Week 8: Tour Guide for the Weekend

It’s hard to believe our time in Dublin is almost over. This experience has taught me so much, and I have grown a great deal. I’m incredibly grateful for all the amazing people I’ve met and the friends I’ve made.

Over the past weekend, I had a wonderful time filled with fun experiences. I’ve been keeping busy with various projects for my job, but it to take a break and spend time with a friend who came to visit.

I picked her up from the airport, and we headed into town for brunch at a cozy spot. Afterward, we walked around the city, exploring gift shops and clothing stores. She picked up a few souvenirs and some clothes. It was fun to be a tour guide, and I ended up seeing parts of the city I hadn’t explored before.

Later that day, we visited Powerscourt Townhouse Centre, which I’d been curious about for a while. It was intriguing and had lots of niche and boutique shops. After browsing for a bit, we went to Grand Central Café—a bar and restaurant that was busy and loud due to a sports game on TV. The energy was fun, and we stayed for a bit before heading out.

That evening, I decided to take her to a club in Dublin, but we didn’t stay long. Instead, we walked around, grabbed some gelato, and enjoyed a quiet stroll before heading back.

The next day, we went to brunch at another place, then visited a small gallery where we came across pamphlets for painting classes that looked interesting. After that, we headed to the National Portrait Gallery. It was great that admission was free, and we enjoyed a couple of exhibits.

We also stopped by some more vintage and souvenir shops before checking out a local market. There were lots of beautiful handmade items—jewelry, framed mini-portraits, magnets, and other unique trinkets. One artist in particular had designs we admired.

To wrap up the evening, we went to a restaurant that served a variety of Irish dishes. It was a bit touristy and loud, but still enjoyable. Later, we visited a pub called O’Donoghue’s. My friend tried Guinness for the first time, plus a Guinness shot I recommended. There was a live performance happening, and we stayed for a while listening to a few great songs.