If you ever go across the sea to...

Diddle-lee-dee

BLISS and DLL are back from Dublin. They looked exhausted when I collected them from the airport last night. Not surprising, considering how much they crammed in to a short time. Cram it in they did.

They'd just about dropped their bags off (they hadn't passed 'Go' or collected a couple of hundred quid) when they went to the gaol. A long walk (they got a taxi back) from where they were staying, the gaol's a panopticon, with wings radiating from a central hub and open mesh floors BLISS described as making her feel uncomfortable. They weren't banged up in a cell as part of the tour (otherwise it would be remarkable that BLISS was then released), but they had a good look around by the look of the photos. There's a letter from a very young man facing execution that would make even the most hard-nosed pro-capital punishment people perhaps think again. This is where the long replaced the short drop for persons sentenced to hang.

Now, she can't complain about a lack of briefing. I had jokingly talked BLISS through the things best avoided (including her talent for cheeky impersonations of regional accents), so it's entirely her own fault that she ordered, at the bar they visited that night, not a Whiskey, or even a Whisky, but a 'Scotch'.

“You didn't.” I said.

“Oh god” she said “I think I did, too.”

The music and the company were good by the sound of it and they had a fantastic night out.

It was the Guinness brewery and museum on their second day. At least this time BLISS didn't ask for a Murphy's or a Beamish. This time they had one of those bizarre encounters:

BLISS and DLL: [to the bar girl] can we have a half instead of a pint, we won't drink a whole pint.

BARMAID: No. The vouchers are for a pint so I have to do you a pint.

BLISS: Can't you do a half instead?

BARMAID: Not if the voucher is for a pint I can't.

BLISS: That seems bit of waste.

BARMAID: Sorry, but the vouchers are for a pint each, so there's nothing I can do.

BLISS: Okay then.

BARMAID: Tell you what, though, why don't I do a pint, but in two half-pint glasses?

BLISS and DLL: [bemused] yeah. That'll do it.

I'm now the proud owner of two Guinness branded espresso cups, they look like miniature mugs all logo-ed up. Fantastic.

Guinness don't use water from the Liffey, they import some super-pure stuff from Iceland. BLISS still remains to be converted, but DLL's got more of a taste for the peatbog nectar. Apparently Guinness isn't black, rather it's a very, very dark red.

So glad they had such a nice time.