Brews and Views

After having coffee with Jeff, we left the Olde Judge Mansion in Troy and headed to Newark International.

Our drive through the rural countryside of New York was lovely. Even without fall color the old homes and farmlands have beauty. We stopped in New York at a real New Jersey-built diner for lunch.

Our route through New Jersey to the airport was hectic, too many fast drivers who knew where they were going and we hadn’t a clue. We started the next phase of travel at the airport where we met up with friends and neighbors Sandy and Lois with whom we will travel throughout Ireland for the next ten days.

On our drive from the airport after our overnight flight to Dublin, our driver kept up a constant patter on politics, his knowledge of the US and things we should do during our stay. Despite morning traffic, we finally arrived at the Mespil Hotel along the canal. Around the corner from our hotel is the Canal Bank Cafe where we each enjoyed a lox and egg brunch.

Then it was on to the must-see Guinness Storehouse, which is the museum for the brewery. The excellent displays and commentary taught us the ingredients and processes for producing this distinctive Irish beverage. The brewery has been in operation since the 1700s and has a 9000 year lease (at a rate of 45 pounds a year) so they must know what they are doing. This photo is of the actual lease which is under glass in the floor of the entry.

The walls and floor have numerous slogans from Guinness and his descendants, proof of the Irish gift of gab.

The reward for going through the six-floor tour is a pint of Guinness poured correctly (a three-minute procedure) so that the head settles and the beer adjusts its color and taste.

The Guinness is served atop the Storehouse in a room with the best panoramic view of Dublin.

Two sources recommended M. O’Briens (aka Sussex House) for dinner. This lovely restaurant lived up to its reputation. We all raved about the onion soup made with Guinness. The fish and pasta were excellent. Such a fine dinner deserved dessert and the chocolate pannecotta was the perfect final taste.

And our server was absolutely outstanding (and lived for a year in San Francisco).