Dublin: Books and Beer

 

There’s something charming and unassuming about Dublin. As someone who cherishes both the art of storytelling and the comfort of a well-poured pint, I found myself completely taken by this city — its cobbled streets, the shared history with great writers, and the cheerful glow of its pubs.

Walking through Dublin felt like stepping into a living novel, whose streets were once walked by literary giants like Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde, and James Joyce. The locals are witty, at times crafty (we were completely hoodwinked by a taxi driver) and most of all amazing at story telling. The Celtic lore, the magic and the generations of belief in the whimsical (that may have inspired LoTR by JRR) lives on. 

A Literary Journey Through Time

For someone that grew up in India reading Swift's Gulliver's Travels, Wilde's stories,  Dublin offered a blend quite unlike any other city. 

One of the highlights was visiting Trinity College, a masterpiece of Irish Georgian architecture that felt like stepping back in time. The grandeur of the college’s historic buildings and the reverence for knowledge is something all bibliophiles will appreciate. Standing in the Long Room Library, was an experience quite enlightening even though at the time of our visit (March 2025) most of the books (except for the Book of Kells) were removed for restoration. So quite unexpectedly we saw this space in its almost-pristine glory. 

The Merrion and Georgian Elegance

Our stay at The Merrion Hotel was the perfect complement to exploring Dublin’s Georgian heritage. The hotel itself is a beautiful collection of restored Georgian townhouses, blending elegance with warm Irish hospitality. This was the best hotel we stayed at west of India. 

Afternoon tea at The Merrion was an experience to savor — delicate pastries, fragrant teas, and a refined atmosphere that brought the spirit of Georgian Irish-English culture to life. It felt like a moment of calm and grace amidst the city’s lively rhythm, a space to pause and reflect on Dublin’s rich history and charm. Although my all time favorite tea is still Claridge's in London. 

St. Stephen’s Green

A particularly relatable moment for all Indians would be discovering the bust of Rabindranath Tagore in St. Stephen’s Green — a gift from India to Ireland. 

Standing there, I was reminded of the parallels between Ireland’s and India’s colonial pasts. Both nations endured centuries of British rule, marked by political domination, cultural suppression, and economic exploitation. Ireland’s long struggle for independence — marked by events like the 1916 Easter Rising and the War of Independence — mirrors India’s own fight, which culminated in independence in 1947 after decades of persistent nonviolent resistance and political activism.

Yet, what stands out is not just the hardship, but the unyielding spirit of both peoples. Ireland and India nurtured vibrant cultural identities even under colonial pressure, using literature, music, and language as means of preserving and expressing their unique voices. Figures like W.B. Yeats and James Joyce in Ireland, and Rabindranath Tagore and Gandhi in India, exemplify how art and thought became tools of both resistance and renewal.

Enough with the sap... now off to some barley juice!  

Pints and Stories: Dublin’s Pub Culture

For many of us, the perfect day includes a good book and a great beer. Dublin’s pubs are the beating heart of the city, where history, storytelling, and craft brewing come together beautifully.

• The Brazen Head: Known as Ireland’s oldest pub, dating back to 1198, the Brazen Head is a treasure trove of history. Sitting here with a Guinness feels like sharing a moment with centuries of storytellers and dreamers.

• The Porterhouse: For those who love variety, this craft beer haven offers a range of unique brews. It’s modern yet steeped in tradition, perfect for anyone who appreciates both classic flavors and innovation.

• The Long Hall: A classic Victorian pub where the atmosphere feels like a warm embrace — wood-paneled walls, vintage decor, and a genuine sense of community. It’s a place to savor slow conversations and slow pints.

• Against the Grain: A cozy craft beer bar with innovative brews and a great atmosphere.

Must-Visit Places for the Literary and Beer Enthusiast

For Fans of Jonathan Swift

• St. Patrick’s Cathedral: Explore where Swift served and wrote, with a quiet reverence for his sharp mind.

• The Swift Monument in St. Stephen’s Green: A peaceful spot commemorating this literary giant.

For Admirers of Oscar Wilde

• Merrion Square Park: Stroll among whimsical statues and learn about Wilde’s playful legacy.

• Oscar Wilde Centre (Trinity College): For those who want to dive deeper into his work and life.

For Devotees of James Joyce

• James Joyce Centre: Engage with exhibits and tours dedicated to the life and works of Joyce.

• Sweny’s Pharmacy: A charming little spot mentioned in Ulysses where you can pick up a copy of the book and breathe in the literary atmosphere.

Dublin is a city that feels like home to anyone who loves stories—whether told on the page or over a pint. It’s a place where the old world and the new meet, where literature and life intertwine.

For someone like me, whose life journey spans continents and cultures, Dublin’s rich history and vibrant present offer a unique mirror — a city that celebrates identity, creativity, and community in ways that feel both timeless and deeply personal.

If you’re a book lover, a beer enthusiast, or both, Dublin is a city that will show you a great time! Just don't believe the taxi drivers who ask for cash :)

Central Europe: Prague, Vienna, Budapest AKA How Opera got me

 

I never wrote about my Prague, Vienna and Budapest trip from March 2025, which is strange because it has stayed with me more than almost any trip I've taken. I am writing this after nearly a year. 

