Hey readers, due to some unfortunate events (namely the website wanting us to pay in order to post more photos) we have been forced to continue our blog on a different website. To view this awesome new blog, click on Transatlantique.
After returning to Galway and spending the night at the local sleepzone, we headed off the next day on a tour of the Conemara region in county Mayo north of Galway. Our first stop on this clear and beautiful day was a Ross Errilly Friary. Next stop was Cong Abbey, another really old building that is older than our country. Instead of doing this tour in one day, we decided to split it in two and stay the night at a sleepzone along the way. When we got to the hostel we realized that we had no food and the closest town, Leenaun, was a ways down the road; and so, Jamie and I (Colleen) decided to go for a nice hike on a mountain trail to the town while Jesse stayed behind to sleep. After stepping through mud puddles, dodging sheep and sheep poo, Jamie and I finally made it to town before the stores closed. Anyways, we got back made dinner and went to bed. The next day there was a Turf Guy challenge going on in which 2000 contestants had to run 5km through a bog and then 5km through a dirty and muddy obstacle course. It was hullarious! And Jesse even got a hug from one really muddy contestant. Anyways, we got picked up from our tour bus and continued our tour. First stop Kylemore Abbey–a castle-turned abbey–which included a Gothic Cathedral, a Mausoleum and some wonderful gardens (we didn’t go see the gardens). Our last stop of the day was a thatch house replica from “The Lonely Man” which starred John Wayne (Marion Robert Morrison). After a long day, we finally made it back to Galway.
On the first of November, we jumped on a bus from Cork to Galway. Shortly after that, we boarded another bus to take us to a ferry to the Aran Islands. The island we visited was called Inis Mór. The hostel we stayed at was overlooking the harbour, and it was a rough crossing, but we got there safe. (Oh and that night, we went for a walk about the town and stumbled upon the Joe Mac Bar! We still don’t know if that’s “our” Joe Mac or a completely different Joe Mac). The next morning, we rented bikes and rode around the entire island. It’s a small island, but it was a fun ride. Lots of hills, and a great view of the ocean; ya that’s right the Atlantic Ocean. The entire island is made up of small farms, and the farms are separated further by small rock walls (called ‘dry stone walls’) that keep the animals in. We even got to feed some horses and saw a buttload of sheep. Anyways, on the island we found a ancient fortress build on the edge of a 200 foot cliff. That was cool. After the cliffs we visited the beaches. Nice warm beaches. Not really warm. It is November. Really cold, actually. Anyways, after we stayed the next night, and we did laundry, we left on the ferry back to Galway.
A little note on one of the pictures :
-the one where Colleen is looking like a nutter with her arms at her side and pressed back: she is doing a seal impression.
colljess 