Day 13 - Dublin City

 Good morning all.

Writing early on Friday morning (the day after Day 13) Anita is sleeping yet. 

Anita and I spent most of the day in downtown Dublin City yesterday.  Mostly just walking around and we took a sightseeing bus also.  It was one of those double decker, open top ones.  Very good way to get a quick (1.5 hour) overview of the City.  Then decide what you want to see afterward.

It was also good in the sense that Anita and I needed a chance to sit and relax.  We both came down with head cold earlier this week.  Anita started with it Monday and me Tuesday.  It was just an annoyance at first with sneezing and watery eyes. We got some Sudafed and were both taking it.  By Wednesday night it had gone the route that most head colds do and had us both coughing pretty hard.  So we were riding around in a full tour bus and walking around the points of interest sneezing, coughing, snotty - generally being someone you would not want to be around.

So around 2 o'clock we passed a pharmacy and grabbed a 5 pack of COVID-19 tests just to make sure.  We tested ourselves when we go back to the room at 4 and were both negative.  We will do another test tonight to make sure.  We really did not think we developed COVID.  We have all our shots and boosters, but thought it best to check.  We did not want to become the Typhoid Marys of Dublin City.

We got back to the room, both took a long hot shower to soak our heads and crashed for the night. Not the best nights sleep, but I think we are both on the downhill side of it now.  I hope so.  I know I would not want to sit on a plane next me for 8 hours sounding the way I do right now.

So yesterday we did the bus tour full loop.  It was one of those hop on / hop off tours so we stayed on until they got back to Trinity College and visited that for a little while.  Then got back on and went over to Christ Church Cathedral to look around.

Trinity College was interesting - and very busy.  One of their colleges was having graduation so there were bunches of students in caps and gowns along with their families there.  We went to the library to see the famous "Book of Kells" 

The Book of Kells was cool to see.  It is a very intricately written and beautifully illustrated version of the 4 Gospels of the Bible.  It was done by monks in the 800's and is in  excellent condition.  It sits in a glass case in a dark room with minimal lighting.  You are not allowed to take a picture of it.  I do not know why you can't take a non-flash picture of it.  Seems stupid to me.  

These are not our pictures - I pulled these 2 pictures off the internet to give you an idea.

If you really have an interest in the Book of Kells, I found this website to be pretty informative, and there a many others. Book of Kells Info

I think we both enjoyed the long room of the library as much, if not more than, seeing the Book of Kells.  I liked the architecture and construction.  Anita liked all the first edition manuscripts going back a 1000 years.  

After the Trinity College visit we headed over to the Christ Church Cathedral.  

There are several interesting things about this Cathedral.  First, its earliest parts date back to Viking construction in the 12th century.  Pretty old place.  It has been used, partially destroyed and rebuilt several times over the centuries by the various groups: Vikings, pagans, Normans, English, Irish.  (As you have heard me say in other posts about old stone structures) 

One fact I found interesting (and then I will leave you alone with the details of another very old stone structure).  It was actually the Vikings that made the first permanent settlement at Dublin in the 9th century and  put Dublin on the map and mad it a major place of trade.   If you are interested in a quick history of Dublin, look here: Quick History of Dublin

Here is a couple more pictures of our visit.

That was our yesterday.  Day 13.

Today is our last full day in Ireland.  Anita is still asleep.  When she wakes up and gets showered we will see how we are feeling and decide what we are up to doing today.

Have a good day everyone

Anita and Jim