the right flight to be on, to the right place. I don't think I've been on such a fun flight. Aer Lingus from Boston to Dublin, the trans-Atlantic Irish express-



I got seated next two guys who were part of a larger group, and like me were spending the week in Dublin. We drank a few of these on the way, a drop in the bucket compared to what would follow:



Overall, it was the rowdiest flight I've been on. If only the 16 hour flights to India were this much fun...

We cracked jokes and took turns acting out our favorite scenes from "The Big Lebowski" The start of my journey was a great one, and I was in high spirits landing at the airport, and was immediately surprised at how laid back the Irish were- no customs, and only a quick glance at my passport! I took the bus to the city centre and walked to my hostel- literally steps from the Guinness factory!



I was alone for the first day; my friends would meeting me later that night. I spent the day wandering around Dublin, talking to people in the nearby park, and grimacing at the shitty weather that seemed to follow me around. Rain, sleet, a bit of snow, then sunshine... then the cycle repeats.

Initially, I only knew 2 of the 8-9 people I would be spending the next week or so with. My buddy Brendan was studying abroad in France, and I planned to join up with him and his group for some partying. Walking around the first night, the streets were electrified with people and energy. The city felt alive-

We stopped into a pub down a side alley, and had our first Guinness, from the factory only a few minutes away-


Watching someone pour a Guinness the right way is a work of art; it takes time and patience. The cascading black goodness, slowly turning itself from a dark caramel to a distinctly separate black and light cream... I love Guinness so much. Waiting 4 minutes is nothing when I think about how delicious that first sip was. Be careful though- too many one night and you'll look like these guys the next day:



The following day we walked down the road to St. James' gate for a tour of the factory. I was hoping for some free samples, and I was not disappointed. The tour is pretty touristy, but in a good way. There's pretty cool facts about the process of beer-making, and little fun games to play along the way as you drink.



The real treat is the Sky Bar. On the top floor of the factory, a bar was built with a 360° view of Dublin. You can enjoy the free Guinness you get while checking some amazing views of the city.