The National Museum was a short walk from Merrion Square. Knowing how much walking this trip involved, it was best to get off to a good start.
According to her research, the exhibit focused on the findings surrounding the "Bog Bodies Research Project", including the bodies themselves. She walked through the front doors, unprepared for the magnitude of what she would find.
Although it is a reproduction, this doorway is rather impressive. "What lies beyond?", she wondered.
The first thing that caught her eye was all of the cauldrons and other culinary items. Some of them looked large enough to prepare food for an army, which is very likely the case.
The bog people were of great interest. The bodies so well preserved, she could still see whiskers on one of their faces. It didn't seem right to take photos, so she simply sat with them and tried to imagine what brought them to the time and place where the bog wrapped 'round them, protecting them from disappearing completely.
She rounded a corner and found herself face to stern with a Viking longship. Carved from a single tree, it stretched out across the room. She wondered how many people it could carry. How many people were needed to carry IT?
The Ancients valued amber, using it to create jewellery and sacred items, offerings to the Gods and Goddesses.
A breathtaking amber necklace.
She could have stayed for hours, but had to move on if she was going to make it to Hugh Lane Gallery before she was due back at the bus. So she bid farewell to this time and space, which still held so many secrets. It was only the beginning of her journey. Ireland had many, many more stories to tell and she was ready to hear them.