1/7/2014 Time winding down on my trip.

Being a tourist is exhausting!

Hard to believe that I'm in my second week of this vacation. We've done just about all of the tourist things that we want to do. We're quite exhausted to say the least. The photo to the right is on our trip to the western side of Ireland.

One of our great pleasures when traveling to places we've never been is to go on a city bus tour. The Hop on/Hop off tours offered are the best for us, the one fare gives you two days to ride and tour.

Having a Pint at Guinness Storehouse!

The first day, we rode a bit, until we got to the Guinness Storehouse. This is quite a place they make this brew and well worth the visit if you're in the area. From the ground level all they way to the top floor, which is a circular bar with almost 360 degrees view of Dublin, you could make this a easy day tour if you had the time. Cost to enter this was 18 Euro, but with that you got a pint and you got to keep the glass, or at least we kept it! Now for you Guinness lovers out there, I'm here to tell you that I find a big difference in the Guinness here, compared to the Guinness we get in the States! Until the trip here, Abby would never drink one, now I think the Guinness sales will be jumping up a percent or 2.

Becca & Scout at the top of
the Guinness Storehouse.

Scout on a slide at the Dublin
Zoo.

Our tour of Dublin continued, around St. Patrick Cathedral, through Temple Bar Area, taking notice of other Churches, that have been standing for century's, along with Pubs having been opened on the same sites for more than 300 years. It is truly amazing when you come to Europe, and you enter areas that have been around longer than our country has been a country! We have eaten in a restaurant in Stockholm that has been a restaurant for more than 350 years. We drove by a Pub that has been a Pub in Dublin for over 300 years.

Scout & Grandma at the Penguin
display.

The 2nd day of our bus tour takes us back to the boarding area with a ride to the Dublin Zoo. Abby and I have always been fans of Zoo's, taking our kids when they were young to several Zoo's, Watertown's, Wapaton's, Omaha, Battle Creek, Minneapolis, to name a few. With Scout we've been to Skanstad(Stockholm), Berlin, and now to Dublin Zoo.

Scout is at the age where she is noticing her surroundings more. For instance, in the Dublin Zoo, they have many areas with slides. I don't think she missed one of them!

Many animals were seen by us, I think Scout liked the Penguins the most! After the zoo, Scout again was exhausted so it was nap time on the walk back to home.

Scout after a long day at
Dublin Zoo!

On this trip I added a pedometer to my phone. The most I've walked in one day is 11 miles, and am probably averaging at least 6 1/2 per day. My feet, hips, and lower back are paying for all of this walking. However, my glucose is also benefitting because of this. So even though the walking is hard, I know the benefits are good, and when I get home, I must continue this life style for my own health benefit!