Now that we are officially past the halfway point, I’m especially concerned with not taking anything for granted. So, one day this week it was gorgeous outside when I got off work and I decided to walk home as opposed to taking the Luas. I didn’t need a jacket, the breeze was blowing, and I got to walk next to the river for an hour. It was sixty minutes well spent. I won’t have the opportunity to enjoy this scenery forever and I’m all too cognizant of that!
When Friday came, the girls and I packed our bags and headed
off to Galway! We’d heard mixed reviews, but there seemed to be one consensus:
the beach was gorgeous. So, we took a chance and hopped on a nonstop bus there
for the weekend. We ended up going with City Link, which has wifi onboard and
is the most direct route. Twenty euro paid for a round trip, which pleased me
because it was about a 2.5 hour journey. I’m loving public transport!
It was a really busy morning to say the least! Our bus from
Dublin to Galway left at 6:45 am and arrived a little after 9. Then, at 10, we
jumped on a tour bus to be shown Connemara. The weather wasn’t the most
cooperative, as it was raining on and off all day, but it didn’t get us down.
The scenery would have been gorgeous despite any outdoor condition! Our tour
guide joked that there are three kinds of weather there:
1.) It has rained.
2.) It is going to rain.
3.) It is raining.
I’d say that’s an accurate assessment, but the rain can stay
or come again another day for all I care. You’ll be hard pressed to bother me
here. J
One of the main attractions of Connemara is Kylemore Abbey.
It was this amazing castle that was once a house if you can believe it. I took
a picture of the exhibit’s sign which you can read below, but basically a man
named Mitchell built it out of love for his wife Margaret. Needless to say,
every woman there was swooning because it really is an adorable story! She once
told him she loved that part of the country so he went back years later and had
this ridiculous mansion built for her. Sigh. The girls and I had a good time
while we were walking through the grounds pointing to specific details while
shouting, “THIS is true love!” “No, THIS is true love!” It was a fun afternoon.
Along the way, we stopped at a little pub for a tea/coffee
break. I’m always charmed by these hole in the wall places as they each say so
much about the town and culture. Down to minute details such as the chairs, the
open fireplace, and even the sugar packets, I really enjoyed our break there.
After a long day of travelling along the countryside, we
finally arrived back in Galway. We made our way to the hostel, which was called
Kinlay. We had such a pleasant experience there! Inside the hostel was a common room with a
tv, a kitchen for resident use, a pool table, a cafeteria style dining room, and
computers with free printing. The whole thing really just reminded me of a
college dorm and I loved it. Everyone we saw staying there seemed to be about
our ages and they were really friendly/open about their stories. Most were
students, just like us, so it was easy to make friends and relate! I left my
mark there in the guest sign in book. J
That night, we decided to go out on the town and explore a
bit. We ended up meeting a group of—surprise, surprise—Americans. It struck me
as funny, though, that when you meet someone else from the states it is like an
instant bond! There’s an imbedded patriotism, and a mutual understanding of
what an awesome experience it is to be abroad. Also, deep down, you both are
learning to understand just what about America you miss, love, disapprove of,
and want to change. Consider my horizons broadened.
The next day, Saturday, we surprisingly did not have a plan
of any sort. We meant to research options, but it just never really happened.
We all slept in pretty late, got some lunch, and realized that half of the day
was already over! In the main plaza, we happened to wander into a souvenir
shop, where we heard some people talking about a weekend farmer’s market that
was taking place a few streets down! It was such luck that we heard about it
because we definitely wouldn’t have known otherwise. So, we made our way
through the city centre and stumbled through the adorable local market.
