Day 21 Galway

Galway City

It was quick visit to the Beach this morning as I had plans to go to Galway City today. 

Lahinch Beach this morning

Lahinch Beach this morning

I was  a bit slow off the mark this morning after my big night out but I collected a take away coffee and I was on my way.

I thought I would go up the main highway to get there and come back along the coast road but that's another story! We'll get to that later.

Map Lahinch to Galway

So the road to Galway was great - 2 lane highway all the way, once I left Ennis.  

Until I got to the outskirts of Galway.... !!

I don't why on earth I decided to go to Galway on a Saturday - it was absolutely teeming with people.. bumper to bumper traffic and all the  car parks were showing "Full" signs!

But I had planned to park in the Cathedral car park (where I had parked before) and I must've had someone looking after me, because I just jagged it between the people coming out from the 11 am Mass, and the people going in for the First Communion Mass at 12.30 pm. 

It's definitely First Communion season right now, and Marie and Pat and family were off to Quin today for the First Communion of Pat's niece. And we had First Communion here in Lahinch two weekends ago...They must be waiting for the nice weather in May!

Anyway... I found a car park  at the Cathedral, so I started my Galway City adventures there..

Here's a few pics of the Cathedral... it's a lovely Church. I didn't have much time to stay there, because all the little girls and boys were traipsing in for their big day.

Galway Cathedral

Galway Cathedral

Galway Cathedral

Galway Cathedral

Galway Cathedral

I lit a few candles there for all my friends and family who are struggling with illness atm....

Then I moved on to go into town - just a short walk away.

Over the River Corrib...

If you look very closely in both pics you will see an Angler... apparently earlier today they caught a massive big Salmon here, according to the bloke who stood beside me as I was taking it!

River Corrib

River Corrib

The last few times I've been to Galway, I seem to lose my bearings and find it difficult to return to my car. So I took special notice of the way I got into town etc... but when I came to leave, I still struggled to find my way. Had to get Google Maps out to show me where to go!  The city seems to have lots of little alleyways and it's hard to line them up with where you want to go!

I started off in Eyre Square -it's also named JFK square after John F Kennedy - former US President.

Eyre Square

Eyre Square

It's a lovely green patch in the middle of the town and lots of people gather there to just sit and relax and perhaps eat their lunch etc..

While I was there, I spotted the Hop On Hop Off Bus and thought that would be a good idea to view the town as a whole. It took 45 minutes and it was great - I don't think I could've walked that far in the time I had.

Hop on Hop off  Bus

Me on the Hop on Hop off  Bus

The bus stopped for 5 minutes at Salt Hill, and there was a perfect view across Galway Bay

If you ever go across the sea to Ireland....

And see the sun go down on Galway Bay..

Here's the YouTube link to Bing giving it his best!!!

Galway Bay

Galway Bay

After that I went for a walk through the town. As I mentioned above the town diverges into multiple little alleyways, filled with lots of different shops. There are multiple tourist type shops full of mementos of Ireland! You will be pleased to know that I resisted everything!!! I'm not bringing back any souvenirs this time!

Galway City

Galway City

There are different quarters - the Spanish Quarter and the Food Quarter and I'm sure there are others as well....

There was also a little market - bit like the old Subi markets in Perth

Galway Markets

Galway Markets

This shop was very popular with queues inside the shop

Genuine Irish chips made with real potatoes!!

One little quirky thing they told us on the commentary on the bus was that this Church, St Nicholas, only had a clock face on 3 out of the 4 faces... because they didn't want  the peasants to have the time of day...

St Nicholas Church

St Nicholas Church

So that was my day in Galway. As I mentioned above I thought I would take the coast road home and it was just lovely until I got to Ballyvaughan. I stopped there at the same little coffee shop that I had stopped at earlier in my journeys. It was lovely coffee and I was ready to resume my drive.

In theory it should've only taken about 40 minutes, but I don't know what got into my Google Maps but she was determined to take through some very obscure roads, including going up some very high hills into the mist and heavy rain which was developing by now. 

I really knew where I was going more of less, but she was determined to take my via obscure roads...  It eventually took me about and hour and a half from Ballyvaughan., thought quite heavy rain and mist. I'm going to have to learn to just really follow the roads I know and not be seduced by her commands! I think it calculates which route will be quickest, regardless of the state of the little roads it takes you on.

Anyway I was very grateful to get home, as I was now beginning to wilt a little after my late night last night!!!

The might Hawks are on at 4 am my time tomorrow... not sure that I will be able to watch it live. 

And Marie has once again offered to help out with my washing tomorrow - these are the important things in life!!!