Dublin-Viking museum

With the weather totally unpredictable, we decided to play it safe and take the "hop on-hop off" tour bus around the city today.  We figured we'd check out the highlights of the city and then decide where we wanted to spend more time.  (All the buses, city and tour, are double deckers.  Delaney picked a spot on top in front.  This is a view of the stoplight from our perch in front).

About halfway through the tour we got off at St. Patrick's Cathedral.  We discovered it was 6 euros/person to get it, so we decided that pictures of the exterior were satisfactory.  We then walked up the street to Christchurch Cathedral and stumbled upon the Dublinia Museum - an archeological history of Dublin from the Viking and Medieval periods. We decided it was worth a visit.  It was designed to be hands-on with lots of "lift the flap" historical discoveries, costumes to try on, etc.  The historical information presented was very interesting and not so detailed as to be sleep-inducing.  I explored with Delaney and it was so much fun to watch her discover each new section..."hey Mom - look at this!"  The museum was filled with replicas of Viking houses, medieval markets, manor houses, etc. all with lifesized maniquins.  In one room, there was a live person dressed up as a sailor.  He was posed and holding still until Adam started messing with a bag hanging on his shoulder, then he moved and said "what do you think you're doing?"  Adam about had a heart attack - ha!

Viking Delaney

(Did you know that their helmets did NOT have horns on them?  These were likely added by later historians who discovered special helms used for religious ceremonies, not worn by everyday Vikings.)

 Viking Adam

 Medieval Knight Delaney

 Kitchen in a manor house

 Delaney studying a mock archeological site.