The Gems of the Emerald Isle Series is a collection of articles about the wonders of nature and famous attractions in Ireland. In this post, let’s talk about “The Black Stuff". This term is often used here in Ireland and mostly everyone knows what it refers to. It is just simply Ireland's national drink, Guinness. And yes, it’s the same Guinness that manages world records since 1955 through yearly publication of “The Guinness Book of Records”. Sir Hugh Beaver (1890—1967), Managing Director of the Guinness Brewery used this is a promotional campaign with the idea of settling pub (bar) arguments and compiling a book of little known facts and figures (http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com). Joey and I are not beer drinkers so we never had a strong wish to do a full tour of the Guinness Storehouse. But since we have been living in Ireland for over a decade now, I think it’s time to blend in with other tourists and get to know more about this black stuff. Let me take you to the only Guinness Storehouse in Ireland; this is located inside St. James's Gate Brewery in Dublin City. The cost of the tour is €20. It highlighted how its story began, the beer's humble beginnings, and the struggles the company went through to achieve the Guinness that we come to know now. The experience was divided into seven floors which featured the ingredients, roasting & brewing rooms, smelling & tasting rooms, photo booths, food & drink where some items have Guinness as one of the ingredients, and finally the Gravity Bar on the top most floor. I particularly liked the way the tour was conceptualized. It was fully self-guided yet interactive, and the directions were easy to follow. We walked through exhibits and videos at our own pace. The tour also had the "The Connoisseur Experience" where you can learn how to expertly pull your own pint of Guinness. I pulled mine in one of the corporate events that I attended and was given a certificate for it. The "Gravity Bar" which is the highest bar in Dublin showed a 360° view of Dublin City. This was where we got our pints of Guinness in exchange for our tour tickets. Here are some things that we picked up during our tour: Their story begins here … Arthur Guinness started brewing since 1759. He signed a lease for the St. James’s Gate Brewery, Dublin for 9000 years at an annual rent of £45. It’s only year 2017 and the 258th year of their 9000 years’ lease, gets me wondering if the lease is still valid. Here is the official response from the FAQ section of www.guinness-storehouse.com: “The 9,000 year lease signed in 1759 was for a four-acre brewery site. Today, the brewery has expanded to cover over 50 acres. The 1759 lease is no longer valid as the company purchased the lands outright many years ago. So don't worry, we're not planning on going anywhere.” Happy days! It is good for you! Guinness has 4 main ingredients: barley, yeast, hop, water and 1 magical ingredient, Arthur Guinness himself. He has a great influence on Dublin. As we say here: "Here's to Arthur." Get 10% back from your Hotel Booking when clicking this button -> The exhibits described how they choose the barley to make Guinness. At this brewery, 100,000 tons of Irish-grown barley each year is used. Then, the yeast that Guinness uses is derived from the traditional yeast strain used by Arthur Guinness himself, the secret to every good pint of Guinness. The yeast strain has been passed on from one brew to the next to ensure consistency. It is valuable that a reserve supply is always kept locked in the Director's Safe. Hops, the 3rd ingredient, are used as flavoring agent in beer. They are the flowers of the hop plant Humulus lupulus. They require specific amount of sunlight and only grow in two regions of the world. Finally, the water used in brewing Guinness at this brewery (St. James's Gate) comes from the Wicklow mountains. Only water of the highest quality is used to brew Guinness Smell and taste the magic. The Guinness expert showed us how to engage our senses and appreciate the smells of the different ingredients. In here, we were given a Guinness sampler to practice how to taste Guinness and how to get the best from the pint. The beer that travelled ... It is said that 10 million glasses of Guinness are being sold everyday throughout the world making the biggest selling stout. It has been travelling the globe since 1769. Almost 1 in 2 pints consumed in Ireland every day is a pint of Guinness. The Color of Nobility Contrary to its famous alter-ego, “The Black Stuff”, Guinness is not really black! It is not even brown. While it is distinctively dark, the Guinness beer (or stout to be more specific) is actually ruby red in color. This is a result of roasting malted barley, in a similar way to coffee beans. The creamy white head is caused by the bubbles of nitrogen and carbon dioxide gas as the beer is poured. No artificial colorings or flavorings are added. “Good things come to those who wait.” This was Guinness’ advertising campaign slogan in 2009 referring to its famous 'two-part' pour ritual. I suppose bartenders all over the world are given precise instructions on this. The ritual takes precisely 119.5 seconds to pull the perfect Guinness pint:
There are approximately 198 calories in a pint of Guinness - less than a pint of orange juice! Overall, Guinness Storehouse is a well-designed attraction to spend an afternoon in Dublin. Even for us who do not drink beer enjoyed the tour. It was not boring or tiring, just about right. An absolute must for your to-do list when in Dublin!
