Aggie World Traveler
Changes in Latitude

So, here's my post of pics from Dublin and Wicklow. Some artsy stuff with some regular stuff.

First, Dublin-Walking down the street, a pic of a door knocker (Friday)


This is, of course one of Ireland's great assets. Too bad they have to pasteurize it before it gets to the US. I'm convinced that is why it tastes sooooo awful at home, but so marvelous in Ireland. (Friday)


And, to make up for a picture of beer, here's an exterior of St. Patricks Cathederal. It's Anglican. I thought you had to be Catholic to have a cathederal, but apparently I was wrong.



Here's a flower at St. Stephens Green park in Dublin (Friday)


Allright the rest of the Dublin pics are from Sunday. Let me introduce this one by saying that there are loads of tanning beds in Ireland. And, I suppose that if there is such a large tanning bed business, there's probably a large fake-tanning business too. And what better way to target all parts of a market. This is a window display for people who have opted for cheap fake tanning, and want to see how their clothes will look on their orange skin. (this was taken Sunday morning around 11:15, just after my trip to the Jameson Irish Whiskey distillery)


And did I mention that I am now an 'Official Jamesons Irish Whiskey Taste Tester' I don't think this was the best idea on Easter Sunday morning. Around 10:15a.m.



Right, so I did manage to have a little too much at the distillery, but this sign still confused me. It must be french, right? C'mon.. Le Mon?? What is that?


Then, I stepped back, and felt like an idiot. Lemon. Duh.

So, after another pint of Guinness to recover from the shock of LeMon Jelly, I thought that I should take some B&W's. Here's one.


This is a display in Christs Church Cathedral in Dublin, called 'The Cat and the Rat.' Pipe Organs will never sound the same.

Sorry the pic is blurry. There was very little light. It wasn't the beer 'cause I had sobered up by this time.


Allright, and here's the exterior of the church. To make up for all my mentions of whiskey and beer.

While walking around, I explored the campus of Trinity College, which has the MOST AMAZING library of old books I have ever seen. This is the picture of a slab I felt like taking a pic of.


Here's a pic of the library. This is the Old Library building, more than 200,000 volumes. I also got to see the 'Book of Kells' which was written in the 10th century. It is an illuminated copy of the 4 gospels. Wow. That's old. Buildings don't survive as long as that book has. No pic of it, though. Not enough light. :(

(P.S. This picture is of a poster (obviously) so even though I took it... I'm not sure what the copyright laws are.)


Dublin Castle, I think the plant in the foreground is a "tulip tree"... but don't quote me.

Another shot of Dublin castle, the part that isn't blue and yellow.


Why on earth would you want a blue castle? It's just ugly.




Just a cool shot.

Aah, now we come to the day tour on Saturday. On our way south along Irelands East coast. Here is a place where James Joyce stayed when down in Dublin, visiting friends, and where the first couple chapters of Ulysses was written. I saw people getting ready to scuba dive in the area. I didn't know what they were going to dive for, but if people dive in Lake Travis, then diving is possible anywhere.

St. Kevins Church and tower, in Glendeloch, "valley of 2 lakes". It's old--13th century old. What else can I say?

Somewhere near St. Kevins Church

This shot doesn't really convey the atmosphere, but I very much understood why the Irish believe in fairies and leprechauns who kidnapped people. It was eerie.

And, here's a shot of some random tourist, standing in front of some amazing scenery. It's all private land, owned by someone in the Guinness Family. It's called Guinness Lake, 'cause it looks like Guinness

And, adjacent to the lake, this is the valley where Braveheart was filmed. The little river and 2 trees by themselves is the location where the village was. I haven't seen the flick, so I can't really tell.