Travels through Latvia and Estonia

Jill and I said our early morning goodbyes, and I headed off to meet a small tour van (Traveller Tours) that would take me from Riga to Tallinn, stopping at tourist points along the way. Since I didn't have much time to explore beyond the major cities, this was a great way to see more of Latvia and Estonia.

Instead of a 4-hour bus ride, I took a 12-hour drive with a few interesting stops. My fellow passengers were two middle-aged German couples (very nice and kind enough to take photos of me). As the odd one out, I got to know our tour guide, Kert, a Tallinn native and teacher (brave soul, teaching middle schoolers!). Through our chats, we discovered we had quite a bit in common despite living across the globe.

Our first stop was the Sigulda Bobsled, Luge, and

Skeleton track, a Soviet-era track Latvia gained upon independence. The Ukrainian luge team was practicing on summer luges, which was a treat. I was reminded of a family trip to Calgary when I was a young teen and Jaclyn and I rode down the luge track (from the Calgary Olympics).

Athletes training on Summer Luge

Luckily, the rain cleared up in time for us to explore Cēsis, a charming town with a medieval castle. I decided to explore the castle, whipping through impressive state rooms and a crumbling medieval castle. 45 minutes wasn't enough time, but at least I got a taste of a medieval castle on this trip!

Cēsis Castle

Next up was my favorite part: a mini-hike along sandstone cliffs in Gauja National Park (specifically Sietiņiezis). It was gorgeous and reminded me of Canada. We saw holes in the sandstone where bees have their hives (not honeybees but pollinators nonetheless).

A view of the Gauja River

We stopped for lunch at a local brewery (Valmiermuižas alus darītava), which perfectly catered to my veggie lifestyle (both in hops and vegetables beyond potatoes). We then reached Valga, the town bordering Latvia and Estonia. There was minimal border control (an empty booth for photo ops), but a fun swing allowed us to "swing between both countries."

"Border Crossing"

Our last stop was Viljandi, an Estonian town with a walking tour passing through the ruins of another medieval castle of the Teutonic Order. We saw cute strawberry statues hidden around town (an Estonian painter Paul Kondas painted a famous strawberry-themed painting) and cat statues with adoptable cat signs (QR codes with more information). I'm not a cat person (allergic and holding out for a dog), but this made me want one! 

Sights of Viljandi

We arrived in Tallinn late in the evening, concluding a fantastic little jaunt through these countries and a unique way to see something I wouldn't have without a car. Now, let's see what you have to offer me, Tallinn – the last of my Baltic stops!

Estonian Rainbows.... no pot of gold found

Jūrmala & the Gulf of Riga!

Jill and I decided to take a 2-day mini-break to the seaside town of Jūrmala (pronounced "Yur-moolah"). Located about 45 minutes from Riga, it was an easy 2€ train ride to get there. While it might be better suited as a day trip from Riga, we managed to combine an afternoon of beach time with a day of forest hikes during our stay. 

Jūrmala was once a popular resort town during Soviet times, and its influence is still evident. Russian is the more commonly spoken second language, besides Latvian, and our guesthouse had a distinctly Russian Grandma style. Complete with laminated lace tablecloths and classic grandma couches, it felt like a nostalgic throwback. Our host spoke minimal English, but we communicated well enough for our time there (and I somehow scored some laundry – but left a 5€ tip because I just wanted to know if I could use the machine, not have her do it for me...). There was also this hilarious angry little doggo living there, who protected his house at all costs.

Our Guesthouse

Jūrmala Beach, Jomas Iela & Black Balsam

Our first stop was Jūrmala Beach, as rain was forecasted, and we wanted to squeeze in some beach time. We relaxed, took pictures with the sign, and I dipped my toes in the Gulf of Riga (the beach was a wading beach, requiring a long walk before reaching swimming depth). We timed our exit perfectly, as it started pouring almost immediately after we gathered our belongings. 

Beach time!

We strolled along the pedestrian-only street, Jomas Iela, to find a restaurant for dinner, where we both enjoyed a salmon dish, albeit with mediocre service. We decided to try the Latvian liquor, "Riga Black Balsam," and purchased some from the liquor store. You could enjoy it on the rocks (a long story, but we didn't opt for that), straight, mixed with ice cream (which I tried in Riga!), or diluted with soda water. We sampled two flavors: cherry and black currant, with the former tasting like cough medicine and the latter being the clear winner. The next night, we chose a pre-mixed can of it for our beach sunset, and it was the clear, albeit slightly sweet, winner.

