See I've travelled around, I've been all over the world, Boys I've never seen nothin like a Galway girl

SPRING BREAK PART 2 of 3: GALWAY

Headed to the West of Ireland to find Miss Erin Cavanaugh. Definitely one of my favorite trips ever.

Used my polished British dialect to keep an eager Irish man at bay. His response to my “Could you tell me where the station is sir?” --- “Oh you’re English” (walks away). Dear Great Britain, Thanks for being one of the most uptight, hated empires ever. I am in love with you.

Found that other redhead and went back to meet her apartment-mates. They were all so great despite not understanding how Erin and I survive off at least two peanut butter and JELLY (not jam and also not jell-o) sandwiches a day. Watch it.

The first day we explored Galway. It is so beautiful and had a real town feel to it. It’s right on the ocean, which is perfect. It reminded me so much of Cape Cod. Her campus in Galway is beautifully green. The doors of Galway were a big hit. And ANOTHER lighthouse!!!

Swans in the harbor - so many!

Beach in Galway

Houses of Galway

Ok back to list form:

Explored Shop Street and had the most delicious Farmer’s Vegetable Soup and brown bread for lunch.

Walked along the beach to the lighthouse.

Went gift-shopping for babies clothes from Ireland. I’ll let this one float.

Convinced Erin to eat a piece of chocolate. There was no turning back after that.

Hung out with her roommates, made gnocchi somewhat successfully for dinner and hit bed for our adventure the next day!

After taking a little too much time perfecting the pb&j sandwiches and losing my purse behind a window curtain….we booked it to the bus! Huffing and puffing we sat on the bus for 10 minutes feeling a little stupid.

Off to the Aran Islands aka the most beautiful scenery I have ever seen. A ferry trip (still no whales) to the islands to rent bikes for the day.

Stopped into the Aran Island sweater shop and found a tweed-colored sweater to pick up later.

We spent the entire day on bikes riding around the island. The views of the ocean were beautiful, the people living on the islands were lovely and the cows and horses clearly live the high-life in Ireland.

We had a PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY (seeing a trend?) picnic on the beach.

Armed with a bottle of wine, a corkscrew provided by the nicest woman ever at a local safe and bars of chocolate we climbed up to the top of the cliffs. It was the most amazing view – I could’ve stayed there all day.

I inched, on my stomach, my way out to the edge of the cliff and then inched my way back. I was a little shaky.  It was worth to look for the whales. No whales reported.

We made a message in a bottle, chucked it off the cliff and booked it back down to the ferry – 30 minutes for a trip that took us 3 hours but we made it!!!

The ferry ride back with the sun setting over the hills we had just climbed was serious bliss. However there were still no whales.

We ate our fish n chips dinner on the way home so fast that I needed a break from fish n chips for at least 2 weeks post-dinner. I finally saw the movie Once – a movie about two people meeting on a street in Dublin and forming a two-person band. I can’t tell you the rest due to 5 hours of bike riding and a really comfy blanket.

The next day a train ride back to Dublin then off to Paris!!!