I've been very fortunate with my job. Apart from families and friends, it is something that I always thank the One above. I remember years back, shortly after my college graduation, a palm reader in Mactan (an island in Cebu) told me that I would be very lucky with my work and employers. I would be able to travel the world. True enough, all the 5 companies that employed me carried travel perks with them, both domestic and international. Of all those business travels, the best that I had was when Joey, my husband, accompanied and stayed with me for 6 months during my assignment in Pennsylvania, USA. There are many travel pieces to write about our life in the USA; where we experienced the many firsts of our lives together. In New Jersey, I got re-united with two of my best buddies in college: Aura and Melinda. Together with them and their families, we had our first pumpkin patch experience. What is a pumpkin patch? Literally-speaking, a "patch" is a piece of land, a field, or a garden where a fruit or vegetable grows. In this case, it is pumpkin. It's a term you often hear around Halloween time. Pumpkins are gathered, carved, lit with candles to create a Jack O'Lantern. Irish Origin of Halloween Jack O'Lantern It is said that this tradition originated from Ireland. The large turnips, potatoes, and beets became an early canvas because pumpkins did not exist in Ireland. According to Irish folklore, a young blacksmith named "Stingy Jack" invited the devil to have a drink with him. But since he lost his money to gambling, Jack tricked the devil to turn himself into a coin to pay for the drinks. Jack never bought the drinks. Instead, he tucked the devil-coin into his wallet, along with a crucifix thereby trapping the devil. When the devil promised not to take his soul upon his death, Stingy Jack removed the crucifix and freed the devil. When Jack died, Saint Peter barred him from Heaven because of his mischievous deeds. He was also refused entry into hell because of the deal he made with the devil. This left Jack's soul wandering the dark hills of Ireland. Since then, the people of Ireland started putting the lamps in their windows to ward off evil spirits and Stingy Jack himself. The Irish brought the Jack O'Lantern tradition when they migrated to America. As pumpkins grow abundantly in the region, they have carved pumpkin instead of the traditional root crops. What happens during "Pumpkin Patch"? If you have never been to a pumpkin patch, you don't know what you are missing! Not all farms are the same, but here are some bits that you can expect: Hay rides Hay rides are fun! It's your shuttle into the field where you will pick your pumpkins, though you can also choose to walk out to the patch yourself. We took the tractor-pulled hay ride, while sitting in a comfortable stack of straw. Be prepared for a wobbly ride. Corn Maze We left this for adventurous kids and adults. There were also large stand-ups for photo ops. Farm Animals Since it's integrated with a farm, you can feed the animals and ride on the horses. Farm to Table Grab a basket and stock up on local produce. The farm we went to was selling fresh tomatoes, different varieties of sweet corn, apples, pies and pastries. The Perfect Pumpkin Get ready with your wagon to pick and carry your own pumpkin. An average pumpkin can weigh 8-15 pounds while a large variety can weigh 15-25 pounds. If you can handle it, you can try picking a giant pumpkin that can weigh 50-100 pounds. Finding your perfect pumpkin depends on the kind of carving that you want to make. What's important is to make sure it is stable by putting it on a flat surface. Also, feel the pumpkin's skin. It should be firm all over and does not have soft spots. If it already has, then it may be on its way to rotting. Of course, since it's Halloween, go for an orange pumpkin! Our Jack O'Lantern The farm priced their pumpkins by the pound. The ones we picked were weighed and paid at the end of our activity. We took 4 medium-sized, easy to carve ones. We scooped and scraped out the inner meat of the pumpkin. They say that you can cook and eat all parts of your pumpkin. From the seeds, pulp, flesh, to its skin. You can bake them into bread, puree in the soup, or roast as a healthy treat. Some even suggests using them as part of your beauty regimen. Here's how our first Jack O'Lantern looked like. This was our first ever Pumpkin Patch and it did not disappoint us. It was a great way to spend time together and get into the Halloween mood. For us, it was a wonderful way to celebrate the colours of autumn.
