Round Museum

In 1759, Arthur Guinness signed a 9,000-year lease for the St. James's Gate Brewery in Dublin. The lease was for an annual rent of £45, and it is often cited as a symbol of his long-term vision and confidence in the brewery's future. He was just 34 when he signed on to a then-disused four-acre brewery site, and began by brewing ale. He quickly built up a successful trade and, in the 1770s, he began brewing a new type of English beer – called porter. It was so successful that by 1799 he brewed his last ale and decided to concentrate solely on the now-famous black stuff.

No parking at Gate H. Day or Night, got it?! You've been told so many times. Read the dang sign!

07.10.25

Three days of madness, seeing fairies and even death have been reported by some who have drank too much Poitín! An Irish alcoholic drink, Poitín has been illegally produced in 'stills' for centuries. This very strong drink was produced by poor farmers to make some extra money. Poitín making usually took place on the border between two farmers lands, that way if they were caught by the police they could deny all knowledge. This tradition continued through the 20th century as did the excuses of being caught in possession of it.

Well, there are some things you should know. First off — you see gum on the street, leave it there. It's not free candy.

07.08.25

With spiky, triangular leaves on long extended branches, the Monkey Puzzle tree does look like a barrel of monkeys has exploded to a 40-ft height. The trees are native to Chile and Argentina and were introduced to Europe and Ireland in the 1700s. They are dioecious, meaning male and female cones grow on separate trees. The large, globose cone indicates this is a female tree, while male tree cones are elongated or oval shaped. Sounds about right.

07.07.25

When building the perfect nest for your house-churned Bluebell Falls goat’s cheese you must start with a crispy tart base generously coated with apricot jam, clementines and young vine tomatoes, and then the puck of cheese will be properly supported. Wrap the edges with pea shoots and a few Kalamata olives. Then eat. Well… take a picture first.

07.06.25

The Edinburgh Waverley railway station is the primary hub serving Edinburgh, Scotland, and is the second busiest station after Glasgow Central. The atrium dome roof was restored over two years starting in 2010 to replace 370,000 sq ft of glazing with stronger clear glass panels. The old roof was a mix of materials including felt, cloudy wired glass and plastic sheeting.

07.05.25

Glasgow Botanic Gardens dates back to 1817 when Thomas Hopkirk of Dalbeth donated his own plant collection to its creation. With early success it expanded to its current site at Kelvinside in 1842 and today has over 9000 different plants growing in temperate and tropical glasshouses. The Victorian-era Kibble Palace glasshouse is recognized for its impressive iron and glass dome and rotunda housing a forest of tree ferns.

07.04.25

Pushing the boundaries of design and architecture, The Falkirk Wheel – the world's first and only rotating boat lift – links the Forth & Clyde Canal to the Union Canal 35 metres above you, allowing vessels to sail through the sky thanks to a unique fusion of art and engineering. The Wheel is based on the principles of the ancient Greek engineer and mathematician Archimedes. The Wheel replaced the original staircase of 11 locks that once linked the two historic canals, reducing the time taken to transfer boats from an exhausting day to an uplifting few minutes.

St. Giles’ Cathedral, founded in 1124 by King David I, has been a working church for over 900 years. A backdrop to Scotland’s turbulent religious history, it has seen the seeds of civil war sown and been John Knox’s parish church during the Reformation. It is still an important centre for civic services such as the Kirking of the Parliament and services for Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle.

Edinburgh, Scotland

07.02.25