Nerdfest 2011

I am really glad that I decided to end my trip with Dublin. While it is a big city, and you know how I feel about those, it has a different feel than the big cities that I have visited here so far. It has been an enjoyable few days to end my trip with.
I think that it helps to be staying outside of Dublin. My B&B is actually in the smaller town of Dun Laoghaire (dun LEERY). This is nice because I don't have to drive through all the traffic in Dublin. Dun Laoghaire is also a nice little place. It has a more modern feel than some of the small towns I have been in, so it lacks a little bit of the charm, but it is very bright and clean. There was even a very nice fireworks display tonight over the harbor. It is a nice town to walk around in, and it is just a quick train ride to Dublin.
I have done what is probably the most tourist-like thing of my whole trip, not that everything else has been non-touristy, but this is just extra touristy. I have been using the hop-on hop-off sight seeing bus service in town. I have found myself crammed on to a bus filled with strangers, listening to a pre-recorded description of the buildings that we drive by. I know. I feel as if I have sold out on my "experience the country like a local" goal. But, I found myself here on day 19 of my twenty day trip and my feet just couldn't take it any more. I have the biggest blister of my life on one foot and another starting on the other foot. I need the bus. You don't know what it's like here, man. It was also fairly rainy today, and we have already talked about rain.

So, where has the sell-out bus taken me? Good question. There are a lot of places to visit in Dublin, which is nice. I visited the Kilmainham Gaol (jail). This place was in operation for some of the most important events in Irish history. People were brought here during the famine, some who were arrested for being homeless, a crime then, and others who committed crimes in front of police just so they could be in a place where they were guaranteed one meal a day. The gaol also housed many of the leaders of the early rebellion against the British. We saw the place in the yard where many of them were executed, including one man who was so injured that he had to be tied to a chair for his execution.

I also visited the Dublin zoo. It might seem odd that I would spend my time this way. A zoo is a zoo really. I like to see how other countries go about their zoological enterprises. And, this is the second oldest zoo in Europe, which is pretty cool.

Dublin has provided me the chance to unleash my inner nerd, and he is loving it. I started with the National Museum of Archeaology. The museum, which is free for all visitors, like the Smithsonian, had sections devoted to prehistoric Ireland, Vikings, some wonderfully preserved ancinet people,medieval Ireland and even small sections of Roman and Egyptian artifacts that were on loan. The highlight was a section called the treasury. It was filled with some amazing pieces that spanned the history of the Island. I, again, have found myself underestimating ancient people and their skills. I assumed that most of the jewelry from prehistoric man would be shiny rocks, but there were some gold pieces that were so intricate that it looked like they were made yesterday. Sorry again ancient man. Of course, there were also some pretty impressive pieces as well. I found myself wandering through these treasures muttering to myself that, "this belongs in a museum.". Luckily, they all were. If you don't get that reference, then stop reading now and go wath Indiana Jones. I will understand.

My nerd continued to thrive when I went to a museum dedicated to books. They call it the Chester Beatty Library, after the man who collected all of the books, but it is definitely more museum than library. They had books from all stages of history and from around the world. There were scrolls from China that stretched across an entire room, and books carved into jade tablets. There was a whole section of ancient religious texts, from the world's top religions. This place was really cool.

To continue my book fest, I stood in line for thirty minutes to spend 5 minutes to look at an illuminated text from the middle ages. This book was hidden away from raiding Vikings for centuries and now survives in the safety of Trinity College. This beautifully decorated text was created during a time when most of Europe was just trying to stay alive, and couldn't be bothered by things like reading and writing. Part of the tour here also included a trip through the college's old library. This might have been the coolest room that I have ever been in in my life. There were shelves and shelves filled with old books from the floor to the thirty foot ceiling. Think Harry Potter without the flying books. I think they actually have those here, but they have to put them away during tours.

I also had the chance to see a beautiful play about the role that language plays in determining who we are. The play raised some very difficult questions about how we name things, including ourselves, and how these names can change us, or trap us. It was very thought provoking, and it was set in a barn in pre-famine Ireland. It really made me miss doing and seeing really good, well-funded theatre. As the National theatre, it was obvious that there was plenty of support here.

I have very few pictures for most of these specific events, because I, unlike many other people I have been touring with, having the overriding obligation to follow the no photography rules. You will see some pictures from the gaol, the zoo and some random shots from the bus. I am also including a picture of the mighty chariot that has taken me on my journey.

To close up my tour of Irish drinks, I decided to finish where I started, with a Guinness. While I am still not completely sold on it, or any of the other drinks that I have tried, I think that I am better able to appreciate some of them. We'll see.

I am off to try to figure out how to pack all my stuff for the journey home. I feel like a Viking loading up his plunder. Except, I had to pay for all of this plunder. And, if there is too much plunder, I will have to pay extra to get it home. I might be the worst Viking ever. Or, at least the most courteous.

I am putting together some closing thoughts on my trip, but I think that I will wait until I am actually on the way home. Feel free to start holding your breath now