Guests and Guinness!

When I got home from work on Monday I was so happy to be off my feet that I completely forgot about the Monday social at Fitzgeralds and we didn’t end up going. It wasn’t until the next day that I remembered and kicked myself. But by Thursday I had finally finished my seven days in a row and so it may have been a good thing that I didn’t overdo it with outings. We had a visit from our friendly landlord, who talked to us for a good fifteen minutes before taking our rent money and was very pleased to hear we had both found work so nearby. I read the third Harry Potter book on the Tablet and got more and more annoyed by the fact that it is the American version—why translate something that's already in the english  language? Why? (also I pretty much have the books memorized so it's fairly jarring to me)— and also because it has spelling and grammar errors for some reason. At long last we got our bank account with AIB set up, receiving our Visa debit cards in the mail. The bank wouldn’t accept our BC driver’s licences because they had only ever seen licences from Ontario before, so the process was delayed by a week and we ended up confirming our identities with our passports. And not with my British passport either, because, and I quote, “It doesn’t photocopy well." But, when it comes down to it, I’m relieved not to have to pay with my Canadian Visa anymore and incur the 2.5% conversion rate charge. My first pay check went in on Friday. I was emergency taxed 40% because I need to send in my Form 12A to Revenue Ireland. Regularly I should be taxed about 20%, and it will be nice to get reimbursed some of that 40%. I only make 9 euros an hour, after all.

Dale started work on Thursday at 10 euros an hour. He stopped at the café afterwards to tell me that it had gone well, but that it seemed boring. He likes the people he is working with, and they and the customers are fairly easy to talk to, but his impression of the work being boring just grew over the next few days. He is used to working constantly when he is on the job, and the hardware store often leaves him with nothing to do, though the owner prefers it if everyone stays busy. Hopefully it will just take some getting used to the relaxed atmosphere. He said it was pretty funny when everyone laughed at him one day for asking for the price of a Zap Strap, which evidently is not what they are called here.

On Friday I finally got my freaking day off, and I cleaned the house in preparation for Julie and Stu’s arrival on Saturday! Then, despite learning a new system of ordering and making sandwiches, and meeting the new girl, a pretty Korean girl named Amy, at work on Saturday, I was allowed to leave early. Did I mention we're losing another employee? She finds kitchen work too rough on her back, so her last day was Sunday! It's too bad she was so nice. We also just had a radio put in, and Giovanni has been making her laugh by always singing along and dancing every now and then. Anyway, I quickly bought some extra dishes and utensils since we barely had enough for Dale and I, let alone for guests. It was a chilly day, and I almost wished for gloves and a scarf on my walk, so it was too bad for Julie and Stu that they arrived on the first day that genuinely felt like fall. Julie even had to borrow one of my jackets because of the difference in weather between here and the Mediterranean. Before I heard my name being called playfully outside the front window by Julie as she and Stu hauled their luggage up the path, Niall and Leonie stopped by our place to drop off an air mattress and comforter and invite us out for the evening.

Julie's first double decker bus ride

Julie and Stu's first night in Ireland

We took them up on the offer, getting Julie and Stu settled first, then taking them on a double decker bus to Hogan’s. It started to rain, but not too heavily. Julie laughed, like I usually do, when the bus carelessly hit tree branches along the way and it looked like we were going to run people over from that height. Dale and I had never been to Hogan’s, but after a little standing in the large, dark oak pub, we were able to grab a table. When Niall and Leonie showed up, they were impressed and told us that that never happens! Niall had a friend out from America for one night, so they visited with us on and off as most of us indulged in some Bulmers cider. Julie and Stu told us about their Mediterranean cruise and their stay in London with Julie’s parents. We took a cab home and went to bed around two am, finding out the next day that Niall and Leonie had stayed out until four!

Gates at the Guinness Storehouse

Pouring the perfect pint

Julie had to do some homework on Sunday, so we didn’t leave the house, which she insists is much bigger than the video tour I posted on Facebook, until two o’clock. I was happy that Dale and I both had Sunday off. The weather was decent, and only got better as the day continued. We took the bus into town and then walked over to the Guinness Storehouse! Dale and I had yet to go there, so after grabbing some sandwiches at a Centra, we went in with our reference number from ordering our tickets online. As students, it only cost Julie and I 13 euros, while Dale and Stu paid 14.85. Inside the brewery was fancier than I expected. There was a green-lighted waterfall, and tall TV screens that made it look like portraits were talking to us. We spent at least an hour checking out the displays about brewing Guinness or watching videos about the old and incredibly difficult process of making oaken casks. At last we arrived at the Guinness Academy, where we learned to pour the perfect pint of Guinness and received our certifications!

Perhaps not a bartender? Just kidding, this is a cute pose!

My goodness, my Guinness!

Then we took our pints upstairs to the Gravity room, where we had a 360 degree view of Dublin in the midst of a party atmosphere. Looking across the little red brick buildings and grey cathedrals and churches, I couldn’t help but say to Dale, “Can you believe we actually live here?”

The Gravity room at the top of the Guinness Storehouse

Dale enjoying his pint with a view

Dublin from above

 A horse-drawn carriage ride

Clip-clop, clip-clop

When we had finished our strong, yet much-better-than-at-home Guinness, we waited in the sun for a horse drawn carriage to take us to the Temple Bar area. It may have been a very touristy thing to do, but I’d always wanted to ride in a horse drawn carriage, and it only cost us 5 euros each. We then walked along the cobbles of Temple Bar, where Julie and Stu enjoyed the atmosphere of excitement as the pubs hosted what we guessed were excited soccer fans from another country. 

We ended up in the Quays Irish Restaurant because we wanted some real Irish food.

Mmm, slow-cooked stew

The restaurant was kind of touristy as well, but the food was just what we hoped. I had a boxty cake for a starter, which turned out to be onion, bacon, and potato blended deliciously together and pan fried. For a main meal we all chose stew, even Stu. Dale’s was lamb, while the other three of us enjoyed a slow-cooked beef and Guinness stew. For dessert we shared a slice of rich Bailey’s cheesecake, and we left with lighter pockets and heavier stomachs. On the dark walk back to the bus, we visited Molly Malone, where Julie got a little friendly. Then, tired from all their travelling, Julie and Stu suggested we head home for drinks and some games before they left early in the morning for Cork. I have basically fallen down twice on the bus now, once going up the stairs a few weeks ago and particularly crushing my pinky finger, and last night falling down them, again crushing the same finger. Good thing I warned Julie and Stu to hang on in the first place. I should have said, "with both hands," and then followed my own advice. Those bus drivers can be crazy. The two of them have an even more beautiful day today to enjoy in Cork—ladden down with my hat, scarf, and jacket—then they will be returning back to us Tuesday for just a couple more fun-filled nights. Luckily for me, I have Wednesday off!

I'll let you imagine what Julie grabbed