Joey and I have been putting off an ocean cruise vacation because we could not reconcile with the thought of being ‘at sea’ for 7 to 10 days. I was born and raised in Cebu City. My parents hailed from Batangas and hence visiting our grandparents every school vacation was part of our routine, growing up. In those years when the airfares were astronomically-priced, we always travelled by ship from Cebu to Manila (roughly 23 hours). As a child, I endured the long journey because there were plenty of things to do aboard. Now as an adult, in this fast-paced world where people rely on technology to accomplish tasks instantly, I’m not sure whether I will still be able to enjoy such an extended journey. To see if we are worthy to take on a majestic ocean trip, we decided to try a mini-cruise first. It’s called ‘mini’ for 3 reasons: (1) it’s a short trip, generally 5 days, (2) lesser time spent at sea, (3) you have land-based accommodation as opposed to having the ship as your hotel. We ventured on a Scandinavian Cruise that visited the capitals of Scandinavian countries: Stockholm (Sweden), Helsinki (Finland), Copenhagen (Denmark) and Tallinn (Estonia). Get 10% back from your Hotel Booking when clicking this button -> When we got the itinerary, two days were allotted for Tallinn. Tallinn is the capital of Estonia, a country located in the Baltic Sea, formerly part of the Soviet Union and with links to Sweden and Denmark. Tallinn is only 85 km from Helsinki. We started off on a 3-hour walking tour along with other tourists, who like us, were also eager to get to know the city. Helen, our tour guide commented that by far this was the largest number of walking tour participants, counted at 160! So, we were split into two groups for better interaction. Helen took us to key locations of Tallinn and shared with us a lot of things about Estonian history, short amusing stories about culture, religion, food, etc. We felt like we have now understood Tallinn and Estonians. Here are our Top 4 things we learned from our walking tour: 1. Estonia has a population of 1.5 million; 450 thousand live in Tallinn. The Estonian tri-coloured flag symbolizes the following:
Helen said that small talks like 'good morning' and 'hellos' are unusual and uncommon in Estonia. Because of their history and the many countries that conquered them, they are not very warm and friendly to foreigners. Estonians are generally well-reserved, disciplined, and personal space is very important. 2. Our tour guide said that in the past, practicing religion was prohibited. Hence, most of the churches were converted to museums. Estonia is one of the "least religious" countries in the world with only 14% of the population declaring religion an important part of their daily life. Though Estonia is not a very religious country, they respect freedom of religion and guarantees separation of church and state. 3. Estonians love to sing. While with the Soviet Union, Estonians bought lyrics of western songs in black markets, read every line, and judged whether it was a nice song, without even hearing the tune how it was supposed to be sung. Like in the Philippines, you can also find many Karaoke bars in Estonia. Yes, they love to sing, they got their independence by singing! The so-called ‘Singing Revolution’ lasted over four years (1987 to 1991) and led to the restoration of the independence of Estonia. 4. Tallinn is the home of the first Christmas tree and Skype!
Inspired by our walking tour, here is our Top 4 round up of the must-see sights in Tallinn: 1. Medieval Times at the Old Town Like a classic fairy tale movie, wander into colourful houses, cobblestoned alleyways, medieval buildings and watch towers. Despite Estonia's centuries of successive German, Danish, Swedish and Russian rules, its capital city of Tallinn is famous for its well-preserved Hanseatic architecture and medieval structures. Hanseatic refers to the Hanseatic League, also called as Hansa or German Hanse, an association formed by north German towns and merchant communities abroad during the 13th to 15th century to protect and control trading activities. Tallinn’s intact 13th century Old Town has gain the recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Tallinn Town Wall These ancient walls give the town a medieval atmosphere. Built as a fortification, the wall enclosed and protected the town from invaders. We have travelled to many places in Europe but I can’t remember seeing intact walls of a medieval city. In most places, only fragments of the walls are left. As per Tallinn Tourism Board, a full stretch of wall (1.9 km of its original city wall) and 20 observation towers are still standing. No wonder Tallinn has become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Katariina käik (St. Catherine's Passage) A walk in this alluring and winding passageway takes you back to the middle ages. This narrow alleyway is a charming fusion of crafts and religion. On one end, a wide array of craft shops is well-worth the visit. On the other end, the remnants of St. Catherine’s Church along with tombstones from the original sanctuary can be seen. The church is said to be the largest church in medieval Northern Europe. In the present days, ruins of the church have become a venue for concerts, plays and exhibits. Medieval Restaurants We had a medieval meal of an ox rib, elk soup and meat pie. Everything was very well laid together. With servers dressed in medieval costumes, the setting felt very authentic! 