Tarts, Castle's and Guinness

 One of the busiest days mom and I had was in her second week in Dublin. We started our morning off with breakfast and a big pot of tea at one of my favourite cafe's in Dublin Queen of Tarts. 

Their scones are superb, they do tea up right and the cafe itself is very funky and full of joy.

 After breakfast we moved across the street to start our tour of Dublin Castle. I've posted about the castle and its history already in a post from when I first arrived here. The nice thing about this time around with mom was that they had rooms open to the public that hadn't been open when I first went on the tour. The first room we entered off the main staircase was the James Connolly room. So named because Connolly spent his last days in this room of Dublin Castle after the 1916 rebellion where he was treated for his bullet wounds.

 View from the window of the James Connolly room.

 Through the hallway into one of the state rooms.

    

 Ladies retiring room.

 The throne room.

 Into the most used room in the castle, where all ceremonial parliament affairs are carried out - most recently the inauguration of the new President of Ireland - Michael D. Higgins.

  

After our tour through the castle we ventured on to St. Patrick's Cathedral. 

 That building there is an Irish High School! Where the rich ones go...

  

An homage to great Irish writers.

 James Joyce.

 my favourite - Mr. J.M. Synge - dramatist.

  

The beautiful cathedral grounds

  

 Predictably, after our spiritual experience we continued on to the Guinness Storehouse to have our drinking experience. 

 You can smell the malt and barely as you walk up the hill to the storehouse. Inside, the building is comprised of 7 floors rising upwards in the shape of what is ranked as the largest pint glass in the world. 

When you purchase your ticket you get to either stop on the fourth floor to pour your own pint, or continue on to the 7th floor and have a Guinness in the sky bar. A 360 view of Dublin awaits. 

Mom and I rose to the top where mom enjoyed her Guinness, while I, much to the chagrin of the bartender ordered a coke. 

I'm strong. 

 key ingredient 1. barely

 key ingredient 2. water

 pure  water from the Wicklow mountains to be precise.

 
It was a long day of touring, but well worth the visit. 

Sailte. 

(means cheers in Irish!)