Streams of Whiskey

Day two took us to Middleton and the Old Jameson Distillery, then onto Waterford.

At left, you see one of the gigantic copper kettles that were once used to make whiskey. Or it's the teapot of a the world's most enormous leprechan. Depends who you're asking.

At the Distillery, we learned how whiskey was traditionally made, as well as the negative effects of American prohobition on the Irish economy. Mike took some great pictures, including the sign advertising the particular tool you see here.

After the tour, Al volunteered to taste test various whiskeys, which allowed the Distillery to recognize Al as a certified bungflogger.

I'm happy to report that Mike's driving-on-the-left accuracy has risen to 96.4%, which means he's as pure as Ivory soap.

Round Round-Up, Part Deux:

• 1 at the Old Jameson Distillery, though Al had more.
• 1 at the American Bar in Waterford
• 3 at McLoughlin's Bar, Waterford, while watching Muenster beat Perpignon in rugby, which is like American football only more vicious and homoerotic
• 1 at Plan B, where we had "dinner" in Waterford
• 7 at T & H Doolan's, Waterford, while listening to what at least two of us felt was "traditional Irish music."

In Waterford, we strongly considered going to a museum between pints, but we worried that we might learn something, and that might cause us to reconsider our priorities. It all seemed like a lot of work, and better left alone.

Ghandi in Ireland: A little-known history
We learned on Saturday that Mahattma Ghandi, whose head was the size of a raspberry scone, once visited Waterford. While there, he was involved in a bar fight with Dali Lama IV over which of the two luminaries had the smarter tunic. Ghandi, we learned, had hands the size of canned hams, and delivered mortal blows to the Lama's noggin and breadbasket. While Lama IV lay both at his feet and at death's door, the Amish and Quaker townspeople of Waterford shackled Ghandi's mammoth hands to a brick wall and bronzed Ghandi's tiny little head. A plaque in T. H. Doolan's pub in Waterford commemorates the occurance.

Late last night, Al led us Moses-style to a place that puts garlic mayonaise and cheese atop their French fries. Recovery continues apace.