I went to these cities very deliberately for their history and classical music. I wanted to walk through old European streets, spend time in churches and museums, and be somewhere where music still felt woven into everyday life. I loved that I could walk into a church and find a Mozart performance happening inside.

Prague was also Kafka. I loved being in his city and suddenly having a writer I loved attached to actual streets and buildings around me rather than just pages in a book.

But more importantly, there was Opera. This art form had always eluded me - because I only ever heard it on radio or on record players. I never enjoyed it through audio listening. I remember a few years ago a dear friend told me she got hooked to Opera and it was the most incomprehensible thing to me.  Anyhow, as an afterthought, because I was in in Prague I bought tickets to the double bill of Cavalleria rusticana and Pagliacci. 

I stepped into the magnificent opera house 10 mins late because I got confused and ended up in the wrong theater before finding my way to the right one. I did not like Pagliacci. It was so over the top that I laughed at it the first few minutes. All this OTT singing and jealousy and betrayal and drama was nothing subtle. I thought: This is opera?

After the first intermission I settled into my actual seat and an uncanny thing happened. I was drawn onto the stage and fell under perfomers' spell. Somehow the music and the voices and all that ridiculous drama had gotten under my skin. It was almost like hypnosis. I liked it inspite of myself.  I was obsessed and booked 2 shows for the operas in Vienna.  

I was happy to say goodbye to Prague. Overall, the food was hard for me as a vegetarian. The heritage hotel I stayed at was spooky because a nun was buried or killed there 300 years ago, and there were rumors that her ghost still wanders the hallways. That did me in. Prague to me felt crowded and somewhat grungy. I did see Bill Nighy on Charles Bridge; I read later on that he was in the city for some shoot. I am ok not visiting Prague again :P 

The train journey from Prague to Vienna was picturesque, winding through the Czech countryside.

In Vienna at the historic State Opera house, there was Norma. It was a standout performance. I took it all in—the music, the voices, the orchestra, the whole strange and beautiful experience. Then I saw La rondine. That was it. I was done for.

It was beautiful, but also incredibly inventive. I remember a typewriter being used as part of the staging while something else was happening at the same time, and being fascinated by how many layers there were to watch and listen to.  It was playful, clever, modern and visually creative while this gorgeous music was happening underneath it all. Whatever spell had started in Prague grew stronger with Norma and La rondine. Transformation was complete. Opera gave me a new way to appreciate all the overtures and interludes by my favorite composers: Mozart, Rossini, Verdi and Bellini. It opened a new dimension to appreciate their works. 

Vienna itself was everything I had hoped for in terms of music. Mozart, churches, concert halls, pianos, performances—it felt completely natural to build a day around music and then just keep wandering. Their cathedral and the hospitality of Park Hyatt. Sacher Tote and the cafe where it was invented.  I experience  the coffee houses that the intellectuals of the 19th and 20th centuries would congregate and of course the dark history of WW2.  I ate at TIAN, the Michelin-starred vegetarian restaurant. A beautiful tasting menu built entirely around vegetables felt exactly right for this trip. I will definitely want to go to Vienna and just do opera all days. 

Then I got on another train and went to Budapest.

Budapest was also Franz Liszt. By this point the whole trip had become this wonderful trail of composers, music and history—Kafka in Prague, Mozart in Vienna, Liszt in Budapest. Incredible art deco buildings everywhere took my breath away. 

I didn't see an opera there, but I toured the Hungarian State Opera House, and it was astounding. The gold, the frescoes, the grand staircase, the auditorium. Just ridiculously beautiful.

In Budapest there was another special dinner, this time at Babel. Another Michelin-starred tasting menu, another evening where I could get dressed, go somewhere beautiful and simply enjoy being there.

I had traveled solo before, so this wasn't about proving that I could do it. But this trip felt like a new height. Three countries, three cities, trains between them, beautiful hotels that I still think about, opera at night, Michelin-starred dinners, Kafka, Mozart and Liszt, music in churches, and wandering around completely on my own schedule.

There was something deeply luxurious about it—not just the hotels and restaurants, although, uff, the hotels! It was the freedom of the whole thing. Waking up somewhere beautiful and deciding exactly how I wanted the day to unfold. I remember feeling incredibly well and maybe that is why this trip has stayed so present in my mind.

More than a year later, I can still pull up those memories so easily: a hotel room in Vienna, getting on a train to the next country, walking through Prague, sitting down for an opera, finding music inside a church, a beautiful dinner by myself, the ridiculous beauty of the Budapest Opera House.

 

On bad days, I find myself going back there in my head. Maybe good memories work that way. You don't just enjoy them while they're happening. Some of them stay somewhere in your consciousness, quietly reminding you that you have felt this free, this curious, this well before—and that you will again. I went looking for history and classical music and I came home loving opera so much that while in Budapest, I had looked up imminent Mozart Opera performances  and booked a trip to LA to watch the Cosi Fan Tutte at the LA Opera house. 

More than a year later, opera is still with me, but so is something else from that trip—the memory of how completely well I felt. Curious, independent, comfortable in my own company, moving through the world and filling my days with things I loved.Maybe that is why I keep returning to this trip in my mind. Some trips are wonderful while you're on them. A few somehow keep giving back long after you've come home and this trip was one such.