Deja Vu in Shades of Green

As my plane touched down in Dublin at the beginning of the week, I felt a bit as if I were in The Matrix when Neo sees the cat twice..."a glitch in the system!" However, in this scene, the cast was airport attendants and native Dubs, who smiled and chatted with me as if we were old friends, each one as kind as the first. Didn't this script play out just a month ago?

Despite the intense deja vu, it felt good to be back in the vibrant city filled with friendly faces and endless pints of Guinness.

Speaking of Guinness...

Our trip just happened to coincide with Arthur's Day, a celebration of Arthur Guinness, who founded the brew in 1759. By what can only be considered sheer marketing genius, Guinness created this day, in which all of Ireland (and beyond) fill the pubs to toast Arthur at 17.59 (that's 5:59 p.m. for all the Americans out there). 

It was a little like New Year's Eve, as everyone poured into the streets with anticipation and counted down: Five...Four...Three...Two...One...Cheers to Arthur!!

Now, I wouldn't normally enjoy drinking even one—or more—Guinness. Perhaps it was because I had learned how to "Pour the Perfect Pint" the day before with Master Brewer Fergal Murray at the storehouse, or maybe my Irish blood was surging amidst the buzz of the crowd—but the creamy, rich liquid never tasted so delightful.

Here's to you, Arthur.  Perhaps you're the reason the Irish are so dang friendly.