Sunday night was one of delicious Beef and Guinness Pie. Yes, it's as delicious as it sounds. We started out at Madigan's on O'Connell Street, where we waited a good ten minutes before anyone even came over to give us menus. Then we all decided on the pie, only to be informed that they were out. As in NO MORE PIE. Sadness fell over the table, but the waiter said he would give us some free crisps (potato chips) to make up for it. So we all settled on our second choices. Ordering time comes and we're told that the kitchen has just blown a fuse and can no longer cook anything. No food for you. Our initial excitement was deflated and replaced with disappointment and utter starvation as we all have been putting off going to the grocery store. Luckily, a block down the road was Maddy's, and they served their own beef and Guinness pie. Score!
Monday, we had a field trip instead of class. We took a bus to Newgrange, a passage tomb of the Brú na Bóinne complex in County Meath. It's unique because it was built in such a way that on the winter solstice, the sun will show through the passageway inside. Plus, it's over 5,000 years old. That's 500 years older than the Great Pyramid of Giza and 1,000 years older than Stonehenge. It was nice to see the countryside for the first time since we've been in the city since coming here.
Newgrange has been renovated on the outside to help keep the stones in place, but the inside hasn't been touched except to add some lights and cement to keep people from pulling apart the rocks.
The guide told us to look out for graffiti left by visitors in the 1800s. Sure enough, there are names and dates carved into the rock. The oldest I saw was one from 1817. Unfortunately, we weren't allowed to take pictures. Naturally, I did, but I had to be discreet and not use my flash so the pictures aren't the greatest quality.
Here's the ceiling.
And the narrow passageway to get to the center of the tomb. It was so tiny! I had to walk sideways to get through.
Overall, it was just simply beautiful.
Cate and I went to Madigan's on O'Connell Street when we were in Dublin and while we were looking at the prices 2 boys came over and asked up where we were from and then proceeded to buy us 2 pints of Guinness each and tell us about their experiences in the army. Haha. Wah wahh about the food though. Miss you!!
ReplyDeleteHaha that's awesome! No experiences like that yet, but I'll keep you posted :) Miss you too my dear!
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