At the Crossroads

Day's Events:

Yesterday the majority of my day was spent on a day tour to the Burren and Cliffs of Moher. Though I tend to avoid such tours, this one was well worth it given the wealth of Western Ireland's natural attractions on the agenda. The Burren is a strange, Limestone infested rocky mountainous region which is on the whole, relatively thinly inhabited. It was interesting to view the rocky landscape, once settled by the druids several thousand years ago, and what remains today of their time here. During one stop there was enough time for me to hike partially up this rocky mountain, with fantastic views below, with the lush green fields cleared in recent decades for farming. Some may say its just a bunch of rocks, but it was cool.

The real show lied ahead, the thing which made this entire day trip worth my time and my clams. Though saturated with tourists, the cliffs did not disappoint. Their is scale is astounding, crash of the Atlantic waves breathtaking, and the temptation to play chicken with the 200 meter high edge frightening. The tour afforded us just short of an hour to walk portions of the cliff's edge designated for tourists, though most - and I mean everyone - choose to ignore the signs and jump the fence to explore the private property of those fortunate to own land overlooking such a majestic site. This trip truly made the entire afternoon, and visit to Galway, quite memorable. It should not be missed.

Unexpected Reunion:

You hear the stories of people stumbling upon friends or acquaintances from the distant past on such trips and you wonder if and when it will ever happen to you. Well, it turns out pretty early in the trip and pretty distant in my past. Five years ago I was working for Emory University during the summer after my sophomore year and we were given free housing - the 20 or so of us employed - for the duration of our employment in one of the freshman halls on campus. A few doors down was this kid Bart, a good guy but not someone who I ever clicked with at the time. Last night, he walked in the front door of the hostel I am staying at and our eyes met, somewhat of a double take, before placing each other. It was real cool to meet up in this fashion, to go out and have a drink with someone you haven't even thought about in five years. Enjoyed it quite a bit, as well as a lot of the other people that were at this hostel. If ever in Galway, Claddagh is the place to be - I was never bored and met some great people with a bunch of great stories to share.

Next Stop:

I'm leaving for Dublin in an hour or so via bus, staying one night before I'm to fly to Istria, a Croatian Peninsula near Italy, in the morning. Internet has been so omnipresent in Ireland that it has made writing consistently in this blog surprisingly easy. I doubt Croatia will afford me the same luxury, less the ubiquitousness of cafes, but more so the price - one euro or free in the majority of Irish locations frequented. Anyway, til next time. Seeya.