I haven’t even talked about the Book of Kells yet! The first floor was a museum with a history of the Book and Christianity in Ireland. The second floor was worth the entire trip to Ireland!! It’s called the Long Room in the Old Library. Originally it was just one level. The shelves were placed about 8 feet apart, with a window about 6 feet wide in between each shelf. The entire building was covered in wood. In the 1800s, a second level was added to the library because there were too many books. An arched wooden ceiling was also added to replace the plastered ceiling that was there originally. For anyone who knows my house (probably only Maya…) it used to look a lot like the ceiling in Mom and Dad’s room, only the squares were much larger. All of the books in this particular library are really old. Before I even entered the room, I smelled it, and almost fainted. If there is a heaven on earth, that room is it. I had to sit down for a while to catch my breath before continuing on. At the end of each shelf (the part that stuck out into the room) was a bust of a famous author or philosopher. I didn’t know all of them, and most I had only heard of their names and didn’t actually know their ideas, but I was still awed. Being in the room also made me feel really insignificant. There is so much history here, and so many people in the world who are so interesting and smart and like to think about the world. We weren’t allowed to take photos, so I bought a postcard that you may see upon my return if you would like.

I think I did more whilst in Dublin, but I don’t remember anything else right now. Actually, I was talking to my Romanian friend about food. I was complaining about how processed all the food in the states is, and how much corn syrup is in everything and people like to buy food at farmers markets. She told me that in Romania people with money will only buy food at supermarkets as a sign of wealth. They will never buy from “peasants”. I was shocked! I had not really been aware that peasants still existed.

One more thing about Dublin. I was just looking though my friends pictures and we passed the statue of Molly Malone. I was excited, because this is someone I know a little bit about. My grandfather would be proud. I didn’t read the plaque, cuz my friends move pretty quickly and I probably spent too much time looking at something else. But you should all imagine me strolling down the streets of Dublin singing “In Dublin’s fair city, where the girls are so pretty, that’s where I first met sweet Molly Malone. She drove her wheelbarrow through streets broad and narrow, singing cockles and mussels alive alive-o!” I believe the song says she was a fish monger (I don’t know what that is), and there is a rather sad ending, but I’ll let you youtube it and listen to the correct words. I think that’s it for Dublin… I never know how to end these things! I hate endings, they’re always so tragic!