July 2017 –
When a coworker asked me how I was spending a 4-day weekend and I answered I was going to Ireland, I received a bit of a quizzical look. Which in all fairness, I guess it does seem a little strange. But in July of 2017, I did just that. I boarded a flight from Chicago to the Shannon Airport for three days in Galway, Ireland. Adam had been in Galway for the week attending a work conference and I joined him for a bit of sightseeing before heading back together. Previously, Adam had traveled to various locations in Ireland for both work and vacation and thought I would enjoy the area surrounding Galway. After visiting, I can see why!
When people think of Ireland, I think they think of a few stereotypical things, shamrocks, the color green and of course, Guinness. When I think of Ireland I now add one other item to that list, laughter. I’ve never laughed so much on any trip or heck even a few trips combined. It was about an hour and half drive from the airport to Galway and even with a small bit of jet lag my driver had me in stiches the entire ride. As luck would have it, (pun intended) the charm of the Irish wasn’t limited to my first interaction.
We stayed at the Galway Bay Hotel. It has a fantastic location along the Saltway promenade and is only about a 20-25-minute walk into Galway.
Along our walk we passed plenty of charming houses and places to grab a pint. It does seem as if you can truly grab a glass of Guinness just about anywhere in Galway!
Galway is also a college town leading to a youthful vibe throughout the city. There are often musical performers playing at various locations along Quay Street. Even Adam couldn’t resist the music when a young lady pulled him out to dance. This I promise you is something that would not happen in the US. But that’s my favorite thing about Galway, no one takes themselves too seriously. They crack jokes at their own expense and sometimes at others but in a lighthearted way.
So, about the weather…. well our first two days it wasn’t great. There was a brisk breeze and on and off rain which, as it turns out, is the perfect recipe to spend time indoors checking out additional pubs! Did I mention that are a lot of places to grab a Guinness? Each pub seemed to have the perfect little nook to add to its charm. And many of the pubs are also filled with live music so you can enjoy the party even in the rain.
We wrapped up the evening of the second day with a delicious meal at Ard Bia at Nimmos. It sits right outside of the Spanish Arch in an 18th century custom house. There is so much charm on the inside of the restaurant and our meal lived up the expectations and reviews. Make sure to grab a reservation to ensure you get a seat!
On our last day, we scheduled a trip to the Cliffs of Moher. As luck would have it, (I can’t stop!) the skies were a gorgeous blue. We boarded a bus for the excursion and yet again, we had the funniest driver. At one point we had to slow down behind a pack of bicyclists that weren’t exactly moving at a record speed. He kept making jokes over the loud speaker about being behind the Tour de France. And it was that sort of quirky side commentary repeatedly; I remember Adam and I laughing so much throughout the drive.
The Cliffs were beautiful that day and we decided to take a boat trip to see them from the water before heading up top.
Here is a funny thing about travel, you often learn interesting facts about your spouse too. Adam learned very early on, that I don’t like down escalators. (Yes, this is strange. No, I have no idea why I’m afraid of them.) On this trip I learned that Adam gets seasick. The boat went out on the open Atlantic and even on the calm day, it was a bit of a rocky ride. At one point I looked over at Adam and his lips were WHITE. I had no idea that this sort of thing makes him sick! He claims it only happened one other time and it is true, we’ve been out on other boats with no issues but this was not one of those times. He made it back to shore in one piece and luckily felt good as new as soon as his feet hit solid ground.
The views from the top of the Cliffs were remarkable. I do have to admit I did scratch my head a few times as I saw how close some people got to the edge just for the perfect selfie. I accepted their beauty from a safe distance!
When we arrived back to town, it seemed as if everyone was out enjoying the day. There were people everywhere taking advantage of the beautiful weather.
We finished the day with a meal a little outside of town at O’Grady’s on the Pier. This restaurant specializes in serving fresh seafood caught daily. We sat and watched the sunset over Galway Bay while enjoying desert.
Our departure the next morning was brutally early. I was looking forward to getting some sleep in the car on the way back to the airport. But again, we had the best driver! He had me laughing the entire ride and I never slept a wink. He was talking about his daughters watching US reality TVs shows and it gave me a chuckle thinking of how crazy we must seem to the rest of the world if that’s their impression of the States. It was the fastest hour and a half drive of my life and it wasn’t even 6:00AM!
While the trip was short and sweet, I fell in love with the Irish people. In addition to being hilarious, they are so welcoming. Even walking through the wind and rain is worth it for some pints and some laughs in Galway.
Postcards To Mabel 