Or in English, goodbye. Adieu to the deliciously creamy Greek yogurt (normally I hate the paste like stuff!) and granola for breakfast and the Butlers Crunchy Caramel bars, which I should have bought 10 or 100 of. So long to the bus rides, the camaraderie of our group and the incredible Irish countryside and picturesque buildings. As James Joyce wrote, “They lived and loved and laughed and left.”
But first, we had to do justice to Dublin with its quirky bar names.
By this stage of the tour, I was fine simply taking a photo of the outside of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral (now Anglican, not Catholic) without going inside.
It was the same with Christ Church which I originally wanted to explore in more detail. Eventually though, we run out of gas for sightseeing and I was there!
Apparently, our president will be stopping by Dublin on the 12th, so the Garda (police) was out in force. Our local guide wasn’t restrained about mentioning the general opinion of him in Ireland and one of our new friends on the tour whispered his own pithy criticisms to me. I responded, “No North American politics…but I agree with you!”
There was even motorcycle Garda!
Our Trinity College visit was crowded, and I spent much of the time hunting down a bathroom. (don’t ask–another side-effect of travel) Ahead of our group is the Campanile (bell tower) of Trinity, but we were headed to the Book of Kells experience. What a fantastically illustrated and preserved document! I was lost in admiration while trying to not to get seasick watching the surround video of their history. I am not exaggerating about my nausea! When they transported them over the turbulent ocean, I nearly lost it.
I wasn’t intending to buy a sweatshirt (or a tee-shirt) but, just like my decision about which car to buy, I loved the color. 🙂
The Long Room of the Old Library was my favorite place at Trinity College; it was stunning. Again, I don’t need to know all the details to be struck by the beauty and history of these sites. My history teacher father would be a little ashamed of me were he still alive.
The famous Temple Bar was where I spotted the very fitting James Joyce quote.
It hasn’t escaped my notice that I’m posting on September 11th, which is a momentous date in our own history. It’s unbelievable that it’s been 25 years. I have nothing new or wise to say about the event. When I listen to the many phone calls from airplanes and the twin towers though, it’s clear that at the end, people were desperate to tell others how much they loved them and how much they would miss them. It reminds me not to wait to say those words.
My younger two grandsons lost their grandfather yesterday. He was in his mid-70s and had suffered from multiple myeloma for several years. Since he lived in the same house as their father, they saw a lot of him and will miss his presence. I doubt that Anders will understand except that he’ll probably ask, “Where’s Grandpa?” Anders’ latest passion is this stethoscope with which he actually listens to my heart and my lungs. He’s so smart!
And my littlest charmer is such a happy baby. Just being around him makes me smile, even when I don’t feel much like it.
“If we learn nothing else from this tragedy, we learn that life is short and there is no time for hate.” -Sandy Dahl, wife of Flight 93 pilot Jason Dahl
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