Brewers' Digest: Gliterally

My fantastic semester abroad continues! WITH GUINNESS!! This photo was taken on my recent weekend trip to Dublin, Ireland, which was so amazing I almost didn't come back to London. But my classes and classmates are worth it. I've seen more theatre than I've ever seen in my life in the past month, and a lot of it has been astonishing. My favorite class has been Theatre Criticism where we sit and discuss the plays we've seen as a group. In other news, I had a birthday blowout at the end of September, and realized the other day I only have two months left here! Wow. Below are some highlights from my activities and travels - enjoy!

Celebrating my 21st birthday with my flatmate Adrienne. My friends took me to a local pub and bought me a TON of drinks so we could pretend turning 21 meant something in the UK. I didn't have a very pleasant day the next day, but the night of my birthday was a night to remember.

A fun time was had by all.

A day in Oxford! The highlight of my day may have been this market, which had delicious food and a section called "Nothing Lane."

This is where they film some of the Harry Potter films. Unfortunately I was not allowed in :(

On top of Saint Mary's, where you can see all of Oxford.

Oxford is so pretty!

I went to an Of Montreal concert at the legendary Camden club Koko. My friend Kelli went to Punahou with me and is now living as a theatre designer in London.

DUBLIN!! Trinity College (should've gone there!) where the fascinating Book of Kells is kept.

Hanging out with Oscar Wilde. We've been reading and performing "The Importance of Being Earnest" in my Acting Comedy class, and I really think it's the most perfect play.

Cool public art in East Dublin.

The beauty of St Stephen's Green!

Grafton Street, where obscene amounts of shopping occurs.

Dublin's tourist information center was a super old, pretty church. There was a wonderful blend of old and new everywhere I went.

I ate unbelievably well in Dublin. In Temple Bar, there was a market of local vendors, where I had lamb kabobs and crepes. I also had really good vegetarian food and fish and chips there. And ale. Lots and lots of ale.

Christ Church, Dublin's most stunning and ancient cathedral.

The signage leading up to the Guinness Storehouse was hilarious. As I walked from central Dublin to the Storehouse, I saw dozens of tipsy people walking past me with giant Guinness bags. At every block and every corner, another sign told me I was getting closer...

...and closer...

....and THERE IT IS!

This is the barley they use as one of Guinness' main ingredients. The elaborate exhibits on the tour were ridiculous, but I would treat brewing like an art form too if I dedicated my whole life to it like Arthur Guinness.

At the end of the tour, we are given a free pint of Guinness at the Gravity Bar, 7 floors up atop the Storehouse. The view of Dublin was almost as amazing as the pint!

Viking Splash Tours, in which we Vikings roared menacingly at passing Celts (regular pedestrians, with mixed reactions) and saw the Medieval section of Dublin.