It's been a fairly busy week for me over here. Friday night there was a ceili, even though it was pretty much only international students there. Apparently, most Irish students go home for the weekend and go out to the pubs Monday through Thursday.
Saturday, I met up with some girls from Dayton and we took a train to Dublin. We saw quite a bit of the city. We hit up St. Steven's Green, Trinity College (including the Book of Kells), the National Gallery, and the Post Office (site of the 1916 Easter Uprising). The Guinness Brewery will have to wait until next time :)
After a day's worth of walking around, we headed over to The Celt, a small Pub north of the river. It was wonderful there - very cozy. I've become rather partial to Guinness this past week. For dinner, I had a pint along with 'beef and Guinness stew'. There was live music there afterwords (a kind of Irish rock band - two guitars, bass, and a fiddle), which finished up the day quite nicely.
Select pictures:
St. Steven's Green. The sun even came out for ten minutes, so we all celebrated.
Molly Malone. This statue is also known as the tart with the cart.
Random church-ish building.
Trinity College, plus a closeup of the statues in the spire in the square.
Right outside the old library. This had the Book of Kells exhibit, but I felt this paled in comparison to the awesome Long Hall of the library.
Department of the Taoiseach, the Irish Prime Minister.Any questions about the trip?
Have you started classes, and what are you taking?
ReplyDeletealso, I had an irish carbomb the other night in your honor.
I've yet to have this drink, and probably won't until I get back. I've mentioned it to an Irish roommate and he seemed upset about some 'waste of Guinness'.
ReplyDeleteI started classes today and I'll give a post about classes after the week is over.
When will we see pictures of your flat and your classrooms and hear about how much you are studying? Mothers need to ask these kinds of questions.
ReplyDeletexoxox
mom
This is your grandmother who finally is back on line. The tour of the Guinness whatever is fun and you are given tickets for a free drink of the beer. Since you don't drink you can give it to a homeless person.
ReplyDeleteMother - These things will be coming sooner or later. Rest assured that I will be studying many things, including my college subjects. and my college pubs.
ReplyDeleteAlthough we weren't able to make it out to the Guinness factory this time around, we plan to go back. I've heard the view from the top is simple amazing. Because the Guinness warehouse is a jaw-dropping seven stories high, you get a view like no other.
And free drinks are always accepted :)
Nice pics. The Dublin Jail (Gaol sp?) is worth checking out. Be glad you're a safe distance across the pond. Your sister has swine flu, or something vaguely similar. She's hoping you'll be able to make it back for her funeral.
ReplyDeleteSchedule the funeral for January then. You might want to consider a closed casket.
ReplyDeleteIf you worried about me half as much as mom does, you might have a chance of the honor of being the favorite brother.
ReplyDeleteGreat pics Josh - (let's get off the funeral/Irish wake topic). Are you going to kiss the Blarney stone or is that just a lot of "blarney?" I want to hear about the classes, too. May the road rise up to meet you...God bless! Vicki
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