Guinness Yesterday and Golf Today

Well, I finally made it to the world famous Guinness Brewery yesterday.  It was an interesting place, but not really too exciting.  I enjoyed the pint after the tour much more than the tour itself.  We also went to see Dublinia, which is a museum celebrating the history of Dublin and the Vikings. 

Enjoying a Pint at Guinness

After Enjoying a Pint at Guinness!

Last night we went to a pub we found right up the street where they played authentic Irish music.  We stopped for a couple of pints and listened.  Great sound, but we got there at the tail end of the playing.

Today I finally got to fulfill one of the things I've wanted to do for many years, play a round of golf in Ireland.  It was at a course that overlooks the Irish Sea called Deer Park, in Howth, Ireland.  The course is really very nice, but of course it was very wet.  In spite of this, and the rented clubs I used, I hit an 86.  My first par in Ireland came on a par 4 hole, and I followed it with a par on the next par 3.  The weather was what I really expected it to be, and it reminded me of the British Open tournaments I've watched on TV.  The wind blew extremely hard at times, and at times there was a driving rain and others it was sunny, but always with at least a bit of wind.  I was able to walk the course in around 3 hours.  It would have been shorter, but I left the 7 iron and putter on the 18th tee box.  Of course that was also the longest hole on the course and I didn't notice not having the clubs until I was just short of the green.

The trip to the course was very nice. I had cancelled the tee time earlier because it ould have cost me around 80 euros to take a taxi there and back.  But after looking over the Laus tramway and the Dart trains, I figured a way to get there.  And it was a total, there and back of only 7.20 euros!  The train was great and traveled from Dublin up the coast for a bit.  I think we'll all go to Howth tomorrow for lunch, and watch the seals come in from the sea.  Should be an interesting day.