Dublin

First stop in my United Kingdom adventure is Dublin, Ireland

Day 1: 

From the airport to the hotel we rode in this 9 passenger van taxi. What a treat.

This is a little blurry because I took it through the window on the cab ride, but how stereotypical...

 

After we got settled in at the hotel we went on a walking tour of Dublin.

Dublin is FULL of bridges that go across the River Liffey separating the north and south of the city.

 Our hotel is on the north side of the river so I get to cross bridges multiple times everyday since basically every tourist attraction is on the south side.

The streets are mostly made of brick & cobblestones. Just like all of the rumors you hear.

All of the doors on houses are bright colors. It's really fun. Probably my favorite thing about the city so far.

Yes, I've been inside Ireland's oldest pub.

This one is for my dad. We saw an organ from the 19th century. They still play it every Sunday. Look at those ornate pipes. Maybe the tabernacle could do a little pipe decorating.

This is a lucky stone from the 5th century. I rubbed it for some good luck. The tour guide suggested it in her cute Irish accent so I couldn't resist.

I visited the place where the music hall stood that Handel's Messiah was first performed in. I was outraged that they tore down the music hall and replaced it with a hotel.

Here is a typical Dublin alleyway. They are all over the place. Sometimes cars speed out of them unexpectedly.

My first official Irish meal. Hilary & I had a difficult time deciding, but Half Moon won over the man dressed up as a viking trying to lure us in for fish & chips next door.

Spinach & Cheese in a crepe. Super unique, also super delicious.

 Day Two:

This is Trinity College, we got such a good tour of this place. Photography was prohibited on the tour, but I snuck the following video.

Also, at Trinity College the Book of Kells and other ancient manuscripts are housed.
I had no idea what they were or why everyone was so excited about them, until I saw them.

Pictures were prohibited in the museum, but the displays were so awesome.

There was super lavishly decorated copies of the New Testament written by scribes in a monastery off the coast of Scotland in the 7th-13th centuries.

Seriously, it must have taken those monks YEARS to deck those pages out the way they did. 

I was very impressed.

Then we were off to the National Museum.

Featuring lots of archaeology.

The dead people were pretty interesting. This one was a viking.

I'd never seen a real mummy before. Yeah, there is a body preserved in there.

Then we headed to the Moore Street Market. LOTS of fresh fruits & vegetables. Nothing too exotic though.

Hilary & I spat in the River Liffey. All the cool Irish tourists do it... at least they will start to once they found out we did.

A group of us walked to the edge of the island to the port and found a cool statue.

Why are we all looking behind us you ask? Oh that would be because one of the cars was stopped and asked if we would come take a picture with him, but then we hesitated a moment too long and he drove away. Too bad because I really want to make some local friends. I need them to help me practice my accent.

This is another adorable house, one which I would not mind living in someday.

One of our assignments was to check out St. Stephen's Green, it was beautiful. And sunny for once.

I loved watching all of the little kids chasing the birds as some old man was trying to feed them.

Hilary & I had pizza night, BBQ Chicken.

Day 3:
Woke up this morning and headed to St. Patrick's Cathedral first thing.

It was really beautiful. The oldest church in Ireland, I believe.

Named after St. Patrick who was a bomb missionary. I think he'll be my inspiration for the next 18 months.

This is the view when crossing the bridge on O'Connell street. Gorgeous, I know.

 We went for another expedition in the city on our way home from the cathedral.
Some random man from England stopped us and talked about his passion for football (soccer) for a little while. He was fabulous. Then we were also approached by an Italian man. Europeans are so friendly. I really love meeting them.

For the afternoon we ventured to Glasnevin Cemetery and got a tour. I have never seen so many graves in my life. The tour guide said there are 1.3 million people in Dublin and 1.5 million buried in the 162 acre cemetery.

Apparently it's lucky to give Daniel O'Connell's coffin a rub. He's a way famous revolutionist in Ireland and they have a REAL big memorial dedicated to him.

Look how all the graves in the old part of the cemetery are tilted and falling. Way ghetto. Too bad for those folk.

Here are Michael & Hilary practicing their grave robbing skills. I learned that this was all the rage back in the day. Those dead bodies were worth big bucks.

This place looked promising for dinner... who doesn't love a Chinese buffet?

Gross. I would hardly call this Chinese food. Good thing I was STARVING so I ate it anyways. 

Day 4:

A group of us went to church in Dublin this morning. It was so great to hear them sing the hymns in their Irish accents. Oh and the sacrament prayers were just fabulous. I love church, even in Ireland.

After church we packed our bags and headed out of the city, from Dublin to Waterford!
More to come about country life soon.