An American in Dublin
Posted by maggiemyklebust
I was in Dublin this past weekend with my husband and four other couples from Norway. While I may have been the only Yankee in the group, I was certainly not the only American in Dublin. There were 35,000 American football fans in Dublin to watch Notre Dame take on and clobber, Navy in the Emerald Isle Classic.
We didn’t go to the game but we found plenty of other things to do. For me the high point of the trip was seeing Riverdance at the Gaiety theater. The thrilling experience of pounding feet and swirling music left me breathlessly mesmerized.
We also went on a musical pub crawl. This is where a group of people are led to different pubs by a couple of Irish musicians, telling stories and singing songs along the way. Its great fun!
My husband and I decided against purchasing a hop-on-hop-off tour bus ticket, this being our ‘second’ trip to Dublin and all. Except for a trip to the Guinness Brewery, we decided to abandon our group of merry friends and strike out on our own for the day.
Knowing my love for tea and that I was going to Dublin, a few of my fellow bloggers recommended some new places to visit. With a list of addresses and a map of the city in hand, we set off with great determination…
The first Tea House we found (Tea Garden) wasn’t far from our hotel but unfortunately, not open. Just down the road we stumbled across the second place we were looking for. The Winding Stair Bookshop & Restaurant, formally known as The Winding Stair Bookshop Cafe. Named after a Yeats poem, this was a popular meeting place for writers, musicians and artists. Here I bought a book of Irish myths and a pack of Irish literary postcards.
We then headed over to the Temple Bar area, where we found Joy of Chá which was one of Dublin’s first tea shops. Here we sat and sipped on a cup of fresh brewed, Irish Morning tea.
Afterwards, we trudged across the city to the Portobello area and found Wall & Keogh, a small tea house loaded with a variety of different loose leaf tea. A very kind girl helped me find a Maté Energy Boost blend and an Improved Mood & Memory blend (don’t ask) which I took home with me. I haven’t tried them yet, but I’ll keep you posted.
By now you may be wondering how I got my husband to agree to this excursion… It was easy, for every tea house we visited we also visited a pub for a pint.
Next we made our way over to the more touristy, fashionable side of town to Clement & Pekoe. I left with 100 g of (my favorite) Mint Green Tea and some Gunpowder tea, which I had never tried but have heard so much about from all my UK blogger friends. I’ve now tried them both and give them a two thumbs up.
Last we caught up with our friends at Bewley’s, on Grafton Street where we enjoyed a delicious meal. Bewley’s is an Irish Co. that has been selling coffee and tea since 1840. I bought a box of Pure Sencha Green Tea bags for myself and a box of Irish Breakfast Tea, to bring home to a friend.
It was a great day!
All tea houses can be found here.
About maggiemyklebust
I grew up on the Jersey Shore and now live in Norway. I have also lived in Houston and the Netherlands. I have written a memoir called Fly Away Home.Posted on September 5, 2012, in travel and tagged American football, Bewleys, Dublin, Grafton Street, Guinness, Ireland, Navy, Notre Dame, pub crawl, Riverdance, tea, Temple Bar, Yeats. Bookmark the permalink. 40 Comments.
love this post! thank you for sharing, i am a teeny bit jealous i would love to go see riverdance! i have been more or less obssessed with it since the very first one, it’s on my list of things i really want to do along with go see a ballet and attend one chelsea flower show, i will seriously have to hurry up and win the lottery my list is growing every day 🙂 have a super day xx
Thanks Kizzy and my fingers are crossed that you win the lottery!
What a great trip! I am laughing because the Tea Garden has Winding Stairs! 🙂 I got to see Riverdance when we lived on the east coast a few moons ago and I loved it too..the pounding of feet stays with you and I love all the music!
That is pretty funny about the Tea Garden’s winding stairs…
I didn’t know Riverdance was in America, interesting!
I thought so too…wondered if you put them next to each other on purpose 🙂 Riverdance has been in America…at least years ago, I saw it in the DC area at a lovely outdoor venue. Loved it!
Great tour and excellent photos Maggie. Take care of that awesome tea!
Thanks June and you can be sure I’ll enjoy the tea.
This is brilliant, I love the bribing of your husband with a pint!!
It’s a pity the Tea Garden was closed when you tried to visit it, it’s a strange ole place!
Really looks like you had fun here Maggie, so hope you did! 🙂
I did have fun… THANKS for the list of tea Shops!
you do get around girlfriend! sounds like a fun trip! love the tea houses!
It was great fun, you know how I enjoy a good cup of tea 🙂
A tour of tea houses and bookshops in Ireland? I’m absolutely green with envy! Looks like you had a wonderful time – thanks for sharing!
It was truly grand!
Loved this tea-tour around Dublin 🙂
Thanks for coming on it with me…
What a wonderful tour of tea! Lovely pics. I have some “Jameson” that the kids brought back from Ireland. Next time I will suggest the tea! 🙂
Well, in my book tea beats whiskey any day, but I’m not sure my husband would agree…
I love flavored teas….but cold, not hot. It’s an Okla thing, I think!
I like it both cold and hot… but I think most Americans prefer it cold (I know when I lived in Texas, they did)
I used to work with an Irish chef who told me the rigid arms found in most forms of Irish dancing was due to the oppressive ruling classes of 18th and 19th century. Apparently, the priests banned dancing (they thought it was ‘nasty’) so the Irish would dance and not move their arms so they could not be seen dancing through the windows. I don’t know how true this is but I found it very interesting!
What a fabulous tour and great pictures! 😀
That is interesting and could very well be true.
Glad you had a great time! I love your smile in that picture! Thanks for sharing….I love you!!!
Love you too!
Thanks for all the infos about Dublin! I will visit Dublin in November and now I know why 😉
Greetings from the sunny North-Norfolk coast
Klausbernd and his bookfayries Siri and Selma 🙂 🙂
Thank you and enjoy your trip!
Thanks for stopping by, my best to Siri and Selma and enjoy Dublin!
Great pic of you Maggie!
I was feeling no pain and I guess that shows…hehe 😉
Nice photos Maggie. Didn’t realize that they were that much into football in Dublin,
Glad you had a nice time.
Yeah, I don’t know if they do or that football game was a one time thing. Usually its all about soccer on this side of the world 😉
The little shops look really quaint. Thanks for sharing with us.
My pleasure and thanks for stopping by 🙂
What fun! That is one place on my must see list!!
What? You haven’t been there? I’m shocked. After reading your book, I feel like you’ve been everywhere 🙂
Hey! I’ve never been to Norway!!
Well, you’re welcome to come and visit anytime. 🙂
Bewely’s also has great chocolate.
Really? I guess I’ll have to go back 🙂
Thanks for stopping by…
sounds like a great trip! I loved the pictures 🙂
Pingback: An American in Dublin | Home Far Away From Home