Ireland: Continued Roaming Dublin

Continuing Tuesday: Dublin! We were asked to keep to groups, but let free to do our own thing.
Anna, Shelby, and I explored. There was a garden I'd researched online before coming on the trip that I really wanted to go and see, called the Garden of Remembrance. It's a little spot in Dublin that's got some reflection pools and a giant statue dedicated to those who fell in the Easter Uprising, and for Ireland's freedom in general. The statue is of the Children of Lir, an Irish legend about royal siblings who were turned into swans by their witch of a stepmother. Long story short, they were cursed to wander across lakes/lochs of Ireland for 900 years, although they kept their human speech. They retold their tale and the tales of Ireland across the centuries, and at the end, most versions say they were turned back into humans by a marriage between a North woman and a South man? It's been a few months since I read like three versions of the tale. Point being, they landed in a Christian monastery at the end of 900 years and were blessed/baptized by a monk, then turned to dust. During the whole time, the older sister Fionnuala helped care for and protect her younger brothers.
They represent a looot of Irish heritage and pride. I mean, the national bird is a swan. So yes.
It took a bit of planning to find, and we had to ask for some help with directions, but thankfully people in Ireland are fantastic and generally friendly and helpful, including bus drivers. :D

The mosaics in the reflection pools were pretty great too, obviously. We had a peaceful and beautiful lunch there, it was great. Everything written was both in both Gaelic and English, too; it was nice~ (the plaque also had a French translation to the side)
There was a writers' museum right next door, but we didn't really have the time to explore, since we'd already spent time there for a while just hanging out. It seemed a somewhat popular place to do that. It wasn't overflowing or anything, but it was never empty. And people generally seemed pretty chill. It was fantastic~

You can almost see the Irish flag behind the statue there with Sashah~

... Never really did find out what this was about. It was just there one day, we'd passed by the place before and it wasn't. It's near a bank, so maaybe some sort of publicity stunt? I don't know, we didn't really get answers when we asked. :/
Anyway, then Shelby and I met the Jonses at St Michan's Church, Dublin's oldest north side parish. They've got some catacombs that you can go down into, and see some naturally preserved mummies! Seriously, the conditions down there are great for it: limestone, cool, I think some methane... or some sort of gas that helps. I can't remember exactly. Kristen and Shelby were so very excited~ And our guide was great. XD Fantastic place. No pictures allowed down there, but I got some in the church itself. Small, pretty~

Then Shelby & I went to the Museum of Natural History. Got to look around, learn about the past, see some bog bodies...
Yup. Apparently peat bogs are great places to dump bodies, no matter what era you live in. And they preserve! I mean, the skin, sometimes hair... occasionally fingerprints even. :0 But they had cool exhibits that gave details about the life the individual probably led, and even possibly the reason for their death. (physical and sometimes political)

I mean look at that! Wow.
And literally right next door to the Museum is the Library. And I couldn't go to Ireland and not go to the library, right? I mean, sure I'd been in Trinity's library, but still!
Gorgeous. There was an exhibit going on but I only had a short time since Anna was waiting on me. (literally I just asked if I could pop in and look around X3) Also had a pleasant conversation with a man in the coat/locker closet. (yes it's a room just for your coats and stuff, in lockers even. Fancyyyy~) He'd apparently been to Virginia once or twice on holiday, and said that the Shenandoah Valley area was the closest you could get to Ireland green in the U.S. Which made me pretty happy. <3

Stopped by a chocolate store while wandering some more, seriously hot chocolate and just chocolate overseas is a whole new experience. *sighs contentedly* Aaaand we found a bookstore. :D Shelby, Anna, and I spent the rest of the day there. Three floors! Three whole floors! Of books! It was gorgeous. Hodges Figgis. Love.

Honestly. Tables, bookshelves, floors... And sales! And beautiful books! And... It was amazing. I got like nine books. XD (some were really small so they would fit nicely)
We checked out at the main floor literally as they were closing up. Worth it. I didn't even get to go through all of the floors thoroughly. Agh. <3 </3
But I am very happy with all I did get! And they are wonderful~ X3
Then we went back to the hostel, and while most of everyone else ran off to a rugby game, we chatted and rested, gave each other massages. Great choice, honestly. XD
Thus ended Tuesday!

Ireland: Castles and Food

On to Monday~ In Ireland, that is! We went to The Rock of Cashel, a stronghold that got burned. Well, as much as stone and wood can burn. So uninhabitable, but still standing! And they were doing reconstruction on a portion of it, so that will be pretty epic when it's finished. Of course, it was pretty epic when we saw it! Albeit, it was really quite cold, and the winds were high so that didn't help, but coats are great! As are the large stone walls still standing. It was wet and cold, but still very beautiful~

That last one is a small reconstruction of what the inside would have looked like possibly before the fires~
Then we went to Blarney Castle! Sands, it was gorgeous. There are extensive grounds also kept up around the place, and there are gardens galore, a cave, a little river/creek, I heard there was a waterfall somewhere...

I mean, look at that grass! It's a carpet! Seriously!
We didn't have time to stay for terribly long, unfortunately, but I got to climb around and explore the castle with some friends~ And, of course, kissed the stone~ (not that I need it, apparently. XD)

That's the North Wall, opposite where the stone was located~ One of the more imposing sights.

