Ireland

We had a great time in Ireland. It was a quick five days, so we didn't venture out of Dublin. Doug's friend from college, Gavin, flew from Atlanta to meet up with us. Since it was the week of St. Patrick's Day, there was a lot to do and see! And we had fun getting bundled up for the cold- it actually snowed our last couple days there.
On our first day, we went to Trinity College to see one of the oldest books in the world- The Book of Kells. It was written around AD 800 by monks and contains the four New Testament gospels written in Latin. It is amazing how intricate and beautiful the writings and illustrations are. They showed the different minerals and plants the monks used to create such bright and vivid colors. Some famous Trinity alumni include: Jonathan Swift, Bram Stoker, and Oscar Wilde.
On another note, we also visited the Guinness Storehouse. It is a huge five storey center where you can learn all about the world- famous stout. The best part is the rooftop bar where you can overlook the city and drink a free pint!
For fun one night, Doug and I went on the "Ghost Bus" tour. We got on a double decker bus which had closed curtains all around it. Our guide tried to scare us by taking us to grave yards, telling "true" ghost stories, and occasionally yelling into the microphone. There is some very interesting and dark history in Ireland. We drove by the house Bram Stoker grew up in and heard how as a child his mother would tell him scary stories about people infected with cholera. This was the inspiration for him later writing about the walking dead in Dracula.
The three of us had a blast here. The Irish are extremely friendly and this is one place we hope to visit again.