The booths ranged from hand stitched leather bags, woolen
socks, vintage clothing, wooden boxes and trinkets, freshly grown vegetables
and freshly squeezed orange juice, homemade donuts, seafood straight from the
harbor, and antipasto stations. It captured our attention for a few hours as we
just wandered through taking it all in. I’m proud of the day's spoils—a gift for
Kate, Melissa, my grandmom, and myself of course. ;) I couldn't leave empty handed, so I purchased these neat little headbands. I spoke to the
stand owner for quite a while, and he told me he taught himself to make all of
his gadgets because he was struggling to afford food. I felt happy buying his
products knowing that the money would go to a good place.
At the market, Meghan met a girl our age named Kate, who was from New
York. She was travelling around by herself, which I thought was brave! She ended
up hanging out with us for the day, and again I was reminded how neat it is to
connect with random strangers and how being abroad affords you that
opportunity. I also think that when I get back to America, this trip will make
a difference in how I approach people. That is, I think I will be more
comfortable talking to strangers and striking up conversation. I am so
interested in hearing different people’s stories as everyone in this world has
a tale to tell.
After we finished with the farmer’s market, we strolled
through the streets and appreciated the buzz that the weekend brought to
the city. Live music constantly lined the streets, and the whole city was brimming
with talent. One woman could tap dance to Celtic music like nobody’s business,
and another group of children could probably play the harp in their sleep.
Just past the city is this place where the water flows out
to the harbor. There’s a bridge and a curb where everyone hangs their feet off
the side and takes in the sunshine. We did as the locals did, and enjoyed some
homemade garlic pesto and bread that we purchased from the farmer’s market! Even though I’m well aware that you’re not supposed to feed
birds when there are lots of people around, I couldn’t help myself! These two
precious swans came swimming up to us, and I had a huge loaf of bread in my
lap! What was I supposed to do?
 |
| The harbor was adorable! |
We continued to wander down the shore, and eventually came
to this absolutely enchanting rock beach. It was basically deserted, and it was
such a relaxing and calming atmosphere for us. We all strolled around in silence,
taking it all in and seriously loving the breeze. All were contented with her own thoughts, and sometimes those moments can be just what the doctor ordered. The sound of the shore was
what my soul needed, and I couldn’t remember a time where I’d been that happy.
There was even this quaint little pier that led to a
lighthouse. We walked all the way to the end, marveling at how one side of the
water was perfectly calm and contrasted with the angry waters on the other
side. Nature is weird, but cool.
Our stomachs are what led us back into town. I’m pretty sure
if we wouldn’t have been hungry for dinner, we never would have left that
gorgeous seaside. Following the same pattern of the day, we really had no plan
on a specific dinner place. We just walked along the shops until somewhere
caught our eye. We ended up at a place called The Front Door and it was delicious!
Everyone left happy and full, which is definitely the sign of a successful
restaurant find.
As you can imagine, we were pretty worn out after dinner so
we decided to call it a night. We hit the hay around midnight which is actually early for us,
all things considered! It was such an utterly fun day of blending in, people
watching, and having totally unstructured itineraries. I appreciate planning,
but I also appreciate blind adventure.
Today, we checked out of the hostel and hopped back on our
bus home to Dublin. It struck me as funny that when we were walking back into
the apartment, I felt relieved as you sometimes do when arriving home after a
long day. Humans always adapt, and I identify this little apartment as my home base
now. You can’t argue—there’s nothing like your own bed!
Overall, Galway was an enchanting and lively place. I miss it
already. I’ll remember it as a town where everyone is singing and dancing,
laughing and sharing. Where the sky bleeds into the ocean, where there are
rocks instead of sand, and yet another amazing city in Ireland. I’m almost convinced that there are no disappointing cities in this entire country.
Thanks for reading, everyone! Stay tuned for my trip to London next weekend!
Xox,
Alyssa
P.S. Happy Father's Day, Daddy! I'm so sorry I'm not there to spend it with you, but know that you're in my thoughts and I miss you to death! Love you!
P.S. Happy Father's Day, Daddy! I'm so sorry I'm not there to spend it with you, but know that you're in my thoughts and I miss you to death! Love you!
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