Dublin Too

On with the tour.
Architecture was interesting throughout the city.  The colored doors, the pubs and ornamentation was like what I expected.

The 17th turned out to be quite an experience.  The news report said there was over 200,000 people in the city for the parade.  It sure looked like it.  And I was not the only one that wore a green hat.  It would be an interesting piece of useless information to know how many silly felt hats there were in Dublin that day.  The parade went for about 2 hours.  There was a theme as many of the floats had a similar look but I cannot tell you what that theme was.  Maybe you can figure it out.  Maybe wierdness.  Some had acrobats, some had music, and some had creatures of another world.  

Some people climbed up the building to get good shots.  No police seemed to mind.  No one I saw got hurt.  A good time was had by all.

It had been a very dry parade so it was now time to deal with the growl in our stomach and throat.  Just down the street towards the Temple Bar District we came upon the Vat.  With no one in there it looked like a good place to park our tire feet and decide what to do next.  5 hours later we left.

The Temple Bar area is an area where they say 1000 bars are located.  How much Guinness is consumed in this area would be hard to verify.  Outside one bar alone there was a stack of over 100 kegs.  We had awesome food in this area and did not go into more than a handfull of establishments.  I will have to pace myself next year and try to spread myself around a little more. Or maybe i can just move there.

We did visit St Patrick's Cathedral bit did not stay long because they were out of Guinness.  It was St. Patrick's Day you know.  We cannot wait to go again next year.  Enjoy Life.

St Patrick's Day-Dublin

Five of us got out of country and visited Dublin for St. Patrick's Day.  What an awesome experience and a well needed break.  The food, beer, parade, people and party were great.  It was nice to remember what the Western World feels like.  Flew to Madrid and started relaxing in the airport with a few Spanish beers.  I looked for Paella all over the airport but no luck.  Guess I will have to go back for a more thorough search in the town.

On to Dublin and the joys of Irish food and beer.  Everyone was in the spirit in town wearing green and wearing a smile on their faces.  Visited the oldest pub in Dublin, Brazen Head and enjoyed Guinness Beef Stew and Bangers and Mash.  Excellent after 6 months of chicken tajine and bread.
Two places we decided to go before we left were the Guinness Brewery to sample some of Arthur's original recipe and the Jameson Distillery for an Irish Coffee as it should taste.

The Brewery was impressive as was the beer.  Nothing tastes like a fresh out of the brew tank pint.  I never really appreciated the taste of Guinness before, but I do now.  I was told you do not sip Guinness you gulp it.  There should be 6 gulps to the pint.  I tried it and it works.   AAAHHHH.

The center atrium where the tour starts has a copy of the contract for the brewery site signed by Arthur Guinness for 900 years.  The 7 story glass structure represents a pint glass with the head at the top a Sky Bar where the tour ends in the tasting room.  You get a view of the city of Dublin and the surrounding hills.  The best view in Dublin, especially with a pint of stout in your hand.  They do not sell beer at the top.  You get one then have to go downstairs for more.

Horse drawn carriages are all over Dublin.  We used the Big Red Bus to get around down town.  You can jump on and off wherever you want.  I good way to get around.  We got to the Jamison distillery too late for the last tour so went straight to the tasting room.  Too Bad.  The Irish coffee was awesome.  The cream makes the difference.  Some brands are aged in old bourbon barrels from the states.

Springtime North of the Atlas

Morocco is divided up in some distinctive sections.  The mountains, the desert and the North East which is fertile Mediterranean.  I visited a town in the North and springtime is definitely there as opposed to Midelt where it is still snowing in the mountains and cold at night.  Azrou, Keifra, Tighsaline has flowers and trees blooming and budding as harbingers of spring.

We took a hike into the mountain and to the next valley over.  There was a small village we passed through 3/4 the way up the mountain.  The view back to town was awesome.  A comparison of old clay houses vs the new block homes in the valley.  On the way up the road we passed a home under construction that had solar panels covering the south facing pitched roof.  I was going to stop in and look at the panel set up on the return, however we took a circuitous route around the mountain and took a different way down.  You do not see many homes with a pitched roof, mostly in Ifrane and Azrou.  Pitched roofs are the French architectural influence.  There are  few in Midelt but not many.

These towns are like a look back at the 16th century vs 18th century.  Water comes from a community well in some cases.  No running water but almost everyone in the village has limited power.  Kids were playing in the streets shooting birds with slingshots and kicking a deflated soccer ball around.  They are really good with the slingshot.

The view from the top of the pass was awesome.  In the valley below was a 500 year old Mosque, or so we were told by a local.  Saw a couple, what looked like, gopher turtles.  Reminded me of Florida.

The flowers really bloomed the week we were on the Northern slope.  Wish I could say the same about My town but oh well.  This summer when everyone else is baking in 100+ degree heat hope I am cooler under 100.  Too cold in Winter too hot is summer.  I am never happy.