January 22, 2004



This, my last full day in Ireland, was spent doing some final explorations and shopping. I walked all over Dublin taking pictures that I had missed earlier. I made my way down to St. Stephen's Green and got pictures of Oscar Wilde's statue and the bust of Michael Collins. I also took the opportunity to make my way through some parts of Dublin I hadn't seen.

I was lucky enough to get to see a procession of EU officials today. As I walked towards Dublin Castle I noticed a lot of Garda (Dublin's police force) activity and that the streets

were blocked off. As I came closer to the castle, a motorcade of Garda passed me followed by a line of silver Audis and silver VW vans. The bells from Christ Church cathedral were ringing and people stopped along the street to watch. It was fun to get to see. I guess I was just in the right place at the right time.

This trip has truly been a learning experience for me. I've enjoyed the time that I've spent here, and I would love to come back someday. Being immersed in the culture and the landscape put the literature in prospective for me. I'd never have the understanding of Irish culture that I do now, just from reading the material. I can honestly say this has been a life changing experience.