Ireland Travel Log Day 9

We got up to the alarm, made our way to breakfast, then got ready for our Hop On Hop Off tour. Essentially, a bus meets as at the hotel at 9, takes us to the start of the bus tour, and at any one of the stops, you can hop off and wander to your hears content. Then when you want to go elsewhere, you just hop on the bus again at one of the designated stops.

Our first stop was Christ Church Cathedral. It is one of the oldest buildings in Ireland at over 500 years old. Our pass let us inside the church and also into the catacombs below. There were statues and tombs all over the place. On a sad note, on of the church's relics, the petrified heart of Archbishop Saint Laurence O'Toole, had been stolen form the church in March. You could see where the thieves had broken through the iron cage to nab it. I guess no where is safe from thieves.

In the catacombs were various relics as well as a video about the cathedral. The best relic was the mummified remains of a cat and mouse that was found in the pipes of the cathedral organ. I guess those hilarious antics from Tom and Jerry finally caught up to them. Also in the catacombs was the cafe and gift shop. I have to admit, I wasn't expecting that. Also the bathrooms were located down here. So yes, now I have peed in a stable and in a catacomb.

After Christ Church was Dublinia! This is an interactive museum dedicated to how the Vikings settled Dublin and the centuries that followed. All in all, a very interesting museum. Some interesting facts: Vikings did not wear horns on their helmets; Vikings were primarily farmers who raided as needed; it is commonly believed that Viking Leif Erickson discovered America centuries before Columbus; Vikings gave us the beginnings of what we know practice as law.

After that, we walked to Dublin Castle and the Garda museum. The best part: the museum dedicated to the police force is locked and you have to be buzzed in to see it.

Next was St. Patrick's Cathedral. Of all the churches and cathedrals we have seen, this is the most commercial. The gift shop is right there as you walk in. It admittedly has some nice stained glass and very ornate sculptures, but all in all, I think St. FinBarr in Cork was the most beautiful of all we have seen.

After all our walking, it is time to head back. The instructions given to us by the concierge are not as precise as we would have liked. We needed to catch a public bus back, but we could not find the bus stop. So dinner ensued. We found a nice place on the street and I got one of my other favorite meals, bangers and mash. After asking for directions, we find our way to the bus stop. After boarding the bus and starting on our way, the rain has picked up and we can barely see through the windows to find our stop. Luckily some of the landscape looked familiar and we managed to guess correctly and get off at the right stop. We make it back to the hotel, shower and change and head for bed. Only one full day left of our vacation!