Whew… I have walked around so much the past few days, but it was all worth it. We have left Dublin today and we are currently in Waterford until tomorrow. We did so much in Dublin, but I am also glad to start exploring other aspects of the country. On the fifth day, the Literature group visited this one Big House called Newbridge House and Farm. From what I remember, this house was built in the 18th century, and it was the house with the largest park in at least Dublin. There was a lot to take in, so my memory is a little fuzzy. After touring the house, we explored the farmhouse. The most impressive thing by far was the Georgian carriage. There are only four left, and this was one of them. There were also a lot of farm animals, including a peacock. I was actually able to get the peacock to follow me by feeding it potato chips. I just hope it doesn’t follow me to Galway…

The next day, we went to the National Museum, which was amazing! The bottom floor was dedicated to Bronze Age Ireland, so it included a number of bowls, jewelry, and different tools. In one wing, it was about the transition to Christianity that Ireland went through, along with some info about writing. The other side of this floor had information about human sacrifice. There were four different bog bodies, showing amazing preservation. Two of the bodies still had their hair, which was ginger. On the top floor, there were displays about vikings, medieval Ireland, ancient Egypt, and some Greco items. After exploring all of this, we went over to the art museum. There were a lot of amazing paintings, but their main focus was on Sean Kissane, who is a modern artist. I have to be honest, his art style is definitely not my style. I really don’t understand modern art, but at least I’m not the only one.

After the leaving in Dublin, we arrived in Waterford and took a tour of the Waterford Crystal factory. Here, we saw what all goes into making a Waterford crystal item. First, the crystal is heated up and molded into the shape that it needs to be. Then, it’s placed in a kiln overnight where it is then taken out the next day and ground down to smoothness. An inspector checks each piece to make sure that there are no air bubbles. From there, the crystal is ground into its design and later carved more intricately. I now understand why it is so expensive. I also learned how so many trophies are made using this stuff, including the New Year ball! Afterwards, we checked out the store, but everything was way out of my budget. Tomorrow, we head out to Cork, and I am excited to see what that’s like!