The people over there are at the stone. You've got to lay down and reach at it upside-down, and it's open beneath. Don't drop anything, it's a long way down! (hence I took my glasses off)

After Blarney, we went to Cork, to a fantastic open market. It was inside a building, but it was like a mini-mall because there were 'stalls', but they had countertops and an amazing array of fresh foods... Ate lunch there, at a pretty good price, as well as dessert! Wanted to buy some cheese, or spices or something, but there was just too much wonderfulness and I didn't really need much of it. *sigh*

Also got gelato for the first time~ (in Ireland, yes) Soooo good! <3
Long, fun trip back. Had free time, and wandered Temple Bar Square again with Anna~ We stopped at this little cafe, and they had 20 different kinds of hot chocolate. D8 I didn't even know that was possible! I just got one, a cup of dark chocolate with hints of orange and cinnamon. I honestly really only tasted the chocolate, but that was fine by me. WOW. Liquid chocolate has new meaning to me now. It was... wow. Probably the best hot chocolate I've ever had. Just... Yeah. Somehow, life in general makes more sense now. XD

We had noodles at this place called Stir Crazy afterwards. Affordable, and great food. Seriously. Loooove. <3

<3 <3 <3 <3
Hence, Monday was spent~

Ireland - Christ Church

Day one, part two! We went from Trinity to Dublin's Archeological Museum, right next to the library~ Both gorgeous places, inside and out, of course! But by that time I was too worn out to really appreciate everything, so I just kind-of sat in the museum for a while, trying not to fall asleep. XD' Then we went back to the hostel and I rested a bit, though didn't fall asleep. Our hostel rooms had awesome multi-colored wall art too. Then, all together, we went to the Church of Christ cathedral, right across the street from our hostel~ That third picture is Kristen, one of our leaders, pointing things out to Shelby and Lucy. I saw the opportunity to get a picture of two of our red-heads at once and had to take it. XD Sashah came along as well, of course. And look! Even the floors are incredibly detailed! :0

Strongbow was one of the most famous Norsemen in Ireland. After looking around there, most of the group went off to see a hurling match. I wasn't up for it, so a few friends who also stayed behind and I walked around Dublin and got some food. Also stopped at an open air art bazaar! Almost got a really cool hat, but I wanted to save my euro for the entire trip, not just the first day. X3' If I knew I could get it home safely, I might have bought some of the art pieces I saw, honestly, but I just didn't know how that would work out. Awesome talent though!

Eventually got to sleep, finally.  And that was the end of day one!
Dublin was great. Even though we were pretty much in the heart of town, and right on the street, of course, I didn't really have problems with sleeping due to noise. In fact, I don't remember much... Of course, some of that may have been how tired I made myself every day. XD
<3

Ireland Adventures - Trinity

Okay, these posts are going to be picture heavy! I won't share everything, and you can look at my Facebook for some more pictures. Here are some more fun ones~

Day one, part one! Well, somewhat; time changes throw ya off a bit. But these pictures are from the interim; riding to the airport, at the airport... First picture is me and Sashah, my Eevee plush! :3 (it was very cold, so layers were necessary. Plus, planes.) Shelby was a fellow red-headed friend along~ Maryn is another friend in the background to the right. Third, we've got Sashah chilling at the airport while we all eat our food. (I don't need to share everyone eating their foods. XD)

 

Then, 6+ hours later, we landed in Ireland! At like 5 in the morning. I was too excited to care. (no I had not slept on the planes.) Of course, as seen in the second picture on our double-decker bus to our hostel, some of the group was just as excited too. XD Then we finally got to our hostel, Kinlay House, the entrance of which is to the right in the third picture. The Church of Christ is in front and center there. Yeah, RIGHT there. :D

       

(the golden ball up there is actually outside of a large bank~ It's got a large courtyard-ish area to just chill by the street. :3)
 Friends had cameras, too! Jessica knows what she's after.

There was a gorgeous mosaic at the mall near where we ate breakfast, too. (Kilkenny's; seriously awesome food. The bread is so thick!!) The mosaic shows a whole bunch of tales from traditional Irish mythology, from the Black and Brown bulls, to Cuchulain and Badb in the form of a crow, and so many more! Love what research can make you aware of~ <3

Lucy was taking time to write in her journal~ Third red-head friend along on the trip! :3
Kilkenny's was upstairs of a nice little shop. There was a lot of awesome art there, including this gorgeous fox! X3

Then we went to Trinity College... Saw the Book of Kells!! Wonderful exhibit, not allowed to take pictures, but still totally worth it. It's a heavily illuminated book of the 4 Gospels. They have different pages of it on display at different times. It was gorgeous, beautiful, and amazing! It was pretty quiet in the exhibit area, although it felt more like a respect thing than an 'early morning' thing (it wasn't even terribly early, I feel like).
And then we went upstairs to the Library's Long Room! It is gorgeous. And that's where they had the "Wild Upon The Waves: Mythology in Children's Literature" exhibit. LOVELY. And so exciting. All kinds of mythology, listings...

It was amazingtastical indeed~ <3 Then walked around Trinity a bit with Maryn.

I will leave this post with that, and continue in the next one! Hope you enjoy it~ <3