Cliffs of Moher & Galway

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In order to make the off peak time at the Cliffs of Moher, we got up for an 8am breakfast. Our hotel was not outfitted with breakfast facilities so we found a local cafe that was a 5 minute walk and open at that time of day. Kyle decided to join us since he was up already for his fishing day while Alex chose to sleep in and get ready while we ate. I managed to get a ginger tea from there as well as a Full Irish Breakfast to start my day well as I had all trip successfully so far. I had managed to avoid throwing up all but that first day which was a huge win!

After we ate, Kyle stayed behind to join his coworkers brother in their boat fishing exploration. We piled one less into the car meaning Laura and I had space to breathe a bit on our way to the cliffs. About an hour and half away from us, the drive didn't start too bad. Carl even commented on favoring this route over the area we came from and the nice wide roads. That sentiment didn't last long as we neared the area to the cliffs where we found winding narrow roads. We passed a couple busses stopped outside a chocolate shop we made note of for later.

The parking area at the Cliffs of Moher were so lackluster it had us worrying that we were in the right spot. Crossing the road we found the visitor center and entrance into the park much more as we expected. The first thing we noticed was the wind, which mixed with the misty rain really added to the chill. As I commented on forgetting my stocking cap, the others teased that two of the shops had plenty for sale. After a step or two more, that sounded fantastic so I quickly made my way there for some ear muffs. They even were labeled with Ireland, so I felt no remorse at the purchase.

We decided to start outside then warm up in the visitor center second. The cliffs were quite pretty, while not clear due to the rain visible enough for beautiful pictures. We headed to the right to get the best view of the long string of cliffs and check out the tower. Alex waited on the edge of the paved path due to his foot while we walked a bit further for a view of that cliff. As we began our track back the fog started rolling in. Crossing the gap with where we started gave us a view of the wind pushing the fog up over the side in a fastenating visual of swirling white. Soon we passed that way and the fog dissipated a bit for us to see the cliffs we just walked from. Alex and I paused at the end of the path as Laura and Carl went a tad more to try to catch more of the cliffs beyond. As we waited, Alex helped a man get a photo which led him to sharing more info than needed like he lives in upstate New York but is from Germany and temporarily living there again. He just came from Norway where he went on a snowmobiling expedition which required police notification and a guide to help avoid the polar bears in -28°C weather. He ambled off to find his wife after imparting all that and showing a bundled up photo of him on a snowmobile.

Cold from wind and rain, we marched back to the visitor center where we snagged 4 seats in the middle of a large table to chow down some lunch. The desserts also looked fabulous and only Alex was unable to resist temptation so ended up with a chocolate cake. We followed lunch up with a walk through the exhibit which focused on the culture in the area around the cliffs as well as the weather and geography of Ireland. It ended in a gift shop which of course found us waking out with a couple more souvenirs. I found a beautiful green pendant.

Well aware of the nauseating trip back, we broke up the drive with a stop at the chocolate shop we saw earlier. Luckily no coach busses this time in front. Turns out Heidi's Mountain Chocolate was one of very few places in the world that make their chocolate from bean to finished product. The place smelt fantastic and we walked away with a ton of fun items, including a chocolate sheep. Originally I had Dunguaire Castle on the list to visit on our way back, but I learned that it was closed for renovations, so instead we did a drive by photo. The remainder of the ride was uneventful and we found another parking spot in the lot right outside our hotel.

With it being mid afternoon, I opted for a short nap to gain some energy back from stomach rolling roads. Alex, Laura, and I then went exploring in Galway. We checked out a number of shops including getting Alex some new Magic the Gathering cards before going to collect Carl for dinner. My stomach still in a tizzy, I stayed behind to relax while watching a show. The others went to a bar restaurant called The Quay which advertised live music. They had great food, were joined by Kyle eventually, and had a few beers while listening to some traditional Irish music. As that was a fond memory of mine from last trip, I was pleased they found a chance to experience it themselves. Alex kindly brought me back my 3rd core of chips from the place in the Latin Quarter. A great end to my night.

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Photos

Cliffs of Moher
Rainy, but clear view

Cliffs of Moher
Covered by the fog that rolled in