Glendalough , glen of the two lakes

Travelling on foot with tram is no joke, a rented car would be much better. So, the group made a trip to the car rental to get ourselves a rental car that we can move around easier in the weekends.



It's a Toyota Avensis, but I didn't pop up the hood to look at the engine, but from the driving impression, it could be a 2.0 VVti engine. Japanese typical specs, light steering, comfy and quiet.

We also had a nifty gadget to try on, the Nokia N95 GPS system, as pictured below with Dublin city map and location, we used that to reach Glendalough.


Quite 'canggih' stuff with the CY's Nokia N95 GPS system, sans the vocal direction.

We immediately head out to the Wicklow mountains. The scenery is nice, unfortunately my photography skills are not up to par to showcase the scenery, anyway here is my try on it.


On our way to the Wicklow Mountains.

When we finally reached the Wicklow area, we stopped for a late lunch at Lynhams of Laragh, don't ask me to pronuniciate it.


Late lunch at Lynhams of Laragh at Carvery.


Junction at Carvery

Lynhams of Laragh is quite cosy, it has a fireplace and warm environment. After a late lunch we headed to Glendalough. Glendalough is quite cold and windy, it should have been about an hour drive but it took us longer. The country side drive is quite worth it, if you drive slowly, not rally type driving though.


Is that a horse ? My 17-55mm Cannon kit lens can't it any nearer.


At the visitor centre

Glendalough is an irish monastery established somewhere 1200AD, Glendalough now has remnants of the monastery. The monastery is built secluded to protect it from vicious hordes like Vikings, read more from the link, long story.

The monastery.

The round tower.

The monastery during sunset.


Notice the colapse arch of the cathedral.

It was getting late and I'm having difficulties to shoot picture clearly, so I went ahead with some artistic photos of Glendalough.

Some tree beside the walking trail.

Glendalough trees at evening.

Glendalough, the tale of two lakes.

Dublin City Centre - Part II

Temple bar as I have mentioned is quite lively during the day and night. There are also live singers and activities going on. Took a picture of the famous temple bar pub.


The temple bar, all red and attractive.

At night, it is also lively and full with lights, as below with people mingling around.


Took my dinner as the restaurant directly behind from where I'm standing taking the picture.
So sorry, I didn't take a picture of the restaurant, it was rather dark. But I took some of the food that I had that night.


Traditional Irish Guinness stew with beef, served with salad and pie.

While my colleague had some salmon steak with spicy or curry sauce. Not spicy in Asian standards.


On our way back, we walked through Grafton street and it was decorated for Christmas, so some pics that I have taken below.


Shopping at night, quite some decoration there.


Christmas lights at Grafton Street, still quite busy at night. Nice to walk at night, although cold and wet but it is refreshing.

Dublin City Centre - Part I

I gave some thought of this post and I shall base my blog on this picture to navigate around.


Right smacked at the city centre with streets labeled.

Starting of from the left, Grafton street is a famous street for shopping and sightseeing.
There are flower stand by the road side, a nice view.



Flower stand next to the Dunnes stores at Grafton Street.

You can bask in the cold weather and stroll along Grafton Street, it is kinda busy street and nice walking down the cobbled street.


Grafton Street with Christmas celebration lights.

The Dublin tourism centre is also unique, centered at the medieval building, I managed to snap a few indoor shoots, the shoots are not excellent, excuse me for my poor photography skills.



Tourism centre top floor with a sandwich bar and nice tainted glass.


Tourism centre ground floor.

To be continued...

Visit to the Guinness Brewery

The famous Guinness stout began 1769 at Leixlip, Ireland. I visited the famous Guinness St. James Gate Dublin. It is actually part of the attraction in the Dublin city tour. Take the yellow city tour bus, you will get to go to Guinness brewery.


At the main entrance of Guinness Brewery.

Guinness stout or famously known as black dog("orr kao" in hokkien) is made of water, barley, hops and last but not least yeast. The barley is roasted and this gave the distinctive black (aka Kopi-O) colour. The yeast is so secret that it is kept in the directors safe box.

The ingredients of Guinness stout.

Guinness stout is served extra chilled and mixed with nitrogen and carbon dyoxide to make the frothy top. There is a special technique to pour or known as the "double pour" to perfectly pour the one pint of Guinness stout in a glass.


The Guiness stout in one pint glass with the distinctive frothy top.

So up I went to the brewery being shown the process of making the stout, but not before I shopped at the souvenir shop at the first floor, known as the store.


The Guinness store sells souvenirs like t-shirts, mugs, magnets and etc.

Arthur Guinness is the founder of the company and he managed to obtain a 9000 year lease. 9000 year lease ? That must be crazy and the lease is only 40 dollars a month. But anyway,
here is the picture of the founder, Arthur Guinness himself.


Arthur Guinness himself and the fifth ingredient.

After the Guinness stout is brewed, it is kept in these casks before transported out.


