So after returning to Galway from the Burren, Allie and I grabbed a quick Fish n' Chips at McDonagh's, except I got onion rings because I just can't get used to the Irish chips. They are never crispy, but rather thick and mushy (and people LOVE that here). We then decided to hit up a place called Monroes, which is known for good Irish music and craic (fun). It was a blast. I bought my first Galway Hooker...... hehe, not what you think. Its actually the name of an Irish Pale Ale made in Galway and it is quite delicious. The music was great and I experienced real Irish "slagging" at a bar for the first time from a great guy named Sam. For those who don't know, slagging is basically when you insult and batter back and forth with someone, but its done in a joking, well-meaning manner. Sam even bought the two of us a pint when he noticed we didn't have anything to drink. It was a really great night.
The next day we woke up fairly early and caught a shuttle from Galway to the ferry for Inishmore, the largest Aran Island. We both stood on the open top deck taking in the scenery as the clouds began to part, letting beams of light pierce through and add a sense of grandeur to the whole trip. We arrived on the Island at about 11:00 am and quickly rented two bikes for 10 euro each to tour the island. By this time, almost all the clouds were gone and once again we found ourselves exploring Ireland in possibly the best weather imaginable. It must have been Allie's Irish heritage or something giving us good luck. It was so nice that I actually got sunburnt on my face...IN IRELAND!!!! WHAT?!?!!
The island is quite a spectacular place. It has an incredibly ancient feel to it in almost everyday. All over the island are thousands of free standing stone walls that fence off plots of land with nothing on them. The number of houses is very small and lots of them look quite old. The island is eerily quiet, like no one really lives on it; there weren't even birds singing. Old stone buildings that hearken back hundreds of years linger around the island. It is a gorgeous place on a nice day, but never someplace you would want to live. It is actually hard to imagine how people can live here.
There is one incredible sight that everyone should make sure to see if they visit the island and that is Dun Aengus, an ancient stone fort that sits of the top of the island. While although the fort itself is cool to see, the main highlight is the view you get from within-side it. The fort sits on top of dramatic steep cliffs that are second only to the Cliffs of Moher. Allie and I ate our sack lunches here and we laughed about how we had basically had the two most amazing picnics of our life back to back now.
Stay tuned for the thrilling conclusion of this saga when I wrap up day 3 and recall the amazingness that was Connemara in... EASTER WEEKEND HOLIDAY: THE TRILOGY.
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