Ireland - Newgrange

Newgrange, our first day in Ireland. Newgrange is a Megalithic passage-tomb, built sometime around 3200 BC or so (according to the best carbon-dating estimates). Older than the pyramids at Giza. The white wall is made of stones, and there's a pattern done with darker stones in the white. The entrance is off to the right, and at the winter solstice, the sun shines directly in at sunrise. People are allowed in at the solstice, but there's a lottery to see who gets to go. The mound covers about an acre, and there are 97 kerbstones around the base (the grey line below the white). There are two other mounds nearby, Knowth and Dowth. We only had time to tour Newgrange.

There are quite a few of these mounds in Ireland. There were more, but apparently some of them were dismantled and the rocks were used to pave roads or build walls. Kind of a shame.

The cafeteria at Newgrange was also our introduction to Irish-cafeteria food. The main thing I remember is little sandwiches on standard white bread, cut in half and packed in little triangular plastic boxes, for the low price of 7 Euros (about $10 US). Butter on all the bread, and a strange fascination with mayo (which I can not stand, so that was a little hurdle there). Rick Steves raved about the place in his book, but I was not impressed. Maybe it was the low blood sugar, or maybe I just believed the Frommer's book that claimed you could tour Ireland on $60 a day.