As the city was gradually getting back into the swing of things after the holiday, it was a bit quiet at the tourist office, but pretty much everything was open. We opted for the Dublin historical walking tour, which had a bit less walking than I expected, which was only an issue because it was a chilly day (but clear, can't complain) in Dublin. The guide taught us quite a bit about the local history, and that of Ireland in general, including the great rift that still stands today. His message was optimistic, though on unification. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

In the afternoon, Laura and I made what will likely be the closest I will get to a religious pilgrimage on this whole trip: a tour of the Guinness brewery. From blocks away, you can smell the warm malt. On the way to the front entrance, we wandered through the old brick compound (the brewery owns several city blocks on a 9000 year lease; that man was a genius), crossing over some of the small-gauge rail lines that were once used for transport between the buildings. After finding the tour tower, we paid our entrance, each getting a key chain that contains a drop of Guinness, and wound our way up the various floors, checking out the fancy AV presentations along the way. These people really know what they're doing; the tour concludes at the top of the tower, with a great view of the city, in a circular room with a circular bar in the middle where you get a pint of Guinness on the house. To top it off, we were there for the sunset (coming pretty early at this time of year).

After some gift shopping, it was time to meet up with Darren, our soon-to-be host. Darren is the older brother of on of Bri's best friends from high school. He's very enthusiastic about everything, but in particular about drinking. To this end, we met up with his girlfriend, Sue, and went out for some beers at one pub (this small Dublin suburb has tons of them) and then out for a dinner of tasty steak and more drinks, including the Baby Guiness shot: Kahlua on the bottom, with Bailey's layered on top so it looks just like a tiny pint of Guinness.