Fourth Day?

Sorry this is a few days delayed. We haven't had internet worth a 5 pence piece.

So, rise and shine. We got up and had breakfast before charging forth into downtown Dublin. In a coach. During rush hour. We were late picking up our locale guide, but is being late really anything new to Dad and me or our family as a whole?

We picked up the guide, Mr. Jerry Cooley, and away we went to see the wonderful wonders that Dublin proper had to offer. I don't know how many times we made the same loop around the middle of the city while it was narrated and we were serenaded by one Mr. Cooley. (Apparently Jerry is a bit of a pub singer/historian/bloody cursing Irishman. (No cursing intended.) In a lavender sweater.

He showed us around the city, and we saw the American embassy, the White House of the (female) Irish president's house, and the cross and park where mass was held once by one of the Popes (over a million people came.). It was big. The cross and the park, I mean.

We concluded our tour by going to see the book of Kells at Trinity University. You can read all about it on Google. Apparently it ( the book) is one of the best preserved manuscripts from the 1st millennium AD. The colors of the ink are still brilliant. There was an exhibit all about it and other similar books. The story of how the book escaped demolition is one of granduer. It changed hands many times. Sadly, that's all I remember. Hmmm...(It must be the music blasting my brain as I write this and the next few posts from the bar next door; it's right over Shelby, Katie, and Gram's room. Sucks for them, does it not?)

After the exhibit, Jerry walked us back to Temple Bar (street with all the pubs and such). We thanked him for his excellent tour and then he left. We had lunch at the Hard Rock, and Shelby (18-the legal drinking age here) had a Bahama Mama. She said it tasted good. We then went on to explore the rest of the city some more. Courtney, her mum, me, and Dad walked over to the shopping district (on other side of the Liffy River). We bought some things at the gift store, but that was it. You will have to wait and see what things.

I finally talked them into crossing back over the Liffy so I could go to the one store I wanted to: Forbidden Planet (Mrs. Mary...I thought of you.). Stuff was really overpriced, so we didn't get anything. But I have pictures so don't worry.

Next we beat feet back to Gogarty's (pub recommended by Jerry himself for having good music) and met up with the others. Mr. Johnson was, as usual, sipping on expensive black coffee. We all stayed around for about 15 minutes listening to the music, and, luckily, it wasn't crowded. The singer was quite good; he sang the common bar song about one Molly Malone. After that we left to get me some good coffee. Once again, we crossed the Liffy, and I was sent to Costa Coffee to get my cappuccino. One problem, Dad didn't give me any money (and hasn't the entire trip except for a few small coins not enough to buy a scone.). I borrowed a fiver from Gram, but Dad paid her back as soon as he arrived. I slowly sipped the hot goodness for twenty minutes. Then we had to leave to meet Lynn to Canadian-German back at the Molly Malone statue. On the other side of the Liffy.

We made it back on time, took some pictures, then boarded the bus. We got back to the Days Hotel (I think it is the European form of Days Inn.) and had dinner. After which we packed up. We were going to be leaving EARLY the next morning for the docks. And so we did (pack and leave).

Oh great. Now they are playing Bohemian Rhapsody in the bar. The wall is rattling. Ugh. Next post. You know, at this point it sucks that Bohemian Rhapsody is ten minutes long. Again - Ugh.