Touring Oireland: Day 6 (+Reflection)…

…Welp, I’m back in the ‘Boro, again!!…My last day in Oireland was, pretty interesting to say the least…

I had some free time in the hours before 11:45, so I walked with Dr. Radomski and Dr. Inkman–our vocal coach and accompanist, respectively–to Trinity College in order to see the Book of Kells–a brightly-illustrated manuscript of the 4 Gospels in Latin, completed circa 800 by Columban monks at their monastery in Kells…

…Christ enthroned, surrounded by 4 angels (I’m thinking Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel)…

On the way to and from the park, we walked through St. Stephen’s Green, a Victorian-era park…

Before our final concert, I decided to go to this little café called Bewley’s on Grafton Street (one of Dublin’s main shopping areas)…I got the sticky toffee pudding and their “Golden” tea blend–divine!!…

Our final concert of the tour was in St. Ann’s Church, a Baroque, 18th-century building that was originally Anglican, but now operates under the Church of Ireland…

 

After the concert, I was planning on going to the National Gallery, but me and my roommate had to move to a different room (bedbug issues), and so we just wandered around, eventually stumbling upon a Lebanese/Syrian restaurant…I had never tried this kind of cuisine previously, but it was pretty delish!!…

To conclude the night’s festivities, we had a final group dinner at The Merry Ploughboy Pub, a venue where you are treated to live entertainment to go along with your vittles…Again, I was a bit disappointed with the music–I mean, traditional ballads aren’t bad, but I really wanted to hear something more driving (think Mumford & Sons or The Lumineers [yes, I know that neither are Irish])…Though I must say that the dancing was good…

And so went my last night in Oireland [for now]…

Now for some reflection!!..

Observations:

• People in Oireland really are super sweet.
• I hate Guinness.
• Dublin, to me, is a smaller, Irish version of London.
• I don’t like lamb that much.
• Martinis are a bit overrated.
• The lilt in the Oirish accent has really grown on me.
• I belong in Europe.

That last one is pretty major…I mean, I missed my Mom and assorted others, but I had no strong urge to leave…I definitely feel like I could move there (or anywhere else on the Continent) and not feel out of sync…But hey–we’ll see what the near future holds for me, eh??…

Lastly, may I say that I thoroughly enjoyed my stay in Oireland, and I eagerly await my return to her shores at some point in the future, :-)…