When we were planning this trip we thought it might be neat to visit the Aran Islands from Galway. They are rugged, remote islands off of the coast that are home to prehistoric ruins and hardy farmers, but we didn’t want to go if the weather wasn’t perfect, since boats only run every few hours. Sadly, despite today’s perfect weather, we decided that since we’re both still recovering from what we assume was COVID that hiking across the islands and up the steep cliffs would be too strenuous, so instead we spent the day around Galway. I expected this town to be more like Monterey, but it has a more industrial feel to it, with a more utilitarian and less tourist-friendly waterfront. We visited their aquarium this morning, which was actually a pretty good find, but then decided to leave town and headed south through the countryside to Moran’s Oyster Cottage for a late seafood lunch. This place ended up being a great find, with oysters pulled right out of the nearby estuary, and grilled crab claws for Audrey since she’s not a fan of slimy bivalves. From there we visited the nearby Coole Park Nature Reserve, and Audrey fell in love with all of the vine-covered trees.
The trip thus far has been good. The falconry yesterday was obviously a highlight, but the countryside is incredibly pretty, the Gap of Dunloe and Dingle Peninsula were quite memorable, and it’s amazing how many old castle and church ruins are hiding on random backroads. Driving continues to be fun, with tiny farm roads bordered by stone walls and flocks of sheep. The prehistoric sites have also been a surprise; I read about them beforehand, but it’s still a bit mind-blowing to find a 5000 year old building or tomb next to the road. I haven’t liked the towns as much as I expected to, but I think I was expecting them to be more like New England, with a church and a few little shops around a town square, while Irish towns tend to mostly have a more utilitarian layout, with a pub, a restaurant, a pharmacy and a grocery store lined up next to a narrow road.
Tomorrow we’re off to spend two nights in a castle, something we’ve been excited about since we first booked it, so it will be an opportunity to experience another side of this country before our trip begins coming to a close.