Give me all the black currant flavours 

Forest Hikes in Ragakāpa

Our original plan was to hike in nearby Kemeri National Park on our second day, but unfortunately, it wasn't pedestrian-friendly, and due to a massive storm a few weeks prior, many areas were still closed for debris cleanup. So, we opted for a smaller hike at Ragakāpa (on the northeast point). My eternal "please talk to me" face (I really need to work on my resting bitch face) caused a random late-middle-aged local to strike up a conversation and become our unofficial bus tour guide. He was nice but a bit too friendly ("I promise I'm not a bad guy" made us feel the opposite). We bid him adieu at our stop and chose a longer walk into the forest.

Ragakāpa Forest Hike

The forest was stunning, with giant pine trees in every direction. They've developed a wooden boardwalk with English signs explaining the flora and fauna. I even picked a bunch of wild delicious blueberries to snack on. The hike ended at a free Open-Air Museum showcasing early 19th/20th-century fishing life. Highlights included moss-covered fishing houses, 18th-century shipwreck remnants, traditional saunas, examples of intimidating fish, and a drum made from an old fuel tank. 

Open-Air Museum

Our evening ended with a delicious dinner (veggie pizza for me, grilled veggies for Jill, and a homemade cranberry drink) and a sunset on the beach. For the first time on this trip, I wanted to wear my fleece, but it was still a beautiful way to end our time in Jūrmala. 

Riga, Latvia

The next country on my route was Latvia! I'm meeting up with my friend (and work colleague) Jill, who is also on her own European trip. It's lovely to meet up with a friend in the middle of a solo trip, and we had a great 5 days together! We spent 3 full days in Riga and 2 in Jūrmala on the coast. I arrived first at our hotel (Tribe Riga City Center), which was gorgeous and très chic. The hotel featured a funky lounge, delicious free breakfast, and even a sauna, steam room, and hot tub. With the exception of feathers in our bedding (stupid allergy) and almost no pillows to sleep on the first night, I highly recommend this spot if you come to Riga. Jill arrived by 9:30pm, and we had a few beers in our room to catch each other up on our travels so far.

Tribe Riga City Centre - What a vibe!

Our first stop the next morning was the Art Nouveau neighborhood (just beside our hotel), with a huge focus on Alberta Iela (street). Riga has more than 800 different buildings that fit this style of architecture, which is intricate and flamboyant. We saw many mythical beasts, masks, flowers, and classical motifs that began in the early 1900s. We then stumbled across a store with my favorite combination of products, marked by a simple neon sign: "Wine & Flowers." Both feature heavily on my "treat yourself" radar even if we didn't buy either.

Examples of Art Nouveau 

Next, we visited the great Russian Orthodox Cathedral, the Nativity of Christ Cathedral, with its beckoning golden domed rooftops. We gained the ire of the nuns, who wagged their fingers at us for wearing knee-length shorts – scandalous!

Nativity of Christ Cathedral

We walked through a nearby park, where I squealed with hopeful romantic glee at a locks-of-love bridge and some cool statues.

How many 🔒 are still ❤️?

Traveling with someone else is interesting because our photography interests differ: mine lie in statues, history, and street art, while Jill's lie in architectural design, patterns, and nature. Between us, you'll get a good photographic view of the country. We met a fellow traveler, Vince, an Australian engineer on a working holiday, while searching for a bench to eat our convenience store lunches (thank goodness for the Narvesen chain's amazing vegetarian quick lunch options!). We exchanged numbers and planned to meet up after our walking tour.

Facts I remember from the walking tour

- On top of many of their churches is the morning star symbol, rather than a cross, due to churches changing identities whenever the next invader arrived.

- The locals convinced the Nazis not to burn down one synagogue in Old Town because it might catch other houses on fire and destroy this Germanic medieval old town.

Synagogue Peitav Shul

- The House of the Blackheads - a kind of fraternity/guild for unmarried men - while most buildings survived WWII, the original building (built in 1334) did not. They rebuilt it from scratch in 1999 rather than renovating it. Also, the statue in the middle of Market Square outside the Blackheads house is basically a colonial monument of a French military guy.

