The Streets of Dublin

I've got one week left in Ireland before returning home. This month certainly has flown by (as months tend to do).
Over this past weekend, Dublin hosted the World Street Performer Contest, bringing street performers from all over to perform. I was expecting a sort of chaotic, bazaar-like scene with fire-eaters and sword-swallowers crowding every corner. Instead, it was a much more organized and relaxed affair. The contest took place in Merrion Square, a small park a little ways from St. Stephen's green. There were two 'stages' (open areas of grass) for the performers to show off their stuff. The quality of the performances ranged from highly entertaining to painful and predictable. Canada, in particular, had a mediocre showing. And I did get to see fire consumed that evening.
We rounded off Saturday evening with Butler's hot chocolate (because it's never too warm for hot chocolate) and had dinner at Bewley's, an extremely old restaurant. Apparently, the Bewleyes are almost as old and respected a family in Dublin as the Guinesses. The food was good, the restaurant was all decked out with statues and old paintings, and craic was had.
Fair weather continued throughout the weekend and the days have been filled with small pleasures. We went back to Blessington for a Sunday dinner, where I met Emer's sister and youngest brother. We brought back a trunk full of desserts. Monday afternoon was particularly sunny, so we spent the afternoon outside reading books in a field. Today, we went back into Dublin (Emer had an interview with a child counseling service) and took a bit of a walk about the place.
I really feel like I'm getting to know Dublin and how to get around. A natural enough consequence of spending so much time there, I suppose.

Tomorrow morning (waking up at 4:00), we're leaving to catch a 6:30 flight from Dublin to Edinburgh. We'll be spending three nights looking for adventure and attempting to understand the accent.