We slept in this morning, and I suggested that Jeff go up by himself to St. Canice’s to try again to get up the tower there while I got ready and packed our things, mostly because I did’t want to make that trek again. He agreed and was gone about an hour. When he came back, we got our things together and checked out, but Yvonne agreed to hold on to our bags while we finished some sightseeing in Kilkenny. Did I mention I love Butler Court B&B?
First, we went to the Medieval Mile Museum, which was basically a museum of the city of Kilkenny housed in a converted medieval church. We learned some things about funerary traditions in the Middle Ages and some of the archaeological work going on around the area. It’s amazing the kinds of things that turn up: buttons, tin soldiers, nearly intact gravestones dredged from the river. If we had visited four years ago, some of the things in the exhibits wouldn’t have even been discovered yet. There was one slab in particular that interested me. It looked like the roof to a crypt, and it had the effigy of a man and woman on it. I like to think it’s a husband and wife. Clearly they were very wealthy, as only the rich could afford such stone work. Under the church, we saw what looked like rubble but was actually pieces of the church and grave stones that had archaeological catalog numbers on them. I have always been interested in archaeology, and enjoyed this glimpse into how the work is done.
Next, we went to Kilkenny Castle. We had hoped to avoid too many crowds, but just as we arrived, a slew of Italian teenagers descended. I like the teenagers in my family very much, but as a whole, teenage mobs are the pits. There is just this annoyingly loud chit-chatty tone that grates on my nerves, no matter the language. And they are incapable of moving anywhere individually — it has to be in a group, like a starling murmuration. Jeff and I did our best to stay clear of them, and walked through the garden until the herd thinned. We went up to the castle, and Jeff asked how much climbing was involved since we knew that tires me out more than anything. The lady at the door explained that there were three sets of stairs, and then asked if I had trouble with stairs. When I said a little, she offered complimentary entry, and I could just go to the places I felt I could get to. I took the offer, and she not only comped me, she comped Jeff, even after I asked if he should buy a normal ticket. I have never heard of such a thing in the U.S., at least not without some sort of proof of disability. We got to go in a special door and use less busy staircases. I got to see most of the castle, and when it came to the stairs I didn’t think I could take, Jeff went on and got some pictures. It was just a really pleasant customer experience.
After the castle, I had a seat at one of the many public benches while Jeff went to Supermac’s to get us a quick pizza. He said it was crazy packed with Italian students, so it was a good thing I stayed put. We were able to eat an outdoor lunch, pick up our bags, and get to the bus stop on time for the 1:40 bus to Dublin. In hindsight, Kilkenny deserved a two night stay, but you live and learn.
I’m not sure how long the drive to Dublin was because I dozed through most of it. We arrived in the heart of Dublin on a Saturday evening, so there were people galore. We first stopped into a tourist office to buy our 72 hour transportation passes, as we will be using public transport extensively. It includes buses, trains, and trams in the city. We asked where to catch a bus to our room, and got two answers from two people. We made it to the stop, but as I suspected, the bus was crowded, and I could foresee a nightmare trying to fit on with all our bags. I asked Jeff to let us just take a taxi, and he agreed. It cost more, but it was so much less stressful.
Our room is in student housing that the university rents out during the summer break. We have a private bathroom that looks very industrial, and a bed that is not a twin, but not quite a double either. Also, we aren’t allowed to have food in our room, but have to keep it labeled in a communal kitchen for our floor. We aren’t sure the neighborhood is exactly reputable, but the price was well under hotel prices in Dublin, which are exorbitant. Jeff went to the store tonight to get us some groceries so we don’t have to go out for breakfasts or suppers. I’m proud of us for being economical.
Tomorrow, we will go to church and then maybe take in a museum and tour some cathedrals.
