Becoming a Dublin Tour Guide

I spent the weekend touring my mom around the city I’ve called home this summer, and it was so much fun!  It was so interesting to view the city through her eyes, and I surprised myself with how much knowledge I’ve accumulated.  I felt like a real tour guide, sharing fun facts as we strolled down the streets that have become so familiar to me these past few weeks.  While I had to share some of my favorite parts of the city with her, we also shared some brand new experiences.  

Friday 
My mom’s plane landed in the morning, so our first stop of the day was lunch.  We visited Hawksmoor for a delicious steak and seafood meal.  It was so nice to talk with her in person after hearing her voice on the phone for so long!  

The restaurant was very conveniently located next to Trinity College, and we’d pre-booked tickets for the Book of Kells experience.  The museum section was very interesting, especially since I took a class about book preservation during my freshman year of college. And, of course, the library was stunning.  

We took a stroll through St. Stephen’s Green, stopping for a snack at Murphy’s Ice Cream, and ended the day with a vodka pizza from Bambino’s (the best pizza I’ve had so far in Dublin).

Saturday 
We started our day bright and early with pastries from Bread 41.  This is a bakery I’ve been meaning to visit all summer, and it exceeded our expectations.  Everything we tried was delicious, but I have to shout-out the morning buns.  They are a must-order!

Then, we caught a bus to go to Howth.  I’ve already done this quick hike, but I knew as soon as I got there that I had to take my mom.  She loves going on hikes and eating seafood, so it’s the perfect place for her.  After we finished the hike we had a delicious lunch at one of the seaside restaurants and took a long walk along the pier.  It was one of the first truly warm days I’ve experienced this summer.  

We ended the day with tickets to see River Dance.  I went in with no expectations other than wanting to experience this quintessential Irish cultural experience.  It was such an amazing show!  The dancers were spectacular, but I think we both agreed that the musicians stole the show, especially the fiddler!  

Sunday 
This was my mom’s last full day in Ireland, so we had to make the most of it.  We started with brunch at Brother Hubbard, which was delicious.  It’s also located close to the Temple Bar neighborhood, so we strolled through this popular tourist area, window-shopping and taking pictures of the iconic buildings.  Our wandering led us to Hodges-Figgis bookstore, and, of course, we had to go inside.  

We ate lunch at Gallaghers Boxty House, which is known for serving traditional Irish potato boxty.  We ordered a sampler to try all of the different potato dishes and they were all spectacular.  We also couldn’t help but order sticky toffee pudding for dessert, since it’s difficult to find this particular treat in the United States.  

Next, we had tickets to the Guinness Storehouse experience.  The museum takes up multiple different floors in the historic building, which is apparently shaped like a glass of Guinness. At the top is a large circular room that provides a 360 degree view of Dublin.  It was very reminiscent of similar experiences in the United States like the Empire State Building or the Memphis pyramid.  It’s always fun to view a city from the sky!  This was actually my first time trying Guinness, and it was terrible!  This is a fact I’m almost ashamed to admit after spending so long in Dublin. 

We ended my mom’s trip with a quick walk through Phoenix Park, and we were quickly caught in a rainstorm.  It wouldn’t have been a trip to Dublin if she hadn’t experienced temperamental Irish weather at least once.  

This weekend really helped me reflect on how much I’ve grown since leaving home in May.  I struggled with homesickness during my first weeks abroad, and I’ve slowly become accustomed to this life so far away from home.  I didn’t realize how much I’d changed until a piece of home came to visit me in this new place.  I’ve become more comfortable with being alone, more adaptable to change, and more knowledgeable about myself and the world more broadly.

I can’t wait to share all of my experiences with the rest of my family when I return home in two weeks.  The time is flying!