DAY 746-752

Sept 18-24

1) Last Fri (Sept 21) was Culture Night 2018, and various venues and public spaces across the island opened their doors to host a programme of free late-night entertainment, as part of an all-island celebration of arts, heritage and culture.

2) Not wanting to miss out on this wonderful opportunity, Zi Yan and I decided to visit the Book of Kells, conveniently located at Trinity College, Dublin. So we met up at RCSI Main Campus (in town) in the afternoon. It really has been such a long time since I've visited the main library - where I spent most of my waking hours studying at last year. Anyway, we went to have buffet dinner at a place that I haven't gone before - called Mongolian Barbeque.

3) The conditions are simple - just pick all the meat and veggies that you like into a bowl, add sauces and condiments, spices etc, and hand it to the cook who stir fries it in front of a huge semicircular hot plate. It's an all-you-can-eat buffet, so multiple trips back to the buffet cart are permitted (much to the cook's chagrin I suppose).

4) I experimented with various meats including seafood, including their wide selection of sauces and condiments. I personally found the tikka massala sauce to be the best, and you could even top the bowl with fried garlic flakes and/or satay sauce! Definitely a unique and worthwhile experience, especially if you go for the early bird menu (4.30pm-6pm) which is cheaper.

5) Our appetites satiated, we walked to Trinity. At first, the line leading to the Book of Kells seemed to stretch very long, but we were surprised that it moved so quickly. After barely 10 minutes of waiting (in the cold windy weather), we were ushered in. There was an exhibition of the various books, including the eponymous Book of Kells in a separate room.

6) According to the guide, the book is over 1400 years old, and was donated to the College during the 1600's. The glass encasing the book is temperature and light-regulated, and the entire floor descends into a vault at night, to prevent any would-be thefts! It was a really unique sight, but sadly we weren't allowed any photographs in the room.

7) We then proceeded up the stairs into The Long Room - famous for having inspired the "library" scene in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. Adorning each pedestal on either side of the bookshelves were busts of famous people, including an elaborate statue of Jonathan Swift himself - the guy who wrote "Gulliver's Travels"!

8) After taking loads of pictures, we decided to call it a day. That is the highlight of my week so far, and if only I had more time (and energy XD), I would have explored more of the city. Anyway, that has been the summary of this edition of my blog, and thanks for reading. Have a lovely week ahead, cheers! :D

Food = Smiles :))

The Long Room

The Mongolian Barbeque

Spoilt for choice here

Live cooking for thy entertainment ^^

Can't wait to get started haha

Trinity College Dublin on a bright and sunny day

The long line to the entrance of the Book of Kells

The name says it all - well worth the wait imo

The Long Room!

Nobel Prize Certificate

The front facade/ quadrangle of the college

A day well spent

The Museum of Mischief - that certainly ain't no statue XD

Back to Europe's Most Advanced Clinical Simulation Suite - at RCSI! :)

DAY 680 & 681

July 13 & 14

1) Today was an intriguing day for me. Right after dinner, Chris came to me and asked if I was interested in joining him for a tour of the church and surrounding lake. Always eager for an adventure, I instantly agreed. The plan was to reach the area before the sunset, which according to Chris is phenomenal! Unfortunately, as luck would have it, we were a tad late and the sun had set by the time we got there ):

2) Still, it was not a wasted trip as the evening glow of the skyline, contrasted with the deep blue sky made for some amazing pictures. Chris promised to show me some photos of the sunset if we ever visited again. Meanwhile, we were walking along the pier, where rows of citizens were having a dip in the shallow waters (although a sign saying "No Swimming" was clearly visible XD). While walking along the pier, Chris recounted his adventures during his "youth", including his many trials and tribulations. It was very touching to hear someone recount their entire life story, and it really made me reflect on my choices in life thus far.

3) Soon, we reached the Church near Dushu Lake. I wish I knew the proper name, but it should basically be the Dushu Lake Church. There were loads of couples getting their wedding shots here, in the gleam of the evening sun. The giant cross in the waters, bathed by the golden rays of the evening sun, truly made it seem like a divine experience altogether. We went into the church for a bit, before coming out and sitting on the grass. After some chit-chatting, the mosquitoes made their presence felt. So we decided to make a move to our next destination - another spot by the lake!

4) It was very dark when we reached, as the sun had completely set by now. We walked along the wooden pier where families and couples were congregated at, and took a slow stroll to the other side. All this time, I was snapping away at some truly surreal photos. Soon, it was time to head back, so Chris dropped me off at the pharmaceutical building. It was a short and nice trip, and it took away from the hours of being holed up in the labs doing experiments. It also reminded me to be appreciative of the little things in life, as sometimes they could mean the most.

5) That is the gist of my day today, and I hope you enjoyed reading about it. Thanks for tuning in as always, and have a great week ahead. Cheers! :D

Chris and I at the pier (with a row of swimmers behind us :)

Brilliant view of the sunset, very graciously supplied to me by Chris (after he came back another day)

The majestic Sun in all it's glory ^^

What a contrast between the above picture and this!

Statue of Jesus Christ at the Dushu Lake Church

How beautiful the view, how surreal the image :)

A couple getting their wedding photos taken in front of the church :)

Inside the church

Fishing by the lake

The huge cross greets viewers from across the lake