A long day of adventure

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Wow, what a long day - we got a great night sleep and awoke bright and early with the sun coming in.

Up and out and walked into the city, maybe 20 mins, via St Stephens Green, which was an interesting historic site for the "Easter Rising" of 1922. We had see a documentary about the Rising so it made more sense to walk around the city sites. We found Trinity College and had a really wonderful tour from a PhD candidate in philosophy from Ely, UK. David and he had much to chat about (school sports teams, strange robes needing to be worn for special dinners and exams, etc). Then the library and Book of Kells. We saw a small Celtic Harp that was hundreds of years old. Evidently English suppression of Irish nationalism tried to burn all the harps and hang or cut off the thumbs of al Celtic harpists. Harsh!

We stopped for coffee/tea & scones late morning - an adventure AND delicious experience. Walked bit further to the Dublin Castle, where official affairs of state (like the president hosting visiting bigwigs and such) take place. No one lives there anymore. Bought our passes for things we will see other days. Wandered around a bit and then came back towards the digs to St. Patricks for a tour of the cathedral, and then sat some more to wait to evensong, with the angelic little boys - all the way down to 8!!!! Heavenly, except that they were all so somber (mostly the adults) and that helps give Christianity a bad name.

Then back towards town to find another great meal and we thought we might end up back at the Hairy Lemon again (which we didn't think we could live down in Mike Hackett's eyes), but found another place (4 stars on yelp) crowded with people - good idea. So this time I got a lamb shank, yum, John bangers and mash, Robin Irish stew, and, embarrassing to say, David repeated his bangers and mash - says he's going to compare them everywhere!!

Our feet and knees ache from being out and about all day, but we were blessed with only a few misty drops all day.

Off to Waterford via Powerscourt Gardens and Glendalough medieval ruins, and possibly an (believe this) Amish settlement on the coast that a new friend said was amazing.

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