Ireland, Day 2: Dublin to Killarney

Monday morning, we left Dublin and headed to Tipperary.

where we saw the Rock of Cashel:

and a very random, happy statue....

Then we headed to Blarney, where everything seemed to be in bloom

(very professional 19th century vandalism, don't you think?)

I want this view from my bedroom.... :D

Then we finished the day in the little town of Killarney.

Killarney National Park, about a five minute walk from where we were staying, was absolutely beautiful:

Ireland, Day 1: In Dublin's fair city...

Last Friday marked the beginning of a two-week spring vacation (yay for another free week ahead!), the first half of which I spent in the beautiful Republic of Ireland.  On Saturday we packed up and headed to Dublin, where we arrived after taking a bus, a train, another bus, an airplane, and then yet another bus.  Bleh.  It was fun, though. :)

Anyway, Sunday morning we got up not very early... the time change kind of messed that up... and went to explore the city.  After a stroll around and some lunch....

 
we went to a nice little park outside St Patrick's Cathedral.

In case you can't read that, it says: "Near here is the reputed site of the well where St Patrick baptised many of the local inhabitants in the fifth century A.D."

After that, we attended the Choral Evensong service in St Patrick's.  As enjoyable as it was, we kind of had an ulterior motive in going... tourist admission was like 4 euro, while actual services are obviously free.  The lady handing out bulletins looked a little suspicious when we said we wanted to go to the service, which was very sparsely attended, and then mostly by elderly people.  We dutifully stayed for the whole thing, even when they started to sing part of Handel's Messiah (which looks deceptively short on paper).  I surreptitiously snapped a picture before we left...

Then we rushed over to Christ Church Cathedral, which was founded by the Vikings (believe it or not). 

Yeah, I can't read it either.  It does say "1562" down in the right corner, though. :D

The floors are quite pretty:

There were some interesting sculptures down in the crypt.

and beautiful windows in the baptistry.

(St George slaying the dragon)

(St Patrick banishing the snakes from Ireland)

After dinner at McDonalds (hehe), where I got this amazing Cadbury caramel egg ice cream:

we finished our day at a local hotel restaurant where they had a free traditional Irish music and dance show.

Well, that was my day in Dublin. :)  I was sad I missed the Viking and Leprechaun museums, but there's only so much you can do in one day.

Get excited for Day 2...

"...the gothic greatness of its features, and its mouldering walls of dark grey stone, rendered it a gloomy and sublime object." - Ann Radcliffe

Two weekends ago we went to see the castle here in St Andrews.  Apparently you can get in free if you're wearing your academic gown...



but of course we don't have those. (I guess we could have rented them for £10... but admission was only five fifty...)

Anyway...

It was a beautiful day:

and it was a rainy day...

Sun + rain =

can you see it? :)

We also saw some cool underground things.

Like a bottle dungeon:

They had to lower prisoners in with a rope.  Part of me wants to live in there for a week just for the experience...

Anyway.

We also saw the mines and counter-mines that were dug during a siege on the castle.  Enter at your own risk....

"... as she surveyed through the twilight its desolation—its lofty walls, overtopt with briony, moss and nightshade, and the embattled towers that rose above,—long-suffering and murder came to her thoughts." - Ann Radcliffe (The Mysteries of Udolpho)