Dad went out early to get the car rented for the rest of the trip, which was an adventure in and of itself, so we ate the Irish Breakfast once more, with a few extra apples and pears tucked away in backpacks just in case.
Since we had been foiled a few days running, we decided to take the Guinness tour first thing. It was well worth it. The operation is huge, and you learn everything there is to know about barley, hops, yeast and water, as well as brewing, fermentation, bottling, advertising, and so on.
You get a small sampler glass of Guinness, and a voucher for a full pint at the end. The facilities also housed a coffee corner, a full Cafe, and a bar at the top. I'm glad I had a good breakfast. We got a few things and it was time to leave Dublin.
As they say to foreigners in Ireland, drive left, look right. We decided to take the scenic route, which was fun for a bit, until we realized that despite the gorgeous views of the countryside, the ridiculously narrow back roads were not good for our well being. There were a few close calls.
We made a quiet stop in Avoca, a quaint little town on the river that was apparently the film site for a tv series called Ballykissangel. I've never heard of it. Anyway. We stopped in a pub called Fitzgerald's for some authentic Fish and Chips with mashed peas, and a delicious cider. Excellent.
On we drove to Kilkenny, arrived at the Kilkenny Ormonde Hotel. Nice place, slightly older hotel. Kilkenny is a fascinating town, small but crammed with shops, pubs, and sights for the tourists (Kilkenny Castle being one).
Another pub for dinner and drinks, then off to bed. Tomorrow promises a visit to the castle then on to Killarney.
Funny / Weird moment of the day: The hotel room.
A few notes about the hotel room. In order to get the lights to work, you have to place your room key card in a slot on the wall. When you remove the card, the lights stay on for a few moments more, then turn off. Great way to conserve energy, but they did not mention it at the front desk. Probably something important to mention.
The bathroom is very French: meaning it looks cool, but otherwise not very practical. There is a shower glass that only goes halfway along the tub length, and although the intention is to be able to swing the glass out, mine did not. So I had to step into the shower completely just to access the controls, one for pressure, one for temperature. And because the glass only covers half of the shower and the exposed half was opposite a large mirror, it felt a little self voyeuristic.
And the light fixture had a plug hidden by a slide away section that wasn't marked. I discovered it quite by accident.
Very French.
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