We started with our usual, a walking tour, to get a sense of the city and "tweak" our pre trip planning.
The above was in the central garden of Dublin, originally a lake, the site of the first viking settlement.
Behind us was the Dublin Castle, from the 1100's. It has a very negative connotation for the Irish as it was the seat of continuous British rule from that period until independence was gained in 1922.
We walked through the Temple Bar area - not a temple and not a bar, but rather the area of town where a wall (the Bar) defined the grounds of a wealthy local (Temple). Now a tourist highlight with heavy partying, overpriced drinks, and expensive restaurants and shops.
We managed to find a more traditional pub for a pint.
We visited the Dublin Jail (Gaol) where many Irish revolutionaries were imprisoned and executed, as well as many of the starving during the famine (for petty crimes of theft of food and begging). It was an excellent guided tour and tied together (for us) the history of these major events in the history of the country.
Along the way saw the 360 foot spire that stands outside the old post office (the site of the Easter Revolution of 1916 that crystallized the war against the British) and can be seen from throughout the city (which has a building height limit of 50 feet due to the marshy land it was originally built on)...
...walked through several of the city parks....
...along the river and over the historic 3 penny bridge (the toll when it was built)...
...and visited the anthropologic museum where we were fascinated by the story of "bogmen" found throughout the country, well preserved in the acidic, oxygen deprived bogs....
and learned more about the history of the vikings and their role in the Irish history.
And now it is over. Time to head for the gate. I'm off to Prague for 10 days to see my Czech family. Starting with a 2 day bike adventure with Eric and his two oldest boys this weekend.
Ciao, or in Gaelic - Go dté tú slán (May you go safely)
More trip pictures are archived at: https://photos.app.goo.gl/i3Wq9Epv9sqDXb5w6
