Where history is alive

If I can recollect one travel experience that would stay in my mind forever, it would be my trip to Dublin in Ireland. I can describe it as my tryst with history, which also allowed me to have a peek into some incredible architecture.

Some of the must-see places here are St Patrick’s (Patron Saint of Ireland) Cathedral, Guinness Storehouse, each of which take about one-and-a-half hour to see. For those who want to explore the nightlife, Temple Bar is the place to be. I enjoyed travelling around the city on the ‘Hop-On Hop-Off’ buses. The green bus and the red bus, which ply on different routes, are available every half-an-hour.

Established in the fifth century, St Patrick’s Cathedral has contributed a lot to Irish life and heritage. It embodies great history and has a lot of great architecture to see. Jonathan Swift, the author of ‘Gulliver’s Travels’, was its Dean from 1713-45. What impressed me the most was the amazing stained glass work in the entire Cathedral. The work in the Bapistery is done by Casey Brothers of Dublin.

The Chapter Door (of reconciliation) here ended the war between the two most famous Irish families — the Butlers of Ormonds and the Fitzgeralds of Kildare; when the Earl of Kildare cut a hole in the door to offer his hand in peace. It is also believed to have given the origin to the expression ‘to chance your arm’ meaning to take the initiative. Some of the other beautiful creations here are the Statue of Virgin and Child, the Pulpit and Lectern. The Choir Stalls and Knights of St Patrick Insignia also left me spellbound.

Another must-visit place here is The Guinness Storehouse. An entry fee of Euro 15 per head may seem high but you are visiting the number one tourist attraction in Ireland! Even if you do not drink, do not miss this. Situated in the heart of St James’s Gate Brewery is now a seven-storey mammoth complex (shaped as giant pint of Guinness) which can actually hold 14.3 million pints! 

Besides, the place has a copy of the 9,000-year lease signed by Arthur Guinness in 1759 displayed on the ground floor. They even show you how to drink — the angle at which you proudly hold your Guinness. You can also become a ‘Certified Crafter of Guinness’ just like me! Also, you get to drink your personally crafted Guinness for free. When you are here, you have to visit the Gravity Bar at level seven from where you get a 360 degrees view of Dublin. ‘The Old Jameson Distillery’ is the maker of the best Irish ‘whiskey’ in the world. ‘Whisky’ is spelt with an ‘e’ in Ireland — do not spell it with an ‘e’ in Scotland as it is considered rude. Take a tour of the distillery as it is probably the best you can get in the world.The prime area for eating, drinking, traditional Irish music and dancing  and lots of fun — at a good cost though (a pint of Guinness could cost you six Euros) but for fun, one can try the ‘Vikings Pub Crawl’ that starts from the Merchants Arch Bar.

There is another hotspot called The Church. It may come as a shock to some but this is one of Dublin’s top cafes and nightclubs. Arthur Guinness was married here when it was a church and the place has had some illustrious visitors like former US President Bill Clinton.

‘The Dawson Lounge’, touted to be the smallest pub in the world, can accommodate about 10-12 people including the staff. The Brazen Head — Ireland’s oldest pub, established in 1198, is also an interesting place to visit. Other places of interest are Christ Church Cathedral, Natural History Museum, Dublin Writer’s Museum, Kilmainham Gaol, National Museum of Archaeology, Dublin Castle, O’Connell Street and National Gallery. Its beauty and nightlife makes Dublin one of the most happening cities in the world.