Dublin

Ah, Dublin. I spent two days in the city, wandering around and seeing the sights.
It's a beautiful place, with lots of trees and green grass and flowers. I visited Trinity College, the Book of Kells, and the rest of the city on Halloween.

 I love college campuses. There is a uniformity across the world, with buildings focused on certain topics and large open greens and places for students to sit. They feel familiar, even if you haven't been to it before. It's a safe place, just a center of learning and the occasional bout of silliness.

 Trinity College is one of the oldest colleges in the world. Oscar Wilde studied here, among other notable and famous people. The trees and buildings reflect the age and care that has gone into them over the years.

The library of Trinity College is one of the most famous in the world. It holds some of the oldest books, including the Book of Kells.
The Book of Kells is one of the first complete transcription of the four Gospels, all done by Irish monks. It's one of the few instances of medieval literature to have survived. Miraculously, the colors still remain.

 Look at it. Isn't it amazing?

 The smell here was amazing. Old books smell the best, combined with old and worn wood and metal. The sculptures you see are busts of famous literary figures.

 This is the oldest harp of its kind in the whole world.

 So after Trinity College, I walked along to Dublin Castle, which is has been the seat of power since the last king of Ireland died. It's seen countless dignitaries and rulers walk among these cobblestones.

 These are the remains of the Dublin Abbey.
The interesting thing about Dublin is that there are layers upon layers of ruins here. Viking, Norman, Irish, British. I mean, that's similar to the rest of the British Isles, but here in Dublin they're working hard to excavate the oldest ruins.
There are excellent museums and displays showing what it was like to live in Dublin centuries ago, along with the artifacts scientists have found.
I quite enjoyed Dublin, with it's quirky shops and loud music pouring from everywhere. I also thoroughly loved Ireland. The green hills, stone walls, culture and stories, and stunning vistas are among the best I've experienced.
Next post: Cardiff

Nita