It was a good night's sleep to get us over jet lag. I must mention the logistics of this trip. Jon Walsh, Glenbard's Fine Arts Director and the Band Director ( and my son) runs a tight ship. He and the Choir Director, Mr Jeffreys, and the Orchestra Director, Mr Ortega along with the chaperons monitor behavior. Chaperons personally check each room at night and place a piece of tape on the door. Chaperons again wake the kids up in the morning and confirm that the tape is still intact. Misbehavior can result in the teen being flown home immediately. In addition the kids feel a responsibility to the preforming groups. No one wants to be the one who messed up. Also, each rider on the bus us given a number. Jim and I are number 33 and 34. Before we leave anywhere, a number count begins. If someone is late getting back to the bus, they are booed. The power of peer approval works well. NO ONE wants to delay the whole bus. Our guide Gerry began with a role call of names being unfamiliar with Jon's number system. After hearing the successful number call, he was suitably impressed and never felt the need to check up again.
We're back on the Blue Bus(nothing about it is blue except the tags on our luggage indicate we are assigned to the blue bus) which is also Number 3 out of four with Gerry, our guide and Margaret, our bus driver, both will be with us until the end of the tour.
First stop, Phoenix Park in Dublin. Although it was wonderfully green with lots of blooming flowers, we were treated to the Dublin version of a fierce blustery wind with horizontal rain. I think this is a veterans memorial
Trying to organize for a picture
Rainbow as a consolation prize for enduring the rain storm.
American flag in the distance over the American Ambassador's house.
Back to the bus and on to Trinity College.
Our tour was very well organized. All our entrance fees were taken care of by the guide. We did have to wait about 20 minutes to get inside. Only 20 are allowed in at a time. I did not take any pictures in the exhibit that explains how and why the book of Kells was written. It is amazing the symbolism that was invented to tell the Biblical story. This ancient document is inspiring and we must honor those who designed and translated it.
This is called the Long Room. It contains thousands of ancient books. Needless to say, the librarian in Jim was extremely impressed. Me too!! There are two levels, all just about filled to capacity with books. There were interesting displays in the glass cases. But I was busy looking up. down and all around.
How would you like to climb that ladder.
There were several of these large banners explaining myths. Must have this one for Kristin
The wood in this building is beautifully carved. It is wonderful to see the past so well preserved and maintained.
This poster displays the second floor of the long room and the somewhat hidden hallway that extends between the stacks of books.
If you don't climb the ladder, you can use this staircase at one end of the room
Or this tricky spiral one at the other end.
There was an edition of Harry Potter translated into Gaelic. So not everything in the Long Room is completely ancient, but pretty rare.
There is a great deal more to see around Trinity College, so off we go.
Kids from Bus #3 waiting to begin our tour of the grounds. One does not step on the grass even to take a picture.
Jim and Gerry
Although Gerry told us alot about the famous men who attended Trinity College, I cannot remember much of what he said. Remember, there are 40 of us on this bus and hearing what he has to say is pretty hard. Many Glenbard kids expressed a wish to come to college here
Reminded me of Chicago's own Millennium "Bean". It will spin when the wind blows.
The flowers carved around this building represent different plants from around the world, 442 different plants, non repeated.
Gerry took us to the Geology Building to show us the extinct Megalocers which could not evolve out from under those enormous antlers. There are thousands of these skeletons found in the marshy bogs in Ireland because their antlers became so heavy that when they bent over to drink water, they tumbled into the streams and rivers and were preserved when those became bogs.
Back to Dublin for lunch. Breakfast and dinner were provided but lunch was on our own.
Tourism is Ireland's main economy and tour buses fill the streets. Here's an open upper deck - a bad idea as it either sprinkled or out right rained on us intermittently.
This bus is powered by bicycle and much laughter.
Our Guide, Gerry said he never drives in Dublin. The traffic is just too crazy and what with the trolley construction and "dooon't get me staaaarted on the traffic.."
I could not get a good picture of the outside of St Patrick's Cathedral. Here we are going inside
I have no words to describe the magnificence of these old cathedrals. Gerry says they were built to inspire awe in the common man. They certainly inspire awe in me.
Because there is no place to park buses here, we're off to walk 2 blocks to Christ Church where the choir, orchestra and band will have their first performances. Jon has rented the larger instruments but the kids carry their performance attire and smaller instruments.
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