A new favorite

We're back from our weekend in Dublin (preceeded by a few days in London) and I think we've found a new favorite city to visit. We both give Dublin a big thumbs up! How could we describe it... a city with lots of energy, yet a laid-back atmosphere, filled with friendly people with charming accents. We also enjoyed the famous Guinness. I'm not sure if I've ever actually had one before because it always scared me a bit (it's so dark-- and remember I grew up in a state where Miller Lite is the beer of choice!), but I'll admit that it tasted good. What I really liked about it, though, was how the bartender has to take a break halfway through pouring it so that it can settle into the class. I may have enjoyed watching it settle into the glass more than drinking it! Contrary to the old image of Irish food being nothing more than corned beef and cabbage, there is clearly a wide variety of good restaurants in Dublin. Eating highlights included some good Lebanese food at the Cedar Tree, a delicious fish dinner at The Mermaid Cafe (I had the monkfish and pumpkin risotto special), and a yummy lunch at a place called Gruel (sounds appetizing, doesn't it?) We also appreciated the recently enacted smoking ban in bars and restaurants. I'm sure there are many in Ireland who aren't so pleased with the new law, but it certainly made our drinking and eating more enjoyable!