March 9-11, 2014
The most important thing of this period of days was
discovering the Jameson’s distillery on the 11th. I didn’t take the tour, but I
did take some pics and have a wonderful drink.
March 12-14, 2014
The trip to Galway. Booked a hostel in Galway and hopped the
train out there on Weds morning, backpack loaded down, as sort of a test run
for backpacking Europe and staying in hostels – neither of which I have ever
done. (Forgot my camera at my cousin’s house, dammit. iPhone to the rescue.)
Since it is spring, there were baby lambs everywhere at all
the fields along the way. Pretty cute.
Arrived in Galway, checked in at the hostel and the Italian
girl at the desk – Gaia – was so friendly and knew the answer to every question
I asked. (Why I didn’t ask her anything more important than directions and
recommendations, in reflection, is beyond me… She may have had all kinds of
cosmic answers…) I had to ask some basic questions, though, having never
“hosteled” before. I was sharing a room, as it turned out, with four college
girls and a random Asian guy. Wondered if there was always a random Asian guy
in a hostel.
Took a free walking tour around Galway that afternoon. Learned
that Oliver Cromwell was a real dick to the Irish, and I learned where the term
“lynching” came from. Turns out someone named Lynch had to hang his own son
without a trial, and the term came from there. Galway should be, in my mind,
the sister city to Portland – turns out they also pride themselves on
weirdness. The college there is one of the largest and most respected in
Ireland. It even has a Quidditch team!
They use Gaelic as much as English in Galway. There is one
part – the Claddagh – where it even is spoken more than English and,
supposedly, some people only know Gaelic and not English! Learned a word:
“Craic” (pronounced like “crack.”) It means “fun.” But tour guides are quick to
point it out to Americans when they use it so we don’t think it means the drug.
Also learned a fun slang term for a celebration: “hooley.”
The weather was lovely. At that point, I had spent almost a
month combined from two trips to Ireland, and had always had good weather. I
joked that maybe they were making up the whole rotten weather thing about
Ireland. (I shouldn’t have… I would find out a few days later how Irish weather
can be.)
The next day, I got up and took a day trip out into the
Burrens and to the Cliffs of Moher, where some Harry Potter scenes were
apparently filmed. The Burrens area is amazing – saw lots (see pics). An old
castle, a “faerie fort,” a famous ancient tomb you’ve seen before and should
recognize. It was a great tour, cause I got the front seat riding shotgun on
the bus. The driver/guide was fun, and he wound up having me help him count
passengers and even hand out tickets at one point. The only disappointing thing
was the Cliffs of Moher… because they were obscured by fog. But we went to a
lower spot where there were some amazing cliffs to see, so nobody felt too bad
about it.
I wasn’t feeling too sure about the hostel thing, and considered
going back Thursday night. Couldn’t get a train so stayed the second night.
Chatted with the dorm mates and it was all good. Turned out okay. Thought I
wonder how other people see a lone traveler. Are we scary? Sad? Fascinating? Left
Friday and headed back to Dublin, knowing things were about to get crazy there…
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