We drove from Dublin to Galway and then up a long and challenging road across some wonderfully remote bog and moorland to Clifden. I was happy on that road up to about 50 mph, but the White Van Man behind clearly wasn't, so I pulled off into a layby to let him through, nearly wrecking the front suspension on two huge concealed potholes in the process. The mountains were starting to close in.
The many small loughs here often have little islands in the middle, often with ruined buildings hidden in the scrub, and I had a pleasant fantasy involving a lottery win and complete retirement from the human race.
That evening, Anna expressed (or, rather, re-expressed for the ninetieth time) her desire to see the sun go down over Galway Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. This, and the shortened day, was the reason we took the motorway from Dublin rather than the pretty and winding option. However, a good look at the map persuaded us that this was not possible - not without a 30-mile walk, anyway - but we set off for an evening stroll in any case, just as the light was fading. For one thing, we found that Irish estate agents had not lost their sense of humour ...
... and that the Irish are protective of people's rights to walk a pretty walk without getting mown down by cars (the sign advising of a €150 fine for dog mess wasn't quite so photogenic) ...
We ended the walk with this view, the nearest we got to a Galway Bay Sunset. It was good enough.
Tomorrow will see us driving the Ring Of Kerry, and more moody, out-of-focus photo-opportunities, so keep checking back. This B&B has awesome wi-fi. The router is literally a foot from the bedroom door, and it's waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay better than what we have at home.
Ah, sometimes I wish I wasn't so far away from good ole Europe. I'd love to travel Ireland one day...
ReplyDeleteI'm wishing that my mother would move back to Ireland - I miss the place!
ReplyDeleteHow did you manage with the €s??
Sonja - make a decision and do it. It's a lovely place and the people are fantastic. Al those friends you haven't met, yet.
ReplyDeleteNikos - you don't need a parent there! Mine never even visited as far as I know, and I've been three times :) The Euros? No problem, except that I never seem to have enough. Jeez, but it's expensive here.
Always fancied a motorcycle tour there - guaranteed that the Nikos rain and wind curse would take hold...
ReplyDeleteNo such thing as bad weather, etc etc. If I was coming back here on a bike, it would definitely be the XT. The roads away from the EU funded 'improvements' are shockingly bad, so long-travel suspenders are a must. And to be frank, for the pretty bits the Sprint wouldn't have got out of second gear. The XT would have been the ideal tool.
ReplyDelete