Annastasia and I decided that Monday morning, we were going to go on an adventure. So, we took a train to Galway from Dublin. It was easy to get our train tickets, and we spent an hour or so in the station waiting for the train.
The trip took a little over two hours, and we saw some absolutely lovely countryside. We saw acre after acre of green fields, dotted with sheep... a lot of them newborns! So cute!!!!
We had no real plan for when we arrived in Galway, so we got off the train and just kind of stood around for a while in awe of our new surroundings. The town was lovely, a large central square surrounded by off streets filled with cool shops, hostels and inns. We walked around the corner from the train station and the first place we saw, we booked a room. The hostess told us that at 9:45 am, the Galway tour company would be by to collect us if we wanted to take a tour, no booking required! We dumped off our huge-ass purses that double as overnight bags (jesus, how can women carry these things as purses?!?!?) and went out and about town, walking up and down charming streets lined with pubs and shops. We had a late lunch/early dinner at a great placed called The Kings Head, and walked around some more. Finally, after giving some change to an amazing 'busker' (street musician/performer) turned in to the hotel for some TV and sleep.
Well, the hotel was rather... thin, and we could hear everything going on all around us, sneezing and coughing, laughing and bathrooms... and the night club next door with the bass and drum music till well after 2. To top it off, the fire alarm went off three seperate times during the night, due to someone smoking cigarettes in their room I am assuming.
We were in the lobby, cameras in hand at 9:45, just in time to be led to the bus where we paid 20 euros each to take the day tour.
In retrospect, the 20 euros was a steal, as the trip was worth about 10 times what we paid. Needless to say, it was amazing. The cliffs were breathtaking, and we both went beyond the "Do not enter" sign to the edge. Talk about terrifying. I felt like Annastasia could have been swept up by the wind at any moment, so I made us go back to the "safe" trail for photos and such.
It was so awe inspiring to see the Atlantic ocean beating up against the cliffs some 8 meters below us. That translates to aproximately 5 miles... 5 miles above the ocean looking straight down. It was breath taking.
The tour guide gave us some fun and interesting facts about a few other stops, such as the Poulnabrone Dolmen, a tomb some 5600 years old, and the Corcomroe Abbey, an old graveyard/church full of awesome tombs and stuff. All in all, the tour was about 8 hours, and it was utterly amazing.
We stayed the night at the hotel again, and thankfully, there was no 'disco' for us nor did the fire alarm go off. :)
Back on the train early next morning, and we arrived in Dublin at around noon.
The day was spent grooming and hanging out in the house, and we wrapped up the night with a great dinner at the inn's fantastic restaurant.
Tomorrow... TATTOO!!!