Market Sq - House of the Blackheads 

- The Cat House is a 1909 Art Nouveau building with a legend that the original owner desperately wanted to belong to the guild house across the street. They refused his membership, so he pointed the cat butts at the house until they eventually granted him access, and he turned them around. Legend or truth, it adds some spice to those cats.

- I heard the Moon Taxi song "Morocco" playing at a Rock Cafe (which we'd visit another night), which kinda blew my mind since that band never got huge back home, but I had seen them at Bonnaroo and SXSW in 2012 and loved that song.

- Three Brothers are three houses with three distinct architectural ages/designs. They're called that because Tallinn has three houses called the Three Sisters; no other reason. 😅

Count em - 1 2 3 Brothers

- A sister city of Riga is Bremen, Germany, and they gifted Riga a bronze sculpture depicting the animals from the Brothers Grimm fairy tale about the Bremen Town Musicians. They say the higher you jump to touch or rub the animals, the better luck you'll have... not fair for us shorties!

Getting (some) luck 

Beer & Lido: A Wonderful combo

After the tour, we found a great people-watching spot attached to a brewery (Two More Beers) and Vince met up with us. 

A chatty British couple gave us some advice about visiting Riga, and we took up their suggestion to try out a restaurant called Lido. Lido hit all our check marks with its variety of food choices and buffet-style service. We enjoyed it and each other's company so much that we basically closed the place down.

City Parks & Military Museums

The next morning, we explored more of the city parks in my hunt for funky art sculptures. We found a disco snail, a lighthouse (Jill's cultural heritage as a Nova Scotian), and some of the nicest-smelling roses we had ever smelled. 

As a contrast, and I'm nothing if not random, after visiting beautiful live nature, Jill indulged my love of military history, and we visited the (free) Military Museum. Upon entry, the first thing you see is a bombed shell of a jeep nicknamed "Orlik," from the current war in Ukraine. They said it is here to not only demonstrate the brutality of war but also to remind Latvia of the freedom it enjoys and that the war is still ongoing. There is so much support for Ukraine in these countries that it is quite inspiring.

Flags supporting Ukraine 

The rest of the museum covered Latvian military history from the 1700s (not my jam) through the World Wars (interest piqued) to the modern day. There was an especially moving part in the WWI section, where they showed the duality between glory and destruction, with one side displaying medals that could be won and the other showing destroyed helmets and photos of deceased soldiers. I also noted two interesting things as a history nerd who studied a lot about the World Wars and post-war period from a North American lens during my undergrad degree:

1. They never called it the "Russian Revolution" but rather the "Russian Civil War." I think this word change could be attributed to the fact that the regime that came after was not beneficial for the citizens in this country, but I'm not sure. Either way, it's interesting to me.

2. I learned a lot in university about McCarthyism and the communist blacklists/hunts during the Cold War (they also didn't use that term often). But I never really thought about the Soviets doing the same thing but against capitalist/leftist thinkers. There was an interesting section about people killed or sent to prison camps for daring to think differently in Latvia at the time.

Once we were museumed out, we did some more city wandering, bought some lucky pagan talismans as souvieners, and hit up the spa in our hotel to unwind.

Skyline Bar

Upon that British couple's advice, we decided to be fancy and head on up to the Radison hotel's skybar for the best and tallest view of Old Town. They definitely hit the mark. Bless Vince for saving us a great window view! We all ordered our expensive cocktails, coincidentally in different shades of red, and enjoyed the view. If you don't want to spend any money on a drink, a helpful tip is that the bathroom has a fantastic floor to ceiling view and that's free!

View of the Orthodox church from Skyline Bar

After drinks, we tried to hit up another Lido, but due to some misleading Google title, we ended up at a very different restaurant. But it had a great patio, cool wooden frogs and was a nice way to end the day.

Camper vans, Sad History and Wild Spaniards

Jill and I left for Jūrmala (a seaside beach town) after that, but that will be its own post. So, I'm going to skip ahead to our last full day in Riga. We stayed at the cutest hostel, Urban Van Glamping Riga, which was four renovated camper vans in one big room. Each van was a "room," and there were bathrooms, showers, and a simplistic kitchen in the bigger room. I've never slept in an RV before, so this was a great first try! The idea is so cool and unique that Jill and I are developing our own business plan to bring this to Ontario (first step: win the lottery).

