I don't like guided tours so much. I started with strolling along the river where you find a lot of restaurants and the I guess most famous O'Brians The Ferryman pub. I grabbed a beagle and walked into the Merrion Square to sit down and eat. I continued with all the most important things you should have seen. St. Patrick's, Cathedral, Castle, Trinity College, City Hall, Guiness Storehouse and finally concluding with ... ... which are trying to drain a tanker full of Guinness!! We went down one side of the River Liffey that runs through Dublin. We saw all kinds of government buildings. We saw what they affectionately call the harp bridge. When you see the picture you will understand. Every bridge over the river is different. Some are traffic bridges, some are foot bridges and some are traffic/foot bridges. One that I want to tell you about is the one they ... The Sound of Music! ... this has been all such a new thing for me, it truly is baffling that I'm here, everyone. And I wanted to include this part of me being a bit blue in this entry because its true, and I want to really try to remember every bit of this wonderful experience.

This entire place, this time, the people I've met (And I do believe all of these great people are supposed to come across my path, and that our paths were supposed to cross for their own reasons, them for me, and I for ... Today was an absolute adventure to say the least. Column was our bus driver and was a great tour guide. We first started off taking a trip to the country side Tara Hills. Incredible area where these people lived and created the mound of hostages which are older than the pyramids! There was also a stone that if touched would give you fertility. We stopped at Bective Abbey where the famous scene of ...The 9/11 piece was very meaningful. Ireland gives a crystal bowl with planted shamrocks to the US president each St. Patrick's Day. This started with JFK. Went through the factory where they blow the glass, refine (sand the rough edges), mark the pieces for cutting and cut the glass. It was very interesting. Wandered thru the showroom trying to decide what to buy. Went across the street to the Bishop's palace to see the Waterford chandeliers.

Didn't have time for the full tour, ...Shadows of the past linger at The Sheraton Read House. Winston Churchill, Charles Laughton, Tallulah Bankhead, Gary Cooper, Eddie Rickenbacker, and Al Capone are just some of the luminaries who have visited this charming, elegant, and historic hotel. stained glass chandelier dcuoThe Read House is the first choice of discriminating travelers to Chattanooga. chandeliers bexleyThe first hotel to occupy this site opened as the Crutchfield House in 1847. chandeliers littlewoodsThe proprietors, The Thomas Crutchfield family, entered the inn-keeping business just as the Western and Atlantic rail lines prepared to link Chattanooga with Atlanta and other commercial centers in the Deep South. The Crutchfields built their inn directly across from the rail terminal, establishing a lively business from the start.

The trains arrived in 1850 and brought boom times to Chattanooga. By January 1861, times were changing and taking on an ominous tone. On his way home to Mississippi after resigning from the U.S. Senate, Jefferson Davis stopped here and at the urging of two local lawyers spoke to the crowd gathered in the hotel lobby. By all accounts, his remarks on the red-hot issue of secession were brief and temperate. However, when Davis finished, William Crutchfield, brother of the owner jumped up on the counter. From his improvised podium, Crutchfield reviled Davis as a traitor and military despot. Audience loyalties were divided and passions flared. Men drew pistols, women screamed and Davis stood ready to demand satisfaction. Bloodshed was barely averted when Thomas Crutchfield, Jr., a southern sympathizer, hustled his brother away in the nick of time. Not long after this incident, Thomas Crutchfield sold the hotel. The new owners soon had cause to regret their purchase. By 1863 the Civil War engulfed Chattanooga, snuffing out civilian commerce.

The hotel was the first building occupied by Union forces and converted into their hospital. The hotel withstood the ravages of the entire war only to burn to the ground in 1867. The story might have ended there, except for a doctor named John T. Read. In 1871, as the city's economic pulse began to beat faintly, Dr. Read and his son Samuel built anew on the site of the Crutchfield House. Opening for business on New Year's Day 1872, they gave their establishment the name by which it is still known - Read House. The Reads persevered through reconstruction and after 1879 with son Samuel at the helm, the hotel's reputation grew. Decade after decade, Samuel Read increased the hotel's standing amongst the travelers. The Read House became the address of distinction for out of town visitors. In the process the Read family gave the city an architectural landmark in 1926; when the present 10-story brick and terra cotta building replaced the original structure. Designed in the Georgian style by Holabird and Roche, it was built with lavish appointments now too costly to duplicate: terrazzo floors inlaid with marble;

paneling of quarter sawed black walnut, carved and gilded woodwork, mirrors recessed in massive arches; Waterford chandeliers glittering from the 25-foot ceiling of the Silver Ballroom and a lobby beautifully defined by its soaring columns. In 1977, the Read House was included in the National Register of Historic Places as a prime example of period architecture and decorative art. Since Samuel Read's death in 1942, the hotel has changed hands. In 2004, the hotel joined Starwood Hotel and Resorts as a member of the Sheraton family. To everyone who has known and loved the Read House, this celebrated hotel still honors the cherished past, while offering the finest modern day comforts and the warmth of southern hospitality. The Sheraton Read House is a unique experience inviting you to add to our history! Lighting & electrical ideas & advice Light bulbs buying guide Here at Homebase we have a massive selection of lighting, ranging from desk lamps to outdoor and garden lighting.

There are many styles, sizes and colours to choose from but one thing that they all have in common is that they need light bulbs. There are, of course, many different kinds of light bulbs for different lights and purposes but the right combination of light source and bulb can have dramatic effects which is why we stock a full selection of bulbs.LED light bulbs are currently proving to be very popular because of their very long lifespan and durability. As well as these, there are also the more traditional energy saving light bulbs that can also help to keep energy bills and usage down - very important in the age of spiralling energy costs. There are also globe lights which cast a warming glow in all directions.Halogen bulbs offer another alternative with a bright beam that's great for outside spaces and garages. Check out the speciality bulbs, like spotlight bulbs and strip lighting at Homebase too. We try to offer as many lighting options as possible to cover all your lighting needs. So, if you need to shed some light on a problem, then why not check out our range of lighting and light bulbs online or in store today?