Saturday morning in Galway started off with an early morning 12 mile run. I am training for a marathon in October and trying to stay on schedule even with all this traveling. The Galway Kellys live in a pretty rural area, and the evening before they showed me how to get to Salthill so I could run along Galway Bay. As I have mentioned before, I am not very good with directions. As soon as I turned out of the driveway, I was going in the wrong direction. This led me to be on country roads for 12 miles. I am not used to driving on country roads never mind running on them. After the first 2 miles I had to have a talk with myself. See, I wasn't enjoying the run at all, and my heart was beating a million miles a minute. I was really nervous running on these roads. So, I said to myself, "relax and calm down or just turn back now because it won't be worth it." Being a big girl, I continued on and calmed myself down. Then, it became a thoroughly enjoyable experience. I passed 3 cyclists on the road and 1 walker. That was it for 12 miles. Along the way, I stopped to take in the view and admire the beautiful animals I saw along the way: cows, horses, donkeys, and even a little bunny. Many people can attest to the fact that I really am not a pet person, and in fact have admitted to my 3rd grade students in the past that I hate cats, but I really love animals that don't reside in your home. Cows and elephants are my favorites. I did see a dead cat this evening just lying on the sidewalk and felt a little sorry for it. See, I am not heartless. If you get the opportunity to run on country roads in Ireland, take it. I would go earlier in the day around 8 or 9 on a weekend to avoid more traffic. All in all, I felt like I really accomplished something when I returned back to the Kelly's, and the rest of them were chowing down on a traditional Irish fry (fried eggs, sausage, black pudding, rashers, beans, homefries).
Next up in the day came a trip to Connemara. See Tim's uncle and aunt live out there, and Maura and Tim happened to bump into his aunt on Friday night at the grocery store an hour away from their house in Ros Muc, Connemara (you'll find the more you travel, the more you realize how small the world is). Driving out there, I couldn't get over how out in the middle of nowhere we were and how different the landscape was. Apparently, feel free to correct me if I am wrong, when Oliver Cromwell invaded Ireland in 1649, he pushed many Irish out to Connemara where the land was nowhere near as fertile which made it difficult for them to survive. I was thinking exactly the same thing as we continued further into Connemara. I asked no one in particular, "how do people live out here?" Tim answered, "oh, Kate, I think you'd love it out here. You'd be like a duck to water!" We all know how far from the truth that is. Despite the barren landscape, the people were absolutely lovely. Tim's aunt had a varied spread set out for us for lunch and served Maura and me Dunkin' Donuts coffee. Ah, a taste of home. Their 2 daughters were just as gracious as their parents, and their youngest took Maura, Ryan, Dylan, and I for a leisurely stroll around the neighborhood. Two things that stuck out were the Twelve Pins Mountains and one of the 2 shops/bars in the town where parts of the film "The Guard" were filmed. Great movie if you get a chance to watch it; I highly recommend it. After a few hours of chatting, eating, and drinking coffee, we hit the road back to the Kelly's for an evening of much of the same.
Maura, Tim, and our cousin, Deidre put together a fantastic meal from Jamie Oliver's 30 Minute Meals cookbook. It was green curry and an amazing coleslaw. I am not a fan of the stuff usually, but this was made without mayonnaise and was the favorite dish by far. We all sat around the table talking and laughing and drinking red wine. If you are ever at their house, I am sure Eileen will make you an Irish coffee, and you should not refuse. For those of you who have never had an Irish coffee, it is made up of coffee (duh!), Irish whiskey, and whipping cream. So yummy! You should really try to limit yourself to one. We all retired to the sitting room (living room) where we caught some of the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics. I am really rooting for the Saudi women; it is the first time they have been allowed to participate in the Olympics. I have to say, I really appreciate the Kellys and spending time in their home. They are all so welcoming and make us feel right at home.
As you can see, I didn't do much sightseeing while in Galway. I will give you some recommendations from previous visits. 1. Salthill - it's a terrific place to walk, run, people watch, or take in a beautiful view. There is a fun fair there for kids and a leisureworld with a pool for rainy days. 2. The Aran Islands - risky boat ride, not for the faint of stomach. I was there 14 years ago and was amazed by their way of life. You can do a day trip there to get a feel for it. 3. The Cliffs of Moher - these are actually in Clare, but it is only about an hour drive and well worth the trip. These cliffs are breathtaking. 4. The Galway Races - these take place the last week of July/ first week of August. Great fun and people watching. The atmosphere is spectacular, and if you get some good tips, you can win a few bucks (euros). 5. Cactus Jack's Restaurant is a good spot for Mexican. I have been there a few times and have never been disappointed. 6. Galway City Centre - small, walkable area that is very pedestrian friendly and has many shops, restaurants, and pubs. The King's Head is a favorite of mine.
Hope you take some of my suggestions for a visit to Galway. It is truly one of my favorite cities to visit.
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