Ennis to Galway

Ennis was the most relaxing place we've stayed yet. Good thing, too, because after a week of travel, I was exhausted. Also, Rowan Tree Hostel is wonderful! The best hostel we've yet stayed in, mainly because it is so clean and cheerful.

We didn't do too much in Ennis. It is well-situated for driving to the Cliffs of Moher or the Holy Island, but since we didn't have a car (or schedule enough time to take the bus), we didn't do either of those things. However, the town is very nice, with lots of traditional Irish music, and our hostel had a man come to give a free Irish lesson. My name in Irish is [Ay-leesh] (that's how it is pronounced). John's is Sean. In addition to teaching us some Irish phrases, this man (his name was Sean) and his partner, Maire (Mary) taught us to dance to Irish music, played on a concertina by a French girl named Laure. Laure was here for the music festival, and she played so well! The concertina, for those who don't know (I didn't!) is a mini-accordian. We also learned (and sang) a folk song in Irish about market day.

This morning, we caught the 51 Bus to Galway at half-past 9. We arrived around 11am, and since we couldn't check in until 3pm (at Snoozle's Hostel, also a very nice place, highly recommended), we dropped off our bags and went for lunch and a walk around town.

Galway sits on the water and has a seaside feel as well as a medieval feel to it. There is a nice park in the middle of Eyre Square where John and I sat after lunch, watching people walk by or lounge on the grass. We sat on a low wall next to a couple of Irish men with two dogs. I asked what kind of dog one of them was. It was a beautiful dog, tall with dark black hair and a long narrow nose. The man said it was a Mexican Labrador (I think that's what he said--I still have trouble understanding the Irish accent). I said the dog was very pretty, and he said "Thanks, he looks like me." He and his friend found that really funny. Besides people and dogs, Eyre Square also has a memorial to J.F.K, who visited here once. I took a picture, and it should be up on FB soon.

In addition to Eyre Square, we also wandered around the pedestrian-only streets that lead from the city center to the water. These streets are lined with shops, pubs, cafes, et cetera, and they are what give the city its medieval feel. One of the shops is where the original claudach ring was created, and it has a little museum for the ring. They have rings from the ages displayed, going back to the 1700s. Neat!

Tomorrow, if weather permits, we're heading to Aran Islands.