The rooms!

After visiting the Riga Market (where we enjoyed delicious dumplings and mini crepes), we went to the Riga Ghetto and Holocaust Museum (this choice again influenced by my History degree). The Riga Ghetto unfortunately did not last very long, as it was created in the summer of '42 and liquidated by the end of November (via mass graves in a nearby forest or to concentration camps). The museum is not located where the ghetto was, but it does have cobblestones taken from Ludzas St, the ghetto's main alley. They also had a relocated house that would have housed 30 people and a recreation of a deportation train car. There was also a touching artistic display dedicated to the Jews sent from Terezin, Czech Republic, to Riga.

Cobblestones from the Ghetto

After that sobering museum, we decided to go in the opposite direction and hit up a bar. We wandered around until an unassuming staircase to a cellar caught my eye, and we discovered "Secret Event." It had a very cool vibe, but we were the only two there until Vince joined us for espresso martinis (and a beer for Jill). Good thing I had that espresso, because a tornado of fun Spaniards entered the bar. Jill perked up with the ability to use her Spanish, and Vince peaced out with dinner plans. The Spanish guys were on a few hours' leave from their army duty and living it up. They were quite taken with Jill and even more impressed when she passed the bar challenge of standing on a bed of nails for 2 minutes (receiving the honor of her name on the wall and a free shot). I was proud of her since I definitely wasn't trying it with that crowd watching. Jill *is* zen.

Standing on nails for 2 minutes!!!

The hurricane of Spanish army men led us back to that rock cafe, where I tried my best to communicate via Google Translate and slowing down my motor mouth. As quickly as they came in, they left just as fast; they had to catch a certain bus or train. What a whirlwind! After a frustrating adventure trying to find something I could eat on a Sunday at 10 p.m., we finally found a kebab/falafel place (aptly called "HAS KEBABS") and crashed in our van. Riga was absolutely beautiful, and it was so much fun to explore it with one of my great friends. Thanks for sharing in this part of my Baltic adventure, Jill!

Welcome to Lithuania!

When figuring out where to adventure to this summer, I knew I wanted to return to Europe. However, I wanted to explore an area I hadn't visited in my 20s when I lived here. Looking at the map, I realized I knew nothing about the Baltics, and discovered it's reasonably priced, and there's some fascinating history in these (moderately recent) independent nations. Cue Mario voice: Here we go! 

I'm travelling to the popular hubs of Vilnius, Riga, and Tallinn (Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia respectively) -- with a few days in Jurmala (a beach town near Riga) and a day and a half in Helsinki, Finland.

Welcome to Vilnius   

Since I arrived late at night from Dublin, I decided to use the European equivalent of Uber, Bolt, to get me to my little hostel. Super easy, even with the Lithuanian-English language barrier. Much thanks to my colleague Paul's sister for recommending I download it before I began traveling, as you need to validate it with a phone number!

My hostel (25 Hours Hostel) is a cute and quirky gem right at the entrance to Old Town, and my little private room is perfect for this 30-something to gain a bit more comfort without sacrificing socialization and a place to make food if I choose. I didn't end up socializing since my social meter was a bit low after Ireland, but it's nice to know that could be an option.

I started the next day with a walk to this "Instagrammable" cafe covered in roses called Augustas & Barbora. A Pink Latte (regular latte sweetened and colored with beetroot) and an avocado toast later, my mouth was agape at the price, but at least I got some cool pictures... I guess.

Pink when I turn out the light...

Old Town

With a full tummy, I headed to my free walking tour of Old Town. I think it's a great idea to try to do one of these first to get a better idea of which things you actually want to check out and which ones you can just say "great, got the photo, and now I'm good". Plus, all the history, local recommendations, and background info is just catnip to this modern history buff. Some facts I recall from the tour:

Many street signs have both Lithuanian languages listed and the language of the community that exists in that neighborhood - e.g., the Jewish quarter has Hebrew street signs written underneath the Lithuanian ones.

