Just Visiting

So, let's see what happened this weekend.

Slept in on Sunday. It was glorious. Though, we had to fend for ourselves for lunch. My roommate, Mike Cullen, and myself definitely lazied about until 12:30pm. We had to meet back at the hotel at 1pm. What does this require? A quick run to the Irish 7-11-equivalent and eating on the way back. It was a damn good chicken sandwich, though.

Off we went to the Museum of History and Archaeology. Iron Age, Vikings and Bog Mummies, oh my! Terribly fun (especially the bog zombies, I mean, mummies).

We head on back to the hotel to have a discussion with Fr. Peter McVerry on the social issues plaguing Ireland. The similarities to that of the problems of the U.S. are striking. Alcoholism is an obvious but mum issue, with drugs and gang violence on the rise (and due to what?). The emergence of economic growth (nicknamed "The Celtic Tiger") has created a burgeoning middle class but at the same time, widening the rich-poor income gap. Now, more prevalent substance abuse and violence and the deconstruction of the family as parents are forced to take two jobs to support the dream of owning a house. I wish Fr. McVerry talked longer but he definitely opened my mind on these issues and noting how eerily similar they are to American issues...

Dinner was RIDICULOUS. We headed down to the Temple Bar area and entered a pretty traditional looking pub. I ordered the Lamb Shank. Oh. My. God. It was so tasty and just huge...just look at it!
It wasn't done there! Oh no, we also had Bailey's Chocolate Cheesecake. Yeah, be jealous :)

We did not have our discussion on James Joyce. Thus, our free evening consisted of a few of us heading down to an Americanized bar (Buskers) to watch the NFL Playoff game between the SD Chargers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. We had a few drinks and enjoyed watching the Chargers get rofl-stomped by the Steelers. Sorry Mike, no SuperBowl for your Chargers this year!

Today was probably one of the better days I've had here. Chalk full of history!
We visited Kilmanham Gaol (jail), most noted for housing the leaders/conspirators of the 1916 Rebellion (where the Irish Republicans faced off against the British Army). The story for independence fills you with hope but the sign of sure defeat was tragic, with the execution of the 1916 leaders. Ireland owes a great gratitude to these men and women, as they paved the way for the secession from the British Empire and enabling them to become their own independent republic.
On the last leg of today's journey, we traveled northward to Glendalough, the site of St. Kevin's monastery. I'll spare you the history lesson and focus on the impecable natural beauty of the site. Stone churches, ancient gravestones, waterfalls and two secluded lakes. The serenity of this place was overwhelming, making the tiresome hike just an afterthought. It was a great feeling absorbing the scenery, appreciating what Nature has given us to adore with our simple eyes.
Tomorrow, we head off to Newgrange, the world's oldest standing architectural structure and then to Belfast, in Northern Ireland. This should be a blast!