PapaMarshall

Day 11 – 9/5 – Around Dublin Day 2

Today we were totally free until the fairwell dinner so we decided to take a civilized approach to the day.  Later than normal breakfast, leisurly preparation, take life at a slower pace.

Eventually we headed out the door and caught a bus to the oldest part of town.  Thus far we have learned lots about the Irish, but very little about the Vikings that were so prominent in the early part of recorded history. To fill in the cracks and encounter these early settlers

we headed for Dublinia, an excellent private museum that traced the development of the city from Viking times onward.

While Vikings were raiding and trading in Ireland much earlier, they established a permanent settlement in this area around 840.

the image is a detail of an adornment of a pail in a woman’s Irish grave from the 10th century.

The museum was well-curated and informative. We spent longer than we had intended there.

Part of the museum is a medieval tower – which needed climbing.  It offered views of significant sites around the city.

In the distance in the very center of the picture you can see the rooftop bar at the Guinness brewery.

Following the museum we crossed the sky bridge (modeled after the Bridge of Sighs in Venice)

to the Christ Church Cathedral – the oldest continually occupied building in the city. The current structure was built in the 12th and 13th centuries. It replaced a stave church built by the Viking king in 1030.

It’s a nice cathedral.

If it looks like the top of the all on the left is leaning outward, it is. Been that way since the roof collapsed in the 1870’s.

Of particular interest are the floor mosaics that feature the “foxy friars”

The Foxy Friars are foxes dressed as pilgrims with hats, packs, and walking sticks.

The motive, symbol of the church is carried to the seats as well.

Of particular interest in this cathedral is the crypt.

While not really creepy it is interesting.  It houses the gift shop, a few grave markers and the treasury (generally made up of silver and gold service items).

The William III set was given by the king in honor of his successful battle to take the British throne in 1690.

One other display in the crypt was the mummified cat and rat.

During the 1860’s, while doing some maintenance on the organ this cat and rat were discovered in one of the pipes. James Joyce actually referred to them at one point in Finnegan’s Wake.

Then it was time for lunch.

We’ve had so much Irish food – particularly good Irish beef and potatoes that we decided we needed a break.  So we found us a diner.

And ordered up burgers and fries.

Good times!

Then it was back on the bus and back to the hotel

With a brief stop at the General Post Office to mail cards to the grandsons

To nap, read, rest, and get ready for the fairwell dinner this evening.

We were serenaded by a pair of musicians

Said good by to our tour guide Alan

And retired.

Tomorrow we pack up and head to London.

Wish us luck.

R

 

5 Comments

  2. Che – I couldn’t find the way out of the crypt! Every door I found was a fire escape door with an alarm! I finally called Randy on the cell phone and he directed me back to the entrance where he met up with me – spooky place. – The musicians also talked about the “sliding drum” (the bodrean, you can tighten the drum head by running your fingers up the back as your playing-apparently it is the most feared instrument of start up groups if you get an inexperienced player) and the “eullian pipes” which are a smaller and lower pitched bagpipe (suitable for dances rather than the Scottish bagpipes which are made for outside marches), and which are made up of 2 bags (one that is attached to your waist and straps to your right elbow that you cause to suck in air by lifting your arm slightly) and the second bag attached to your left arm which the arm squeezes to force the air out into the pipes. Thus your mouth is free for singing.

    2. Nana got stuck in a crypt!!! The boys are suitably horrified. This is very funny Mom. Horrifying, but funny. Good thing you had cell service!!!

Comments are closed.