Literature Street, a grey wall with objects artistically embedded in it, honors writers, poets, and lyricists with ties to Lithuania. Some are a bit of a stretch, though. For example, they have a piece dedicated to Thomas Harris, the American writer who wrote Silence of the Lambs, just because he wrote that Hannibal Lecter was from Lithuania. 😅

They also really appreciate Frank Zappa, even though he doesn't have strong ties to Lithuania. He is honored on Literature Street and has his own statue (the first in the world) in New Town. My guide said it was because they appreciated his bohemian style and influence. 

Vilnius had a thriving Jewish community... prior to 1941. When the Nazis invaded, they created two ghettos during the occupation, and unfortunately, by the end of the war, only 2-3,000 Jewish people survived out of the original 58,000.

Art indiciating where the Jewish Ghetto was

Lithuanians are accepting of all religions and quite secular, despite the many grandiose churches I came across. To entice people to settle in Lithuania, the Duke or King offered that it didn't matter what your religion was; they would welcome you to their country (quite progressive at the time). All was good until the Crusades came and basically colonized Christianity on the pagan communities in Lithuania. They enticed people to get baptized by giving them a free linen shirt as a perk - even people in medieval times appreciated swag bags.

St. Anne's Gothic Style Cathedral

Pagan religious altars are still present, and we saw an altar dedicated to the God of Beer.

Pigeons love beer?

Cathedral Square

The walking tour ended in the area called Cathedral Square, aptly named due to the giant Catholic cathedral (Vilniaus arkikatedra) and Bell Tower adjacent to it. The cathedral was impressive and opulent inside, and I lucked out by arriving during an organ practice session, with the sounds echoing through the domed roof. As a side note, I also did not burst into flames as a non-believer.

Outside on the Cathedral Square grounds were two unique tiles. The first, called "the Miracle Tile," has the superstitious belief that if you stand on it facing the cathedral, make a wish, and then turn clockwise 360°, your wish will come true. I'll let you know if it worked. 

🤞🤞🤞

The next tile marked the beginning of the Baltic Way. In 1989, over 2 million people formed a human chain in Vilnius, Riga, and Tallinn, protesting Soviet rule and their desire for independence. It must have been amazing to witness. In 1991, they became independent nations with the dissolution of the Soviet Union. 

The Baltic Way - Vilnius

The Republic of Užupis 

After a mid-afternoon reprieve, I headed to explore this bohemian art neighborhood. But they don't consider themselves a neighborhood; they consider themselves their own republic! 

Welcome to the Republic of Užupis. In 1997, they declared, "Hey, if Lithuania can declare its independence, so can we!" and set up their own country based on a "beermocracy" (quote from my tour guide) with a constitution, money, and even a border control where you can grab a passport stamp from Užupis. Some of their constitution rules are absolute gems, and I loved reading through them. Some of my favorites included:

1. Everyone has the right to be undistinguished and unknown.

2. A dog has the right to be a dog.

3. A cat is not obliged to love its owner but must help in time of need.

4. Everyone has the right to be in doubt, but this is not an obligation.

5. Everyone has the right to appreciate their unimportance.

6. No one has the right to have a design on eternity.

7. Everyone has the right to celebrate or not celebrate their birthday.

They say that if you stand in front of the mirrored version of the constitution (written in multiple languages), you too are now a citizen of Užupis. 

Newest citizen

Since it's a bohemian culture bomb, there are tons of artists, writers, musicians, and free-thinkers residing in this area. There is thus street art at every turn - my kinda vibe. Some standouts included incredible wall murals, funky statues in the art incubator (such as "backpack-traveling Jesus"), and some hanging installations. There was also a metallic cat with the superstition that if you touch its ear, you'll have no fear!

Art found in Užupis 

Traditional Lithuanian Food.... all the Potatoes!

For dinner, I had looked into what might be a good vegetarian/pescatarian choice and came across a dish called Cepelinai. They are grated potato dumplings, stuffed with meat (or, in my case, cheese curd) and often served with a sour cream-style sauce. 

I found a restaurant (Bernelių Užeiga) that looked like a little medieval tavern, complete with servers in traditional costumes, which served the vegetarian cheese version. I sat at a large booth solo, which is interesting because I'm slightly less self-conscious about eating alone when I travel than in Toronto. 

