Roadshow in Dublin

Being part of a business trip in one third to contribute to the promotion of the DEXON products is a good thing. Better thing if the destination is a country where you've never been before. Best thing if this country is on your wish list to visit. Very best thing if you have time to look around having a real Irish man as a guide. 

What's first? About the Greystones to Bray Cliff Walk? About the Long Room of Trinity College? About the Book of Kells? About the Guiness experiences? About Johnnie Fox's? About Glendalough National Park? Business first!...

The business part went very well and the concept, the organization proved to be successful. We had the chance to reach some important potential Irish companies directly with the help of our Irish partner. What if you're overwhelmed with business dinners? Then get up early in the morning, put on your running shoes, discover the area, breath the 'green' air, meet a fox (!) at close range and hear the early birds' song. It's guaranteed that you will be recharged.

Driving a car with steering wheel on the right hand side and oriented on the left side of the road requires much concentration from those who usually do this just on the contrary. The guys arrived in advance to assemble the whole system and they were followed by me one day later. Just upon arrival I could start the sightseeing using the airport shuttle to reach the hotel which fortunately located at the very last stop. I never arrive a foreign country without thorough preparations and information about sightseeing, famous spots, interesting facts, gastronomy, etc... This is very important if someone has less time to spend on these besides business but definitely wants to 'get lost' in that country. So I'm always very definite where to go, what to do and see.

This time we were so privileged because we were just asked what we would like to see and our host reserved and paid everything for us in advance in order to avoid queueing. We're truly indebted. Started our full free day inside Dublin at Trinity College. It was established in 1592. Oscar Wilde, Jonathan Swift were famous attendees of Ireland's oldest university. According to different rankings, the university has not so good position on a global scale. But its library is amazing, especially the Long Room. I just saw a picture of that room prior to the trip and thought that I need to see it personally! The main chamber of the Old Library is nearly 65 metres in length and houses around 200,000 ancient books. 'Turning Darkness into Light' - The Book of Kells from the year of 800 AD (!) was probably produced by the monks of Iona (Scotland) and is on public display here. It contains lavishly decorated copy, in Latin, of the four gospels. Amazing ancientness!

After hanging around the downtown and River Liffey with the famous lovely Ha'Penny Bridge, the next stop was the Guinness Storehouse which is Ireland's number one tourist attraction. It is a seven storey visitor experience dedicated to the 250 years of history and making of the world famous beer. You can discover what goes into each and every pint.  

"Where better to savour a perfectly poured pint of the black stuff than sitting high above Dublin's historic rooftops?" 

- the 360° views from the Gravity Bar makes the experience unique. We met more times the 'harp'. The medieval musical instrument is on display in the Long Room and also part of the Guinness logo. It is a national symbol of Ireland.

What was next, was something that I never experienced before, neither same nor similar. A restaurant. A really unique restaurant well hidden in the Dublin mountains - Johnnie Fox's (established 1798), famed as the highest pub in Ireland. For me, famed as either a fantastic world or a time travel. They say "Yet neither the height of its fame nor the fame of its height has gone to Johnnie Fox's head." The stone-flagged floor is daily strewn with sawdust and nightly hammered by dancing feet. There are lots of ancient bric-a-brac and not an empty squarecentimetre. The pub has featured prominently in the historic and social evolution of Ireland and commited to preserve the relics of the proud history that maintains its charm and nostalgic originality. Eternal gratitude to Ian for introducing this place to us! Just like in a fairy tale.    

And the fairy tale was not over here! Wicklow region came next which is known as the Garden of Ireland. Beautiful scenery, mountains and lakes (location for P.S. I love you and Braveheart), green green an much more green, 6th century Monastic Settlement, complete with  Round Tower (without Rapunzel)... And this is what I always need. Outdoor programs filled with beautiful landscapes, breathtaking views.

And I already know very well what's next if I visit the country again. Halloween 2017 here in Ireland (that was already kindly confirmed by Ian), Giant's Causeway (Unesco World Heritage Site), Cliffs of Moher (once thought to be the edge of the world), Dark Hedges (The Game of Thrones), the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge (links the mainland to a tiny island). Hmm, our little world is soooo big!