Dublin trip

BlogPostSun20Sep09
At home in Kinsale – 14.15 pm
Pleasant trip home via taxi from Sherbourne Hotel to Dublin airport – thence to Cork airport and finally bus to Kinsale and a short walk up the hill to my flat. I had thought of doing a bus to the Dublin airport but got eager so just hopped into a cab.
In Dublin Kathy and I did try to do everything! Had great meals out – Kathy did a lot more exploring than I since I had been there before, but I did walk over to Trinity College and around and about – shopped in Celtic Notebook shop for some Irish DVD’s and a tin whistle and instructions. I never really learned to play the bodhran (drum) I bought ten years ago, but maybe someday I will. Now I can switch back and forth between the tin whistle and the bodhran!
I spent a lot of time yesterday in the National Museum of Archeology and History just a short block from our hotel. The Celtic artifacts truly interested me – The most fascinating are the two sheela-na-gigs (female figures in stone removed from castle walls). I had been introduced to the concept when Margie and I traveled to a castle with one still in the wall. There were also fascinating exhibits of clothing removed from bogs that is almost totally intact – the lack of oxygen in the bogs allowed this to happen. All of the Celtic display held me spellbound for a long time. How I’d love to work with some archeologists who are still finding artifacts.
On Thursday we did Dublin with an around- the-city hop-on, hop-off bus tour that was perfect to get oriented. St. Patrick’s cathedral was a great stop the second time around the city. We visited Newgrange and Tara on Friday – again absolutely fascinating to be in or on the sites! Kathy went on a Wicklow Mountains all-day tour yesterday while I “did” Dublin. The National Gallery of Art is having an exhibition of Munch prints that I quickly visited and then back to the Museum.
Each night we ate at different restaurants – all of which were superb – and expensive. But, after all, we only go around once – so far as we know! The Hotel Shelbourne was a perfect spot to be. Not only is it 5-star and lives up to it – but it is on the edge of St. Stephens Green – an absolutely lovely green space – perfect for walking in the fresh, clean air. Also surrounding the green were art works – mostly paintings on Saturday – seemed like a couple miles of paintings mounted on the fence all around the green.
So, for now, that’s enough – maybe more than enough. I’ll get back to it tomorrow after yoga.