Galway and the Misty Cliffs - Day 3

Saturday, July 12 -- Ireland, Day 3.  Picking up from our travel journal:

"We slept even better on Friday night and rose and showered before the children in order to get on the road to Galway in a timely manner. We stopped at Tesco again in order to pick up some of the breakfast sandwiches the man at the deli had told us about the day before--basically a baguette with sausage, hash browns and black pudding (heavy with sesame seeds) and butter and ketchup.  Filled our tummies, but still a bit unusual to our taste.  

"We drove first to the Cliffs of Moher, seeing some really beautiful scenery on the way. 

 "Entrance[to the Cliffs] was 6 Euros per adult, and sadly it was drizzling and foggy and we caught maybe one glimpse of the cliffs and sea as the fog cleared momentarily.  Being a Saturday, it was quite busy with tourists nonetheless, and our two water girls were happy on our walk.  

[This is the clearest it got . . . we could just make out a cliff.]

[The very good trail was set down into the earth with a rock wall protecting pedestrians from the cliffs.]

[We read later that this tower was constructed as a visitor center in the 1970s.  It was closed and clearly undergoing maintenance, but the new center was built into the side of the hill in 2007.]

[Where the trail ended, a herd path continued onto some farmland, with instructions to enter at your own risk.]

"We spent a fair amount of time in the visitor center afterward learning about the history of the cliffs and interacting with their technology. 

"We snacked on our Tesco treats for lunch in the car on the way to Galway.  Saw some really beautiful scenery, but it was a long drive for the girls, and of course they wouldn't sleep in the car.  We arrived at the Abbey View Bed and Breakfast and had some tea after we moved in, then decided to walk around Glencoe Abbey and its golf course across the street for a bit.  Returned, met the lady of the house, and she was happy to adjust our room from two twin beds to a "king" plus pack n play after she directed us to the town centre for dinner.

[A train-car-turned-restaurant behind the abbey.]

"We drove to Galway to park at the cathedral as she [our hostess] directed, losing our way only a little, and the kids were maddeningly finally sleeping just as we parked!  We took them out anyway and Ruth slept for a while in the back pack while we walked along a sweet little canal path into the town centre.  

[lovely swans!]

[Galway town centre]

 "John and Gemma became enraptured with a street performer juggling chainsaws and lying on beds of nails...he controlled his crowd well, undoubtedly manipulating others to give him lots of $$ by giving Gemma 5 Euros and another little girl 10.  We finally made our way to an Italian restaurant on a side street where we wrangled the kids while we had a delicious 10 Euro special apiece--garlic pizza bread and spaghetti bolognese for John and salad and shepherd's pie for me.  

[This street performer extricated himself from a straight jacket while on a very high unicycle!]

"Walked back and paid for keeping the kids out so late as they were difficult to put down, but Gemma certainly enjoyed sleeping in the big bed next to daddy and mommy.  :) (She did not so much enjoy having to apologize to our hostess for breaking a terra cotta cat.)"

We gave our hostess a nice tip, feeling badly about that cat.  She was just charming, though--her house was an ordinary family home with lavish gardens and worn-out furniture.  (We shared the hall bathroom, as well.)  I wish we had taken a picture of the crisp linens and lavender on each pillow which greeted us when we first entered the room.  It was our smallest room of the trip, but comfortable and we certainly enjoyed the experience.