2. Castles & Palaces Kadriorg Palace (Presidential Palace) Estonia has a Parliamentary form of government with their Prime Minister as the head. They also have a President for ceremonial events. We learned from our tour that the President's Palace is not guarded, and it was true! We ended having photo shoot there. Toompea Castle Toompea is a limestone hill in the central part of the city of Tallinn. This is where a wooden fortress was built during the 9th century. In the course of history, Danish, Livonians (from Latvia), Swedish and Russians fortified the fortress and ruled the territories of Estonia from here. Today, Toompea is the seat of the Parliament of Estonia, the Riigikogu. The Estonian flag on top of the Tall Hermann tower symbolizes Estonia's independence and own government in power. Kiek in de Kök This cannon tower gives an insight into Estonia’s past and the vast range of defences it used to protect itself. Inside this tower is a museum of the town's armours, weapons and medieval-era life. This is also the starting point for touring the hidden tunnels that run underneath the Toompea hill. Kiek in de Kök literally means “Peek into the Kitchen.” Due to its 38-meter high structure, it was a well-recounted joke that medieval guards could see right down the chimneys and into the kitchens of the houses below. 3. Viewing Platforms We went to Kohtuotsa and Patkuli vantage points. They are just a short work from each other and two of Tallinn’s many viewing platforms at the Toompea Hill. We were there at the peak of the day and so it was difficult to get the perfect spot for a picture. But once the crowds settled, we had fine views of old and new Tallinn: the red roofs of the Old Town with its ancient walls & towers and the modern Tallinn harbour where you can see ferries travelling to and from Stockholm and Helsinki. We also saw the towers of St Olaf’s Church (which was said to be the tallest structure between the year 1549 to 1625) and Cathedral of Saint Mary the Virgin. From the Patkuli viewing platform, we went down around 150 Patkuli steps connecting the Upper Old Town (dominated by Toompea Hill) to the Lower Old Town (with the Town Hall Square as its heart). 4. Churches Joey and I are raised as Catholics. Every time we travel, our itinerary always includes a visit to at least one church and attend a Mass service. We always find it interesting participating in the Mass in another country’s language. Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral A modest yet beautiful church with a courtyard setting that serves Tallinn's very small Catholic congregation. According to www.katoliku.ee, the Catholic population of Estonia is approximately 6,000 adherents. Our cruise ship arrived in Tallinn port on a Sunday. Being the only Catholic church in the Old Town, we stumbled into this church and attended the 6:00 pm Mass. The Mass was said in Russian but the priest also gave a homily in English following the homily in Russian after noticing us in the pews. Cathedral of Saint Mary the Virgin (Dome Church's) Tower Originally established as a Roman Catholic cathedral by the Danish, this historic church located on Toompea Hill has served as a burial place for noble families since the 13th century. It became Lutheran in 1561 and is now the seat of the Archbishop of Tallinn, the leader of the Estonian Evangelical Lutheran Church. Church of the Holy Spirit This is a lovely little Lutheran church located in the Old Town district. It is the only sacred building that preserved its original medieval form and is recognizable by the blue & gold clock on the wall above its entrance. The clock is said to be carved in the 1680's and the oldest public clock in Tallinn. We paid a small fee to go inside, but it was well-worth to see the main altar, suspended pulpit, choir stalls, pews, and decorative stained glass. St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral This grand five black onion-domed Russian Orthodox church was completed on Toompea Hill in 1900, when Estonia was part of the Russian Empire. It is just across the Toompea Castle (now the Estonian Parliament). It stands out on Toompea partly because of its massive and richly-coloured design as compared to the pastel-coloured medieval buildings surrounding it. It's free entry; but since this is a working church, visitors are expected to dress appropriately. Prior to this trip, we have not heard so much about Tallinn. Seldom does it appear in travel destinations. But knowing us, we could always turn this trip into something worth our while. And we did it! A visit to this medieval city was a pleasant surprise. It made us realize how truly magical and enchanting Tallinn is. Definitely, worth a return visit!
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Dates
October 2018
About MeI am a software engineer based in Ireland; a qualified accountant who made a 360-degree career shift to Information Technology during the Y2K era. Joey (my husband) and I have big appetites for travelling, learning new cultures, and a passion for experiencing varied cuisines. Follow us as we chronicle life's little perks! |