Yes, it is time to move on, I only have one breakfast voucher left. Speaking of breakfast, this morning it was terrible! No sausages and no coffee! Eggs and what I would call Canadian bacon were good, but the tea tasted a bit like fish. When I asked the breakfast attendant where the coffee was she pointed to instant coffee packets. "I prefer this coffee, it is really good!" I didn't find out. I found out the tea they were offering tasted a little like socks.
After my caffeine-less (but still pretty good on the pork) breakfast I stopped by the post office on the way into the city. I sent some items of clothing back along with all my Dublin books and maps and other books I had finished. I had gotten out pretty early and it was interesting to see a Dublin neighborhood on a Saturday morning, there were women in fuzzy robes coming from the corner store and people in pajamas randomly. I think Loring Park should encourage this and downtown Minneapolis as well. No need to get dressed before noon on weekends.
After my errand was completed I went back to the Charles Beatty Library and finished looking around. Then I made my way though St. Stevens Green and then Merrion Park. I pride myself on always having lived within the vicinity of Loring Park and I hold it dear, but Merrion Park might just be my favorite. I spent a lot of time doing park things, like thinking.
The National Gallery was right across the street so I checked it out. I have so much I could say about my time there but I'll just list the highlights and these who are so inclined can Google the artist or the piece if you aren't quite sure why I nearly wet myself to be able to see these:
*Harry Clarke's illustrations of Hans Christian Andersen
*a great collection of Jack B. Yeats, especially his later works
*huge Danish painters collection which means a few things, not only was Rembrandt's The Flight to Egypt, but a great Vermeer - A Lady Writing a Letter, and of course a bunch of great vanitas
*Hieronymus Bosch, The Descent into Limbo
*a few good Goya portraits, but El Sueño was my favorite
Of course there is a ton more and I could go on about each and every one, but I'll save for in person with those I know I won't bore!
As I was sitting outside the museum wondering what to do next and feeling a little melancholy (for I think my kind of loneliness comes after I've been somewhere a bit--keep moving and I'll be fine)... So I was sitting and stewing a little when an old Irishman came up to me and took my hand and told me I was lovely. We exchanged a few words, Edward and I, before he kissed my cheek and ambled on. It was a greatly appreciated small comfort.
I ambled on after a bit to the National Library of Ireland to check out the Yeats exhibit. They have a lot of stuff. You know, this has nothing to do with my trip but I just remembered last semester when I was doing a presentation on Diderot's Encyclopédie, my class met in the Andersen Library across the way from the Robert Bly exhibit. Before another student was about to talk about Paradise Lost, the rare book curator's eyes got real big and he interrupted telling us, "This may sound weird, but Robert Bly is in the Robert Bly exhibit."
Now when I see exhibits like this Yeats one, I think about the actual honoree visiting it. I think my favorite document was the Questionnaire on Creative Effort he was given by some preeminent psychologist to fill out. It was one of those silly Q&As that ask something like "Do you always have to work for inspiration? Always... Usually... Sometimes... Never." Yeats, as you could imagine never circled one without comment.
Not much happened after my last museum stop. I went back to the hostel and began practicing my French. I should actually get going to get a good night's rest. Next time I'll post it'll be from the continent!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
been trying to use my black berry i need you pin?
ReplyDeletethis is danielle