Taylor and I: Random Times Around Dublin

---

Bits that I had Missed

I had blogged about the adventure Taylor and I had taken around the Emerald Isle but I failed to include a few days that we had spent around Dublin. The first few days that Taylor was here were very surreal, it was like having a piece of home here with me. So once I picked Taylors brain on all the happenings of Canada we started to plan our adventures, escapades, and assault on Ireland. Within the first few days I took Taylor to some of my favourite spots around the city, mainly the gorgeous gardens/parks that I adore. We also made a visit to a few places that I had not been yet. First, we walked over to Christ Church Cathedral, which is one of the oldest, if not the oldest, church in Ireland/Dublin. We then went into Dublin Castle and had a wander about. The Dublin Castle is where the crown jewels were stolen from and never seen again. Dublin Castle had some beautiful gardens, maybe I was a horticulturalist in another life, and is also home to the Chester Beatty Library. The Chester Beatty Library isn't really a library in the truest sense of the word more like a museum of beautiful books. The core of the collection is around religious books from around the world, many of them vellum illuminated text (my newest love). There are old and beautiful Q'urans, Buddist fold out books, pieces of some of the oldest Catholic bibles, some of the most beautifully detailed artistic expressions of devotion I have ever seen. I desperately wish that I could take pictures of these pieces of work to put on here but I understand how sensitive these ancient materials are to light so I have to try to keep them locked in my mind. Although, Taylor has recently found an amazing website created by the United Nations called the world library that has some images of ancient texts from around the world. It is a new project and a work in progress but I do hope that it will appease my new found love for these ancient texts. Here is the link to the website if you have a similar interest, http://www.wdl.org/en/#. So after the library and the wander around the castle we made our way back home for the day.

The next 6 days were spent preparing and on our grand adventure, which I have already detailed for you all. I forgot to mention that on our way to our adventure we stopped at the corner store to get some Tim's, hot choco for me and a tea for Taylor. So lets skip ahead to the last week of Taylors visit.

The first few days following our adventure were spent recuperating as we had a highly physical week. But once we did find our sea legs again we went to the museums that I enjoy and a couple of the shops so Taylor could get all touristy. On the last night, my friend Sally (a fellow Canadian) joined Taylor and I for a Pizza dinner at our favourite Italian restaurant then made our way to the Temple Bar so that Taylor could experience an Irish beer in an Irish pub. The temple bar was busy as always and we enjoyed ourselves as we listened to traditional Irish music. We made our way home for the last time. The next morning we got up early and took the bus ride back to the airport where I saw Taylor off.

It was definitely a great adventure, so thanks Taylor for joining me in the Dub's.

---

Photos

Gates to the Court yard
standing under the scales of justice statue

Scales of Justice
View from inside the Dublin Castle Yard..Her back to the city.

Dublin Castle
Over the gate on the left side of the picture is a statue of the lady of justice holding the scales of justice in her hand. The funny thing is that she faces inwards towards the castle with her back to the city and people of dublin. It is said that it reflects the justice that the Irish would receive from the British Gov't.

Sally and I
I am sad because she was leaving to return to Canada a few days after this pic was taken.