The Book of Kells

Today was a much needed day to relax. Mary and I went to mass this morning on campus, and I have really grown to love both the service itself and the priest. A woman plays the harp and another sings, and its really a beautiful combination. We left in good spirits ready for the day.

After a laid back lunch, Tara, Mary and I headed into the city center. We went to Bewleys, a well known cafe on Grafton Street that neither of us had tried. We arrived with the intention of tea, but after experiencing the brief sun, decided on lemonade instead. I had a delicious chocolate cupcake and we sat, reminiscing mostly about how quickly the time has passed.




After our "tea break" we went our separate ways and I went to Trinity College to see the Book of Kells. A must see in Dublin, I could not leave without saying I had done so as well. The book was written over a thousand years ago and is an illuminated manuscript of the four Gospels in Latin. Very beautifully decorated, one page per day is displayed for visitors to admire. Photographs were not allowed, but here is an example.



Part of the tour includes the Old Library of Trinity, the Long room. Holding the largest collection of manuscripts and printed books in Ireland, the room looked much like a scene out of the Beauty and the Beast and was neat to look through the different displays.

I let my guard down with the beautiful weather we have been experiencing and forgot my umbrella for the one day it decides to rain. After waiting at the bus stop, I was quickly soaked and glad to see the bus. I overheard one of the greatest conversations on the way home. A little boy, not much older than three, looked out the window while at a red light and saw a pub on the corner. With the most innocent eyes, he looks to his dad and exclaims, "Dad, I want a pint when I'm a big man!" Both his parents looked at each other, completely surprised and laughed hysterically. I of course did the same. He repeated this new found goal of his to which his dad answered, "do you want a pint of Guinness?" Of course he did and he was excited to tell everyone that would listen. I was only a couple seats back and could not hold in my laughter as I thought, only in Ireland would I overhear something so adorable.