GALWAY

First of all, I would like to say hello to Grandmother and Nancy. Now that I know you read my blog occassionally I feel like I can kind of respond to your letters. It is very nice to hear from you and I hope the Texas heat isn't too awful.

Second of all, I would like to make a list of food I am looking forward to when I get home:
Bodacious BBQ, Papacitas, Carlitos, free refills, olive garden breadsticks, red lobster, chicken and dressing (which is kind of funny I'm looking forward to it because people eat quite a bit of it here), bisquits and gravy.... that is all for now.

I'm not quite sure why I felt that was necessary to include in my blog, but that's the wonderful thing about this--- I get to say whatever I want.

So Galway.

Galway is on the west side of Ireland and about 3 hours by train--- it would probably be shorter if we didn't have to make stops along the way. I was traveling with three girls that have not yet been introduced to the blog. Bailey & Josi from Colorado and Anna from Kansas. Anna interestingly enough shares a few characteristics with Ann--- both look very nice with pixie haircuts, for example.

We left Friday evening after work and all met up at the train station. I was very happy to have the opportunity to travel with them-- I had known they were going but didn't want to mess with the hassle of getting tickets with them when Anna told me that someone in their group wasn't going anymore and she had an extra train ticket andhostel bed. So that was perfect. I just showed up and gave her the appropriate amount of payment.

I don't think I have ever traveled this much in my life. Plus there's a new level to my travel because even when I get back home to Dublin I'm still actually travelling.

Nothing very eventful happened on the train ride over, but it was nice to talk to the girls. Upon arrival we took a cab to our hostel, which was easily found. The hostel's name was Barnacles and it was located in the middle of a busy street of restraunts and shops. Galway is a college town and therefore fun and filled with interesting people plus an arts festival is taking place right now--- Jeanna, the ads for the arts festival are images of a blue dog. i'll try to take a picture of one sometime. they remind me of you --- so Galway was very busy and exciting.

There was someone sleeping in one of our beds when we got up there. She wasn't in my bed but at the end of the day I ended up being displaced, but no worries I just slept on an open top bunk in the same room.

On Saturday we woke up early and took a tour bus out to the Cliffs of Moher. We passed some old castles and faery rings too. The Cliffs were amazing (and I believe that is where the most recent Harry Potter was filmed). It was foggy and rainy when we got there, but it had cleared up a lot when we left. I had a delicious shepherd's pie and semi-cold coke for lunch. Good and simple meat and potatoes. I did wish I had some ketchup to go with it.....
Bailey and I were sitting next to one another on the bus and we were right behind the driver (who was bald and had a scab on his head) and had our legs crammed up against a plastic divider. The tour guide talker didn't have a seat so he sat on a pillow in the aisle right next to me. Absolutely no way to stretch my legs.

Once we got back to the hostel we took naps--- but I had to wait for new sheets for my bed, still my nap was good. Then we got dressed to go for dinner. It was probably around this time that I noticed an odd package under the bed of our newest mysterious roommate. There was a package of raw lamb meat under his bed. Our two other roommates, female law students from Kansas taking a three week course in Limerick, told us he was a guy that had a tatoo on his face. I don't know why someone would think it wise to store raw meat under their bed-- and we knew it had been sitting out for a long time because we'd been there about an hour. There's really no excuse because the hostel offered a kitchen with a fridge. Oh, but the story doesn't end there. After we returned from dinner two meat patties were left in the package. Quite a bit later I went to bed. That night I woke up when he came in to go to bed and after he had settled into bed I heard him drag something out from under his bed. Did I mention his bed was directly opposite mine? Then he sat Indian style in the middle of his bottom bunk and ate something. In the morning the package was empty. Make of it what you will; however, I am glad I stayed in a hotel in Paris and will be safely tucked into bed in London as well.

Still I would say my hostel experience was a good one.

On our final morning we woke in time to check out-- it was cold all weekend and I didn't pack the smartest, but it was okay. We grabbed some breakfast crepes from a creperie (delicious) and then wandered around the few open shops. Then it was time to head home to Dublin.

Good weekend--- but not too too many stories. Maybe that's just because I'm sleepy. Maybe I'll elaborate more later.

Today I gave my report to the board--- I think it went very well. They seemed excited about my membership scheme. Well, maybe not excited but interested and encouraging. I also got to see a play called Waiting for Ikea. It's very Irish and I'm not sure I got the jokes. Well I know I didn't get all of them because I couldn't even actually understand all of the words. It's equivalent in the states would maybe be a play about to best friend girls that are rednecks. It was very specific to Dublin and certain street where the girls where pajamas all day. It was funny and a very interesting piece of theatre.

Okay, I'm done for tonight. I'll add some Galway pictures for your perusal.