Dear Dublin - You Never Disappoint

Dublin again this past weekend, but so many new and different things seen and done! We started out at the Guinness Storehouse to do a tour and tasting.

Very cool displays and interesting facts about brewing, pouring, and tasting a perfect pint of Guinness - but the best part (by far) was the Gravity Bar. 

Amazing panoramic views of Dublin from the top floor of Guinness where we could enjoy our complimentary pint!

I could stand there all day watching the Dublin drizzle while sipping on Guinness.

On Saturday morning, the weather was more of the same dreary mist, but we set out to find Queen of Tarts in Temple Bar for a lovely breakfast. 

There was a Saturday street market happening on Cow's Lane just outside Queen of Tarts, but it was a bit too rainy for us to enjoy so we scurried inside for a warming breakfast.

Delicious! Of course we had to get a tart - we were at Queen of TARTS! (I know breakfast dessert is pushing it but it was CHOCOLATE ALMOND PEAR!)

Then we headed over to Trinity to finally see the Book of Kells!

Unfortunantly there were no photographs allowed inside - but the Book of Kells is so amazing! It is crazy to see something so old and beautiful and kept in such good condition after so many years. Knowing how much time and effort was put into the elaborate pages is just unbelievable. And as for the Long Room, I could have sat there all day. There rows and rows of old rich leather bound texts, busts of great philosophers and academics, and the breathtaking architecture of the library itself is beyond words. 

After Trinity we headed to Avoca for power shopping (fine china style) and a relaxing adorable lunch.

Fueled and warmed (and credit cards exhausted) we headed to the Chester Beatty Library. 

This place is one of my new favorites in Dublin. This museum/library is the home of the rich collection of art, manuscripts, texts, rare books and so much more of Sir Alfred Chester Beatty. This guy has everything from East Asian, Islamic, and Western religions. Tons of beautifully decorated Chinese manuscripts, Japanese scrolls, Buddhist sacred texts, ritual objects, more than 260 Qur'ans, ancient Tibetan, Persian, and Indian calligraphy and poetry, and papyri ranging in date from 1800 BC to AD 800. An unbelievable collection.

Again, no pictures were allowed inside, but thankfully I found some on their website because I just had to share this next thing...

The Letters of Saint Paul
Greek text on papyrus c.AD 180-200 Egypt
CB BP II (P46) f.11r
picture: cbl.ie

The picture above is one of the ACTUAL letters of Saint Paul to the Romans. The real thing! It was an unreal feeling to know I was standing in the presence of a papyrus that at one point was held in the hands of Saint Paul. It was like this untouchable figure in stories I have heard so many times before became human to me. I hate to say it, but this tattered text moved something inside me even more so than the Book of Kells.

After soaking in all the beautiful treasures of Chester Beatty we took a stroll in the rainy gardens outside the Museum.

I loved the perfect water jewels kissing all the plants and the dreamy swirly gates in the garden.

Mom and I attempting to stay dry in the gardens.

That night we went to the Irish House Party for some good traditional music and dance.

A great relaxing way to end a full and exciting day in Dublin

Sunday morning we headed around the corner from our hostel to Saint Patrick's Cathedral for church.

The gardens surrounding the church were beautiful and glistening from the rainy weekend.

We got to church a bit early to look around some before the service started.

 Magnificent stained glass and beautiful arches inside the building - but I loved their real rustic harvest display at the entrance of the church just as much as the elaborate surroundings.  

It was great to be in church again. Even though this was more of an Anglican service than the slightly different Episcopalian service I am used to, it was great to hear the Eucharist and see how around the world there are traditions held and kept every Sunday.