January 4th- Dublin

Newgrange Tomb

Saint Patrick's Cathedral

Saint Patrick's Cathedral

I arrived in Dublin and immediately off the plane started my journey through this 30 degree foreign land.  We first went to visit Newgrange Tomb.  It's a 5000 year old passage tomb where each slab of rock was strategically placed without cement or any other substance to hold the structure together.  Once a year in December the sun light shines through the tomb which is such a high demanded spectacle that 27,000 people are apart of a lottery to visit it, and only 100 get chosen.  After, we went to Saint Patrick's Cathedral and enjoyed the beautiful architecture that it has to offer(see photo's above).  The Guinness family and another rum family purchased the church and took over it's financial obligations some years ago(shows the connection between the Irish church and their booze!).  We then traveled downtown Dublin and had a bite to eat.  I had a great vegetable soup at a quaint litter diner.  Off to the hotel we went after nearly 30 hours with no sleep.  The Ashling Hotel is gorgeous inside and out.  My room overlooks the Liffey River and how convenient, the original Guinness brewery is directly across the street.