Atmospheric, baby.

On the drink menu, I saw "Homemade Lithuanian Cranberry juice" and thought it would be similar to the watery, dark red cranberry juice we have at home. However, I was in for a surprise when it turned out to be more like a watered-down smoothie. It was actually something called kissel, made from water, cranberries, sugar, and... potato starch! I was basically slowly turning into a potato while relishing every delicious bite. 😉 

 

Po-tay-toes!

St. John's Bell Tower

I was moving more slowly the next day, and since my bus to Riga was arriving in the afternoon, I decided to have a chill breakfast (coffee and a muffin at the Baltic chain Caffinate), hang out in my common room, check out the Halès Turgus market, and do one more touristy thing: go up the St. John's Bell Tower at Vilnius University. Built in the 17th century but renovated now (thank you, little elevator), this structure takes you up to the highest vantage point in Old Town for €5.

At the entrance, there was a mini museum about famous lecturers and alumni from the university, as well as a working Foucault Pendulum (which demonstrates the Earth's rotation). Then you take the elevator up 45 meters to the observation platform. I opted to walk down the stairs but am always grateful for a lift up. The rain from yesterday was nowhere to be seen, and the views of Old Town were gorgeous. I loved that I was beginning to recognize some locations after only being here for a day. 

Bird's eye view of Vilnius

Vilnius was a great town, and I know there's a ton more to see beyond Old Town. But that, dear readers, just means I can come back another time. 

✌️ Out of Lithuania, I'm off to Latvia next.  

Dublin - the Return!

Good things come in threes and this mini trip to Dublin was no exception! I've previously traveled to Dublin in 2010 with my good friend Dan Grant and then I came back in 2017 for my first ever solo trip across Ireland. I have nothing but good things to say about this country. 

This time, I stayed with a close childhood giftie friend, Susan Z. Yes, my name-twin (I've never met anyone else my age with my name and the only one I did was in the same class as me for 9 years). Susan Z's husband Eoghan has Irish citizenship so they moved here from Texas, 2 years ago. 

My flight over went well, I purchased a bid upgrade to move to premium economy which helped a little with sleeping on the plane but a lot with the extra leg room (super useful for my 5" nothing, haha). 

I took the bus from the airport (direct!) to Susan & Eoghan's place in Portobello (South Dublin, about 30 mins to city centre) and after way too long of a jet lag nap, we grabbed some Arepas (Arepa's Grill) and headed to a local pub (J. O'Connell) for a mandatory first Guiness of the trip! 

Howth - Coastal Town

The next day, I took a day trip to the seaside town of Howth, recommended by both my host and another friend who recently traveled here (Hilary). Accessible from Dublin City Center via the DART in about 30 minutes, it was a great day trip. It was a gorgeously hot and sunny day (did I bring the good weather? She smugly states).

On the ride there, I was "treated" to a group of about seven 18-year-olds heading to the beachside stop of Sutton (shoutout to my maternal family's last name!). Now that I've seen Derry Girls set in the 90s, this was Dublin Girls set in the 2020s, and my eavesdropping on their not-so-quiet conversations lent quite an informative experience learning about the youths here and how to celebrate 18th birthdays. Side note: They were blaring and singing along to the Space Jam theme song from when I was a kid, so I felt cool (or cringe; either way).

I was sad that I didn't think to bring my bathing suit on this adventure, because I would have loved a dip in the sea to cool off (as I saw some people doing!). I ended up completing the 6km Howth Cliff Walk (Green Route) over a few hours. Now, I'm not in the best shape of my life, but I felt like I could do this hike; while I won't be posting the videos where I'm desperately wheezing at the top, I will post some of the beautiful views I had.

After the hike, I was starving so I popped into the Abbey Tavern for some fish and chips (and five gallons of water). I even got to witness an Irishman blast the bartender for pouring his Guinness poorly. A legendary sighting to be sure. In the end, it was abysmal service but amazing food. 

Also, coincidentally, those same teenagers boarded back on the same car as me when going home and they were VERY tired and drunk. Hahaha. 

St. Stephens Green 

The next day, Susan Z took the day off, and we explored Dublin city. The first step was to purchase a raincoat, since I discovered a week ago in Toronto that my old one was no longer waterproof. We went to the Stephen's Green Shopping Centre, which is definitely one of the prettiest malls I've ever been to, and grabbed a great jacket from Trespass.

