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Published: March 16th 2008
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The Cliffs of Moher
this was my first look and the first picture that EVERYone takes. My last few days in Dublin were great! I toured Christ's Church Cathedral. Beautiful! I also checked out an exhibit on early viking life in Dublin. My last day in Dublin before heading out West I went to The Guinness Brewery! It was AWESOME! When you finish the self guided tour, you go up to the SkyBar where you get a free pint of the freshest Guinness in the world to enjoy overlooking the entire city!
On Friday the 7th I caught a bus from Dublin to Galway. The trip, normally about 3:40, took almost five hours (we had to switch buses halfway there because the door broke on the first one) but other than that, the trip was fine. I actually got to talking with Adam, a fellow traveller from Canada, who was making his way around Ireland to figure out a place to possibly settle down for a while. Great guy! I wasn't sure where the hostels were in Galway so I went with Adam to the one he was staying at hoping to get a last minute bed for the night. Check-in was interesting, in front of us was a group of 20 or so guys in
town for their friend's bachelor party, and were drunk beyond belief. (they almost got kicked out of the place before the got in!) But after they cleared the lobby things calmed down and I scored the LAST room in the 200 bed hostel! I went to the room to drop off my pack and leave a note for my new roommates to explain the extra luggage. Then it was hit the town to see some live traditional Irish music! I found it no problem on Shop Street, in the heart of Galway City Centre, at Tis Coili (pronounced: tee colee). I went in and sitting in the corner among the crowd were three musicians playing the accordion, the guitar, and the fiddle. PERFECT! The music was great the Guinness was perfect and the place was PACKED! I met a French guy, Max (who also was staying in my hostel - random). After a little while Kevin showed up (Kevin is a friend from New York, he interned with the company I used to work for and is now studying at the National University in Galway). We had great time and I ended up back at the hostel around 2am, snuck
Tis Coili
Great traditional Irish music spot. Very crowded most nights, but with all great people! into my bed for some much needed sleep after a pretty long day. When I woke up, my roommates were gone, I got some breakfast, showered and checked out.
Later that day I met up with Adam and Kevin at a pub called The Quays (pronounced: keys) to watch a big rugby match between Ireland and Whales. Whales won, oh well they'll get'em next time. Adam and I headed back to the hostel where he kindly shared some of his AMAZING Beamish stew! Feeling full and ready to go out we met up with Mark (a Welsh fisherman - aka Welsh Buekema!), Max and a few others we met at the hostel. Around 11:00 i said goodbye to my new friends and headed out to meet up with Kevin and his friends who I stayed with for the rest of the week.
Monday I went for a walk down to the water, I'm drawn to it here! seeing the ocean is great...especially knowing that beyond it somewhere is New York!
The next day I went for another walk/hike only this time it ended up being about 7-8 miles! I just walked down to the water again and then westward along
the beach. After a while I found a diving platform and couldn't resist a self-portrait. By the way, if i haven't mentioned it yet, the weather was rainy and windy the ENTIRE time I was in Galway, but it was on this walk that I decided to laugh at it and accept it as a part of my adventure.The WIND was just unreal!! I've never felt anything like it, I could barely stay standing most of the time. I finally made it out to a place called Fairy Island...its a kind of bluff that juts out into Galway Bay. The views were AMAZING!
That night I went with Kevin and his friend Ed to a bowling alley where on Monday's and Tuesday's they have a deal that if you by a pint, you get a free game! ahahaha! only in Ireland!
On Thursday I decided to take a bus tour to the Cliffs of Moher and The Burren. I wasn't thrilled about hopping on a bus where so guy is dictating how long I get to spend visiting one of the world's most breathtaking places, BUT I thought it would be better than not seeing it at all. The tour
Last drink with the Hostel Peeps!
From the left: Adam, a guy from Berlin, a girl from Canada, Mark and Max. left at 10am. What a wonder-filled countryside, just gorgeous! (so many sheep- ahahah!) and CASTLES! When The Burren finally comes into view, it was a landscape somewhat akin to the moon. HUGE mountainous hills made entirely of limestone.
The Cliffs were UNBELIEVABLE and, like the Grand Canyon, pictures will never do them justice...but it's hard to resist trying.
We stopped once more at a 5,000 year old Megalith called the Portal Tomb.
Moving through this countryside is like stepping back in time...it sounds cliched, but it really IS. Miles and miles of stone walls and thatched roof houses that people still live in! I wish that I had gotten the chance to get out and talk with a few of them.
That night it was one more night of college partying with Kevin and his friends and capped it off with a trip to a place called the Charcoal Grill...a must late night kebab stop!
Friday I made my way to the bus station and back to Dublin, where the Porters were waiting! It was SO great to see them again! I'll be here in Dublin through St. Patrick's Day and then fly to London on Wednesday the 19th.
Poulnabrone Dolmen
The Portal Tomb. About 5,000 years old (that's about 4,000 older than Stonehenge) The Stone on top weighs over a ton! I'm feeling good after my first 2 weeks. a little homesick, but LOVING Ireland and will definitely come back some day!
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koz
non-member comment
lucky bastard
hey brother, it sounds like you're having an awesome time, filled with exclamation points and great times. New York misses you, but keep having fun and enjoying this time for all it is. it's not every day you get to wake up and just explore a place you've never been. also, enjoy the guinness! cheers!