Dublin Days (Daze?)

It's been a busy couple days here in Dublin.  Tomorrow we're headed off for Edinburgh, but I wanted to catch you up before we fly away (all of an hour).

Yesterday we ended up visiting Trinity College first.  We were given a campus tour by a student (who was anxiously awaiting the results of his exam) and saw the Book of Kells in the Old Library.  It was great to hear about the campus from a student's perspective mixed with a little history and a few facts.

Waiting in line to see the Book of Kells with hundreds of our closest friends (and a man who appears to be passed out).

The Book of Kells was pretty intense.  It's really artistic and just to see something that is so old is pretty amazing.  The Long Room in the library was even more amazing.  It's gorgeously vaulted and filled with so many old books you can taste the dust (in a completely good way--though I'm not allergic).

(Warning: Sports nerd alert!)  After Trinity College, Christine indulged me by agreeing to go out to the Gaelic Athletic Association museum and Croke Stadium.  GAA is devoted solely to Irish sport (football, hurling, and handball).

We walked through the museum and tried our hands/feet at a few sports-related games.  I hit the sliotar (ball in hurling) 63 KPH, my great accomplishment of the afternoon.  I was not as good (or at all) at kicking the football for points.

In the upper deck of Croke Stadium, which seats over 82,000.

Next we went on a tour of the stadium.  We got to see the press box (a personal interest), locker room, player's club, sky box, and various other areas.  The tour was interesting (to me, at least, and the Irish folks on the tour), but loooooonnngg.  The tour guide was not one to be rushed.

Then we headed back to downtown Dublin.  We rode the hop-on, hop-off bus for a bit, wandered around the shopping center, and grabbed a bite to eat before joining in on a musical pub tour.  The tour guides/musicians were funny and informative, playing a variety of music and keeping us amused throughout.

One of our pub stops

This morning we awoke to grey (gray?--I can never remember) skies.  And then it rained all day.  We were productive despite the constant drizzle.

Our first stop was Guinness.  Not only did we learn all about the production of Guinness, we also learned to pour the perfect pint.  Then we drank it.  It was the perfect midmorning snack.

Our perfect pours!

After Guinness, we traveled to Kilmainham Gaol.  The museum and guided tour gave us a glimpse of life in the prison, a bit of its history, and more information about Ireland's revolutionary past.

We jumped back on the bus to make our way to #29 Georgian Street.  The house is designed to look as it would have in the 1800s.  The video at the beginning was more than a little hokey and the tour guide was a touch awkward, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Last we ended with a walk along O'Connell Street, filled with statues and capped by the Remembrance Garden.  Though, due to the rain, the walk was quick and more focused on a little shopping.

Looking a little wet at the Garden of Remembrance.

We had hoped to make it to Dublin Castle, but on Sundays hours are limited, so it didn't happen.  We did thankfully have some down time this evening to relax at the hotel and get ourselves organized.  Now we have a few hours to rest up, run a few errands, and then head to the airport.  I can't wait to see what Scotland holds!