My Goodness, My Guinness
My daydreams about Ireland often featured Irish people spending much of their time sitting around Irish pubs with names like Murphy’s and O’Connors, drinking pints of Guinness. At home, Guinness is a delicacy, not found in every bar, and often running at around $5.00 a pint. I still remember drinking my first Guinness ever. I was 21, in a pub in Washington, D.C., surrounded by new acquaintances I didn’t know that well. It tasted like a strange mix of coffee, chocolate and beer. It was unlike anything I had ever drank before. No matter where you are in the United States, drinking a Guinness can make you feel like you are sitting in a pub in Ireland, surrounded by green countryside, even though you are probably sitting in some sort of American imitation in some concrete jungle somewhere.
I have to agree with Sloan from Reason to Wander: your first Guinness in Ireland is your best. All the anticipation of a place rolled up into one drink.
Our first Guinness was in Donegal with our friend McIntyre. We unanimously agreed: it tasted better than at home. It was the perfect pour, the perfect temperature, the perfect flavor. It tasted downright creamy. With each new arrival of our friends from home, we watched them enjoy their first Guinness in Ireland. Fantastic stuff.
Like good tourists, we toured the Guinness factory in Dublin. We heard the tour was touristy, but there was no question that we would go. We had all bought into the Guinness marketing a long ago and are of the similar opinion that it is always a lovely day for a Guinness.
Their terminology is misleading; if you think of it as more of a Guinness museum, as opposed to a tour of a factory, you won’t be disappointed.
Plus the Sky Bar on the 7th floor has great views of Dublin as you drink your free (or 15 euro, depending on how you view it) Guinness.
I currently need a Guinness…. for strength.
I agree w/ Danielle! I like the “Good For You” picture. Tom and I also like the picture of you and Sean. He said you make a nice looking couple, and that you compliment each other very well. I’m currently drinking Heineken…yeah, I know, but it’s better than the Miller Lite we’ve been drinking. That Guinness looks fantastic, and I don’t even like Guinness. Cheers sis! Can’t wait till you’re back in the States so we can have a drink together…of course by the time you come back, you might not want a beer ever again….ha! Fat chance.