And I found out that Guinness stout in Malaysia and other exported countries are not the same. Guinness exported the secret blend of roasted barley and hops to other countries to be mixed with local beer to make Guinness stout. So definitely, the taste is not the same with the smooth, frothy and sweet Guinness Stout of St. James Gate, Dublin.

Fitzers fine dining

Just about 15 minutes walk from St. Stephen Green LUAS station, we walked into Fitzers restaurant located at the famous Temple Bar where most restaurant and pubs located. Situated at the junction between Fownes Street Upper and Temple Bar street, Fitzers decor had the typically warehouse look.


Fitzers restaurant at temple bar.

Inside Fitzers, the waiters and waitresses are smartly dressed. The decor in Fitzers is kinda cosy while the tables and chairs are a bit tight and small. I ordered a Fitzers banger shown below.

Fitzers banger with mash potatoes. Basically is sausages served with thousand island cream sauce and mashed potatoes. I'm not very good at describing food :)

My colleagues took a sirloin steak served with fries. Typically western steak.

Last but not least, nothing like a traditional Irish Guinness stew served with pie. Basically beef chunks marinated with the famous Guinness stout and cooked in stew. Chewing the beef chunks, you will taste the unmistakable Guinness stout smell :)

Traditional Irish Guinness stew served with pie.

Dublin City Tour

After contemplating over the Saturday, it's been decided that we will be joining Dublin City tour. Paid up euro 20 and waited a while at St. Stephen Green road for the yellow bus and we boarded on the guided tour and were given briefing on the various attraction in Dublin.

A pic that I have taken of one of the highlights in Dublin. The sign is actually the bus stop sign in Dublin. It's the tenth location in Dublin.


Location #10 Dublin Castle.

Jumped on the yellow bus and the journey lasted about 45 minutes. The yellow bus took us to Dawson street, Temple Bar and the various bridges over famous Liffey river. A picture of the yellow buses below:

Yellow city tour buses waiting at St. Stephen Green road.

I wasn't wearing long johns, it was cold sitting on the upper deck at temperatures about 10 celsius with the wind blowing. Although I had 3 layers of clothing, but it wasn't sufficient, but it was rather enjoyable eventhough it was cold and wet.

The city tour fare of 20 euros is a 24 hour ticket, it includes the yellow buses as well as the red buses(pic below). However, the last bus out is 4.30pm but by then it will be dark. One rather funny thing that I have noticed is, while I have 2 out of 3 layers of thick clothing, the indian guy in the picture below is only wearing a t-shirt. CY joked about the reason that he can stand the cold weather is because he takes curry :)


The red bus with the incredible indian guy.

Traveling with LUAS

The light rail in Ireland specifically the industrial area is kinda good, I find it rather efficient and inexpensive way to travel within Dublin. For 5 euro dollars, you can travel from Sandyford to St Stephen's stop whic is about 20 minutes of travelling time.

If you alight at Balally stop, it's just 5 minutes walk to the big Dundrum shopping centre. While St Stephen stop is right smacked at the Dublin town centre very near to Grafton street.

A snapshot of the LUAS.

The LUAS smartcard as shown below:

Stations of the LUAS green line depicted as below:

First trip to the shopping mall

After almost a week just working and travelling home, me and my colleagues decided to head out for the nearest and biggest shopping mall, Dundrum Shopping Centre, which is about 2 LUAS stops from where I'm staying.

We ventured out after work( roughly 5.00pm) which is already dark. Headed straight to the nearest LUAS station and paid euro 2.70 for a round trip, we jumped in and hoped we could find our way to the Dundrum shopping centre just based on instincts and our google maps in our head.

On our way, I was greeted once with profanity by an( I presumed) Irish local on a bicycle, but then we just walked on. Dundrum shopping centre is indeed big and looked posh, all the bling bling brands are there.

It's late and we decided to eat in TGIF, I took the Jack Daniel Salmon steak, look at the pic below, the salmon steak is so so, I kinda felt the salmon is a bit overcooked.


while CY had a photo shot at his dinner, which is a spare ribs, I tried a bit which is quite nice.


And not forgetting a pic here with the TGIF napkin and authentic Guiness stout.


Overall, it was a nice trip and also quite a fast trip to Dundrum Shopping Centre which I'm sure I will explore more. I hope I will update soon.

My Temporary Assignment in Ireland.

In a short notice I was asked to go to Ireland. Ireland is cold,wet and miserable. This place I stay don't have fast food joint nor enough restaurants. Sigh, it's the grocery stores and cooking for now, until I learn how to use the LUAS ( Dublin light rail tram system ). Shops here closes early and it's pitch dark by 6pm, quite boring.


On the other hand, Ireland drivers are hell drivers and the cars are good. I can see lots of Golf GTI, BMWs, I guess the people here are rich lads.


This will be my temporary office for now or rather till this year end. So much for europe !





The office at bracken road. :)



This is Bracken Court...