Ireland Blog 3

Ireland, Blog 3

Three adventurous days have passed—no time to write blogs.

We spent a second day in Dublin starting out at the National Museum of Archaeology and History. Dan and I have been to 40 billion history and archaeology museums, but we particularly loved this one and not only because it was free!

The Romans never invaded Ireland (probably the only known country at the time to be exempt). Also because they were isolated by their island status, Ireland developed a culture unlike mainland Europe with only Celtic and Viking influences until the Normans arrived in the twelfth century. Highlights of the museum included an extremely long hollowed out boat, magnificent pieces of golden jewelry, and 4 bodies preserved by the bog because it has no bacteria and no oxygen and, therefore, wood, cloth, and humans will survive in it. One of the best parts of the museum was a guard, Fergal, who became our personal guide. He took us through the Irish treasury telling us stories and explaining details we’d never have known on our own. At the same time, he was hysterically funny. I thought I might be kicked out of the museum for laughing so loudly. I don’t have the words to convey his humor, but I’ll try. A dignitary was visiting from another country.

The dignitary’s bodyguard was glaring at Fergal with disdain. Fergal thought, “I can beat this man at a staring contest.” Then the man opened his coat to show that he had a gun. Fergal grabbed his own balls to show hat he had bigger “guns.” At that point Fergal indicated to the bodyguard that his dignitary had left the room. As the bodyguard began to panic and run, Fergal took a shortcut to the room where he knew the dignitary would be. As the bodyguard tore around the corner, Fergal was calmly standing there looking at his watch and shaking his head. OK—so you had to be there to hear Fergal in person!

After a pub lunch, we walked through a famous park—so famous I can’t remember its name, but it was lovely with flowers, trees, swans, artists, and a large protest parade.

Our final tourist stop was a private library (free), which probably has one of the best collections of religious manuscripts in the world including the very earliest gospels and fragments of Deuteronomy. All major—and not so major religions were represented, and the artwork was magnificent.

We ended up at a well-known tea shop—Queen of Tarts for an afternoon sweet. Dan was the only non “queen” in the restaurant.

It was the Castro area of Dublin where a gay/lesbian parade had just disbanded. As a heterosexual couple, we had to be approved to eat there.

The weather has been gorgeous—high 60’s, low 70’s virtually no rain. More interesting stuff when I get to the countryside.