"The Epic Views from Galway, Ireland"
I was knocked out the moment we got on the bus traveling from Limerick to Galway yesterday evening. Long days of activities and exploration, but shorter nights without full sleep is what this week of traveling has been like. Today was a free day to explore Galway all on our own without having any class meeting sessions to fulfill. My clothes were still a little wet due to Ireland's lack of commonality of utilizing dryer machines. Riding to Dublin currently on the bus to catch the connecting one, I feel a little grimy and not truly myself until I can take a shower and control the state of my hair once we return back to Belfast tomorrow evening. However, these sour feelings COULD NEVER shadow the amazing time I had with everyone at the Sleepzone Hostel Tour of famous attractions of Galway. We chose to visit the Cliffs of Moher and the Burren.
Our tour guy, PJ, was one of the most wittiest Irish men I've ever come across in Ireland so far. I laughed hysterically throughout the trip. PJ jokingly said "Don't you think its a bad idea I'm carrying you guys to the pub before heading up to the cliffs?" "You got to promise me guys that you won't get drunk off your as****?" More laughs than ever before sounded throughout the bus. Perhaps they were thinking about having a pint already and was shocked that PJ was onto their line of thinking.
The Burren was even more rocky than I could ever imagine as I hopped on different stones to get a better picture angle. The large stone tombs called "Megalithic" was built in Western Europe during the New Stone Age. Over 90% of the tombs are known to survive in the Burren with over six bodies and a baby found in past years. The baby had to be no more than 3 months based on the detection of pollen possibly brushed in her hair during that time after testing. What was so special about this small detail was that it showed the sacredness of burials since the beginning of time and how even now we enjoy sending off loved ones as prim as possible. The Burren looked in pretty good shape for it to be over 6,000 years old. Thinking about the shape of its formation, it reminded me of the mountain in the Lion King that Mufasah would stand upon as king of the Pride Lands. With only a few moments to spare, we'd head back to the bus to go to "Dunguaire Castle" in Kinvara.
Built in 1520 with a number of defenses, some of its structure was still preserved. I could imagine what folk life must have been like... villagers from far and wide coming to sell to vendors in the city markets. Knights would be patrolling from the castle walls of the grounds trying to maintain peace. Loud folk music playing in every direction, the laughter of young girls as lads try to flirt with them, the running footsteps of young children and men drinking merrily to their hearts desire on kegs of beer with missing teeth. As you might can tell from this visual day dream that my creative side can wonder off a lot at times. I was able to snap a couple of pictures with Serdjine, Anna & Virginia before continuing on the journey to the Cliffs of Moher.
We'd take a small detour to have lunch at the pub PJ mentioned. However, the chocolate fanatic that I am found her way into a Irish Chocolate Factory Store. They had just about every weird flavor under the sea like Seaweed Lime Chocolate, Caramel Fudge, Strawberry Crackle, Blue Mountain Chocolate, etc. I made an agreement with myself that if I didn't buy chocolate , I could have a Maggie May's chocolate fudge brownie milk shake. My other classmates were on a chocolate galore sugar rush as they bought as many as their hands could carry. Some said that they were for relatives, but no doubt they'll be gone by sunset. Chocolate crumbs at their mouth corner would be the only semblance of their existence.
Irish Beef stew with Sweet Bread
The Cliffs of Moher was spectacular and scary all at once! Watching the clear blue waves crash against the rocks below was mesmerizing. I never thought I’d be there to watch it first hand in front of me or traveling to this beautiful country. In that moment, I felt blessed to the point where nothing could dampen my smile. At the highest point in Ireland, I felt like I was queen of the mountain. There was a cave just below that I recognized from the Harry Potter Half Blood Prince movie and possibly Pirates of the Caribbean, which was quite astonishing. But not as astonishing as some of the visitors climbing the barricade to get a better selfie photo of the cliffs.
I laugh thinking about it now because I would never trust myself to be over the cliffs edge. Just one slip pr misdirection of one's foot could send them over the cliffs edge.
I ended the day with me overlooking the sea with my mind floating in the breeze. Just showing the act of appreciation as one of the core learning points of the course.
