The Newgrange Day

 

Today was my Newgrange day and it was a bit more of an adventure than I had planned. I take a short taxi ride to the meeting place at 10:25am, but I’m waiting and waiting and no one is showing up. I’m thinking I’m left behind or something, and I’m starting to cry, but when I check my email receipt  from them, turns out it was 8:15am on Saturdays.  Newgrange is one of the things I was most looking forward to seeing, after Titanic Belfast of course, so I was not going to not go. So I took a cab. I will admit I was worried that they would say it was too far, since I knew it was a bit outside of Dublin. I took out some more money from the ATM and went to a nearby Taxi Rank, and they said it would be about 60-70 euros to Newgrange. I said sure, and was on my way. It took a while to get there, a little less than an hour or so, but I got to see the countryside outside Dublin, which I suppose I would have seen on the tour as well. Still, it was a nice drive. it ended up being 80 Euros, which is about $100, but worth it in my mind. When I got there, the first thing I did was ask how to get to Dublin at the Visitors Centre, and they said there was a coach that left at 3:10pm, and since my time slot was 1:15pm, I would be back in time to catch it.



Walkway to Visitor's Center

 Newgrange was amazing! The entire area is called the Boyne Valley, and it is beautiful, as you can see in the picture. Newgrange is not the only passage tomb, and it is not the biggest actually. There are two others, and the other one is the largest in Europe. I only saw Newgrange, though I suppose I could have seen the others. But my interest was Newgrange. Next time I’ll see the others. It was so amazing! Words could not describe it. it was amazng being in there, knowing that people had built it 5,000 years ago, without the aid of tools, computers, anything. All by hand. We were also told there are no signs of slavery , so all who built it wanted to build it. they also aligned all of these tombs, since Newgrange is not the only one alined with the sun, without the use of any modern day satallites or anything.  Amazijng isn’t it? one neat thing we were told was that the River Boyne, which runs through the Boyne Valley, was used by the ancient people at the time of Newgrange as a natural divide. They would settle and live on one side of the river, and on the other was where they built the passage tombs such as Newgrange: a natural divide between this world and the next. I thought that was interesting. Also the roof, all of rocks is…pretty good. Seriously, we could take lessons from these people on how to built a roof even though theirs is all rocks: it had not leaked in 5,000 years, and newgrange is dated as being 5,000 years old. I’m sure I don’t have to explain anymore. How often do our roofs leak?  It was increable, and amazing and im so glad I went!



                The passage way into the tombs was very narrow! So narrow we were told to carry out backpacks and purses in front of us and below, so as not to scrape the art/rocks as we passed.  It was suggested that if were…claustrophobic or nervous, to go towards the end of the line, which I did. It was not as bad as I thought though. It was so beautiful on the inside. They simulated the winter’s solstice on dec 21 for us with electric lights, and that alone was amazing. When they turned off the lights, it was so dark my eyes were not adjusting, I couldn’t see my hands, and then the electric simulated winter’s solstice came in, beautiful light lighting up the tomb. Amazing.

It was a good day. I took a coach to a nearby station where I then transferred to a Dublin bound bus, and it was 7 Euros, so pretty good compared to another taxi ride for another 80 euro. I did try Black Irish Pudding today , and…I made it about…5 small bites into it, maybe 6, before I decided I did not like it and left basically the entire 5 euro plate of 3 Irish puddings. All in all, it turned into a bit of an adventure but Newgrange was totally worth it! tomorrow my last day in Ireland and then I go back to Texas. sad. Seems like I’ve been in Ireland forever, but in a good day. I don’t want to leave. I want to go back to Belfast, explore it some more, explore Northern Ireland more. And like I said, I will find a way to come back. I’m already looking at master’s and maybe even doctoral programs in Belfast. So far, I’ve liked Dublin, it’s a nice and beautiful city but it is missing that…certain charm that Belfast and Northern Ireland has.



   Tomorrow, on my last day in Ireland and St.Paddy’s Day, I am going on an all day tour to the Cliffs of Moher on the Western Ireland Coast. It is where the “cliffs of insanity” from the princess bride were filmed, and the exterior shot of HP 6 when Harry and Dumbledore go after the locket. Im excited to see more of Republic of Ireland. Today, it was nice being in the taxi and the coach, because it gave me a chance to see more of the countryside, without having to listen to the tour guide talking and stuff. Not that that is bad or anything. I suppose I took an opportunity you know? I’m excited to see more of the Republic of Ireland outside the Dublin area. I’m excited, it will be a good day.

entrance to Newgrange. the white stones are original stones but had to be put up again when they found Newgrange. the limestones, the dark stones either side, is a modern day recreation but they are native to the area.

 

Me at the River Boyne at Newgrage. Beautiful river and beautiful valley.

Paranama view of Newgrange

River Boyne. Beautiful isn't it?