Galway Getaway

After missing a bus on campus, taking a bus to the city, then another two hour bus ride - my friends and I arrived in Galway at about 8pm Friday night. We were pleased to find out that our hostel was right next to the bus station so we had a short distance to walk with our bags. I got mercilessly made fun of because I was the odd man out in our group, which was filled with backpackers, but I was perfectly content wheeling my carry-on suitcase behind me :)

 After getting settled in our rooms - the girls in a private 8-bunk room, the boys down the hall - we ventured to an "off-license" (liquor store) to pick up some drinks for the night. Courtney and I separated from the girls and stayed in the hostel a little longer to play King's Cup with the boys and two Canadians we met in the common area then we ventured to Kings Head where there was a live band. We had a fun and successful night, ending it with a belly full of beer and fresh fish and chips!

We woke up early Saturday morning to explore Shop Street and the well-known weekend market, where I bought a handcrafted ring to replace the one I lost in the ocean this summer. We found the original Claudaugh ring store, stumbled upon a museum, ate delicious wraps in a warm cafe for lunch and had baked potatoes with crazy fillings at a restaurant called Couch Potato for dinner.

Saturday night consisted of:
-finding the one gay bar in Galway (and possibly crashing a lesbian's birthday party??)
-a few of our friends riding a mechanical bull at the smelliest bar I've ever been to
-randomly running into my UL roommate
-midnight meal at Supermac's

Another successful night.

We took a private bus tour on Sunday through the countryside and ended in Connemora at Kylemore Abbey. It was a beautiful but exhausting trip! I can't wait to see all of the country when the grass is a little greener because I'm sure it will be even more breathtaking!

One of our stops on the way to Kylemore Abbey

Galway is definitely colder than Limerick because it is by the bay, so I got good use out of my handwarmers.