Galway, Ireland: June 2 to June 6

Galway Girl

Léa and me on the train

Fish and Chips at McDonagh's

Latin Quater

Spanish Arch

Galway Cathedral

Pub I went to with Jim

Cultural Assimilation

Walk to Mutton Island

Walk to Mutton Island

Hostel room

Connemara National Park

Connemara National Park

Jacqueline and me at Connemara

Connemara

Connemara

Kylemore Abbey

Post-bus fiasco

Cliffs of Moher

Cow at the cliffs

Curry at the cliffs

Murphy's ice cream

Pretty airbnb

Grateful for some privacy :)

Beautiful breakfast

Walking around my last night

Yummy gelato

Sunset from airbnb

While I loved my time in Dublin, I was ready to be a Galway Girl for a few days. My Dublin hostel companion Léa and I rode the Irish rail together to Galway, giggling out of exhaustion at dumb things like how badly I wanted fish and chips.

Léa was meeting a friend in Galway who was joining us at McDonagh’s for the best fish and chips in the area. Once the train pulled in, I dropped my things off at the hostel and aggressively strided towards the food. I don’t really remember what the meal tasted like because I inhaled it (I was so hungry). It was already ten in the evening at that point, so I said goodbye to Léa and her friend, and went to my hostel to sleep.

This hostel was not fantastic. When I was unpacking my things, a girl in my room told me that after two months of backpacking, this hostel was her least favorite one she stayed in. Hm.

My first mistake was booking a room with ten people. Although those are the cheapest options (that’s why I picked it), I won’t be doing that again. I was sleeping on the second level of a three person bunk bed. After three nights, I was deeply humbled. I have come to realize the people you meet are what make a hostel worth staying in; this hostel was a little wack and no one was really talking to each other. I swallowed my pride and booked a room in an airbnb for my last night in Galway. This may be one of the best last minute decisions I’ve ever made.

Despite disliking where I was sleeping, I loved my time in Galway. It’s very charming and vibrant. My first day, I met up with my dad’s friend, Jim, who lives in the area. We walked around the city together, and he told me some cool historical facts about the landmarks. After grazing around the Galway Cathedral, we both admitted we aren’t very religious but agreed that the building itself is beautiful.

Jim and I had great conversations throughout our walk. We discussed a range of topics topics like Irish and American politics, retirement, and mortality. To wrap up our time together he showed me “the cultural side of Galway” (his words) by taking me to a pub at noon.

Day trips to hike in Connemara National Park and the Cliffs of Moher filled my other days in Galway. Jacqueline from Germany sat next to me on the bus to Connemara, and we became hiking buddies for the day. While waiting at the bus stop after our hike we were chatting with a man named John who owned a bed and breakfast down the road. In April I actually applied to volunteer at his bed and breakfast but he never got back to me. Small world! Anyway, the bus was late and we needed to catch another bus in the town over to avoid being stranded. John the savior zoomed us in his car to the nearby town where our bus came into sight. We showed our gratitude by throwing a few euros into his cup holder, then we hopped out of the car and sprinted up the traffic-ridden hill to the bus. We made it. An interesting side quest.

I really enjoyed myself in this city. I feel so lucky that my idea of traveling after graduation is actually happening.

My Galway activities

• Connemara National park

• Cliffs of Moher

• Galway Cathedral

• Latin quarter

• Eyre square

• Mutton Island

• Walk and pub with Jim

• Spanish Arch