We then took a wander through St. Stephen's Green (which I had visited back in 2010), viewing the swan on the lake, plenty of statues, and people having picnics and relaxing on the lawns. I found my favorite Henry Moore statue, which commemorates Yeats, before enjoying some paninis for lunch.

National Print Museum

As two former history nerds (albeit for different eras), we visited two museums next. The first was the National Print Museum, a tiny one-room museum packed with as many artifacts about printing presses and mid-century print as you could ever imagine. The most fascinating thing we saw, in my mind, was an example of the printing press used to print the Proclamation of the Irish Republic in 1916. 

I learned that, since the printing had to be done in great haste, a few small typeface errors had to be problem-solved. There weren't enough "e"s in that font, so they swapped in some other "e"s (and a few were upside down!). Also, some letters had to be altered due to a lack of supply, such as adding sealing wax to a "P" to make it an "R" and altering an "O" to make it a "C" in the "IRISH REPUBLIC" title line. This picture shows all these small adaptations:

National History Museum - Archeology

Next up, bog bodies.

Yup.

Bodies found in bogs. *Murdered* bodies found in bogs from as early as 200 - 400 BC. The Clonycavan Man was the most intact and they even made a facial reconstruction of it.

They were preserved by the bogs, and due to fancy scientific tech I don't fully understand, researchers could determine things like their diet based on their fingernails. It was pretty creepy, but equally SO interesting. We also explored the rest of the museum fairly quickly (seeing some cool Viking artifacts and an exhibit on gold), but were feeling pretty gassed. So we headed home for a rest before heading out to find an Irishman to sing to me.

Devitt's Pub

The first time I came to Ireland, Dan and I looked for some traditional Irish music (basically, I just wanted to feel like I was in P.S. I Love You and have someone sing "Galway Girl" to me). We kept hearing a ridiculous amount of cover songs so when I grilled Dan's cousin Sam on why this counted as Irish music, he said "well they are singing in an Irish way... and they are sitting on a stool". So that now remains my bar for Irish music, accents, fiddles and stools. 😉

Susan Z and I accomplished those criteria, along with a hilarious variety of 90s/2000s pop & rock covers (he knew his audience) at a bar on Camden St. We had plenty of Guinness and a cute Irish twenty-something sing to the bar. I believe the three Irish pop songs he sang were by the Pogues, Cranberries and Aslan.

 

The National Botanical Gardens

Eoghan joined Susan Z and me as we travelled north to the National Botanical Gardens the next day. We explore most of the Gardens (with the exception of me stating, "we have those trees in Canada, we can skip that area") we some special attention given to the hilarious names we came across.

The Rose garden was gorgeous, as were all the succulents and palms found inside the greenhouses. 

There was a calming river bubbling through along the path which allowed us to spot some wildlife when we saw a little turtle and a goegeous heron who would have won first place in a statue contest. 

A Caren Night Out

When Dan and I traveled here in 2010, we stayed with his cousins and aunt/uncle and the boys (Sam, Hugh, and Luke) toured us around. Flashforward 7 years to 2017 when I'm doing my solo trip, I randomly message them and they bring me out to dinner and drinks over a few nights. Flashforward ANOTHER 7 years to 2024, and here I am again, bugging them to show the Canadian around. 

And they obliged. 😊

I met up with Sam and Luke at Cobblestone Pub to hear some traditional music. It was quite amazing! The musicians just gather at the front of the bar and have a little jam session. They don't necessarily know each other, they all have different instruments (I saw fiddles, guitars, flutes and an accordion), and they just like *know* how to play together. It was really impressive. 

Hugh joined us and after some debate and discussion amongst the Dubliners, we settled on sushi for dinner. It hit the spot and our bloated bellies continued onwards to another pub (The Boar's Head), where Luke bid us adieu. We wandered down to Drury Street which had a great open air / pedestrian only bar crawl vibe. Lots of stringed lights, friendly vibes and the interesting experience of Sam and Hugh buying a drink for a random street dude and having him drunkenly serenade me... Well, I did want to be sung at by Irishmen. Sometimes, you take what you can get. 😉