Dublin’s been fun, the weather’s better here so it’s much nicer to walk around than elsewhere! (Belfast was fine too it seemed)
I’ve gotten to the Trinity College and National Museum of Ireland, both of which are really worthwhile – albeit the Book of Kells exhibit at Trinity is a bit pricey, seeing the old library (and the books themselves) was worthwhile. The National museum has lots of great antiquities covering all periods of Irish history – with some things from as far back as 7000 BC.
I visited the Guinness storehouse and the Old Jameson distillery – the Guinness storehouse is very worthwhile and really well done – it’s a huge exhibit and it’s clear they’ve put a ton of money in to it. The Jameson tour wasn’t as good – and it cost more!
I ran in to a friend Hugo from Montreal at the Guinness storehouse – we knew we were both in Dublin but communicating was a bit tricky, fun to run in to him there! We did the Jameson tour after and met a local friend of his afterwards.
I made it to Kilmainham Hospitol where the Irish Museum of Modern Art is – and that was pretty interesting, unfortunately I didn’t make it to Kilmainham Gaol before it closed – I really wanted to see it, but it closed at 4:30, earlier than I thought I had read. It’s an old prison, where people from the 1916 rebellion were kept and some executed. Lots of neat architecture, and it’s a Panopticon, which I’ve wanted to see for a while. That’s a design such that the guards can overseen every part of the prison, and all of the inmates without them knowing they are being observed.
So, now I’ll be heading home tomorrow – my flight leaves at 9:10 and I should be back in Seattle just after 6PM.
I haven’t uploaded pictures in a while – hopefully I’ll get some uploaded tonight, but it may not be until I’m back until they’re all uploaded.
It’s been a good trip! I’m looking forward to visiting again in summer or spring some time, especially to see more of Scotland’s highlands.
