We have just finished three wonderful days in Ireland! We arrived Tuesday morning at 5:30 a.m. local time. Marian, who had stayed with us back in 2000, met us at the airport and brought us to her home in Laoughlins Town in the southernmost part of County Dublin. She made us an Irish breakfast, then the three of us headed into Dublin on the train for the day. It was great because the train goes right along the coast (saw a house Bono bought). We went to Trinity College and saw the Book of Kells, from 1200 years ago! The old library is fantastic. Walked around a lot. Marian took me out for a pint. On Thursday we spent much of our time at the Dublin Zoo. Today Marian took off work and we went seeing nature (instead of the city). Went to Knocksink Wood (where she used to work), an incredible place called Powerscourt, an old estate with incredible gardens (where Kim wants her sisters to know we sat on the patio and had tea and scones), then off to Glendalough, where we visited a beautiful valley lake. We had dinner at Johnnie Fox's, which claims to be the highest pub in Ireland. Whether it is or not doesn't matter - they have great seafood. Tomorrow we're off to Rome. Don't know when I'll update next.