IRISH BEERS

In my own home country, I like and drink wine. I have never drunk beers. Actually, I don't like "yellow" beers (lagers or whatever they are called).
But abroad, I discovered (an easy discovery, surely) that there are different different types of beers, and I started appreciating dark beers, brown (stouts) or red (ales). "Weizen" beers still I don't like a lot, but when there are no darker beers ...

Irish beers are particularly tasteful for me. Here is an excerpt from another site I found listing Irish beers.


Ireland is particularly known for two beer styles - The Irish Red (which is an Amber-colored Pale Ale, usually featuring a caramel malt backbone with a bready/yeasty undertone and a light, earthy bitterness), and the Dry Stout (which has a very coffee-like, dry taste to it, hence the name).

If you want to get your inner Irishman (or Irishwoman) on, here's a list of beers that should do it for you with good style, flavor, and class:

1. Guinness: The most well-known Irish beer. Takes on many forms, Irish Guinness (such as Foreign Extra Stout or Special Export Stout) gets top marks with an "A-" or an "A" rating depending on which one.

2. Smithwick's: (Pronounced "Smid-icks"), a very good Irish Red Ale brewed by Guinness. A nice caramel malty backbone with some yeasty/bready undertones and a mild tea-like bitterness. A "B" on my rating scale, and one of my favorite all-time session beers.

3. O'Hara's Irish Red Ale: From the Carlow Brewing Company. A very low alcohol content beer (4.3%). A bit more intense hop bite than Smithwick's, with the same amount of sweet caramel goodness, and some fruity and floral undertones as well. A great all-around beer, a "B+" on my scale.

4. Caffrey's Irish Ale: Similar to Smithwicks, though usually served out of a Nitro can. Heads up much like fresh-from-the-tap Guinness, though not too big on flavor. Would be a good option for those of you that like lighter beers, if you can find it (it can be difficult). A "B-" rating.

5. Beamish Irish Stout: Served usually in a Nitro Can like canned Guinness Draught. Has that classic Irish Dry Stout taste - coffee, chocolate malt, and a fair amount of bitterness. It's rather creamy and smooth though. It's really good. A "B+" from me.

6. Murphy's Stout: Much like Guinness Draught or Beamish, served in Nitro cans. A fair bit sweeter than either Beamish or Guinness, but a very good, drinkable stout nonetheless. A "B+" Beer and winner for sure.

TWO DAYS IN ROME

At mid-May with my wife (and grandparents) we spent two days in Rome.

It is surely the city with the largest number of monuments in the world.

This time we visited San Paolo fuori le Mura, Colosseum, St. Peter, Fountain of Trevi (at night and in the morning), S. Trinità dei Monti, Piazza di Spagna, Palazzo del Quirinale, Piazza Farnese with S. Brigida.

I am always impressed by Rome, by its "monumentality" and by its hidden gems; it would take months to thoroughly visit it.

Dublin 2011 april

Just before Easter, I had a business trip to Northern Ireland. Landing in and leaving from Dublin, I had the chance to spend some hours in Dublin in the late afternoon and evening.
So I visited the center of the city, walking from the Guinness Factory to St. Patrick Cathedral, then Great Georges Road, then Dublin Castle (it was closed) then the Temple Bar area, finishing the day at the Long Hall pub (to have an irish beer, a Smithwicks).

A nice city, to be visited again.

I BOUGHT IT: THE CANON EOS-550D!

In a previous post, talking about cameras, I mentioned I was having a "dream" (I agree there are better dreams ...), the Canon EOS-550D.
And yes, during my business trip in Japan early April, I bought it, at a BIC Camera shop in Kyoto.
I bought the camera with the standard 18-55 EF-S IS lens, plus a 55-250 EF-S IS additional lens; totally for just above 600 €, a bargain.

After having used it for some time, the real difference is in the low-light performances: even at high ISO levels, pictures are sharp and clear.

JAPAN: KYOTO

From March, 27th to April, 10th I have done a business trip to China (Suzhou, where my company has a plant) and Japan, to visit a customer, located in Shiga prefecture.
While in Japan, I had the chance to make a trip to Kyoto, on april 4th, to visit some temples.
It was a nice spring day, but cherry trees blossoming was just starting, so it was marginal. Nevertheless, the sites I visited were very nice: the three temples Kinkaku-ji, Ryoan-ji, and Ninna-ji.
I like Japan a lot, and leaving it is always a pain for me!
Actually, this was my tenth time in Japan!
Some pictures here below.

BUSINESS TRIP TO DENMARK

In the week from 14th to 18th March, I visited two suppliers in Denmark, one in Nordborg (south Jilland) and one in Aars (close to Aalborg).

TRIP TO GDANSK, POLAND

During the week-end of 4th to 7th March, with my wife we traveled to Gdansk, Poland, to visit our son, that's living and working there since January.
We went there by car, it was a 1650 km trip! But in 16 hours we were there, without any problems along the road.
Gdansk is a very beautiful city, with an impressive historical center. Weather was cold but sunny.
We will return!