Ireland- Day 7: Galway

Well today's weather was even crummier than yesterday's. It took me a while to work up the courage to leave the comfort and coziness of Robin's apartment. I heard the wind howling in through her window and watched people fighting with the wind and the rain. But I really couldn't justify not leaving the apartment either.

So I bundled up and decided I needed to head out or starve. And since I had already missed breakfast, I wasn't missing lunch too.

I wandered down some streets I hadn't been on before and walked into a nearly empty Italian restaurant, Milano. I wasn't expecting anything amazing and I got exactly what I had expected- pretty average pizza. But it got me out of the rain and filled up my belly for a little while.

With a meal behind me, I took off and wandered around some more. Robin had told me about a cupcake place that I found about a block away from the pizza place. Since it was still really windy and rainy and cold, and my poor umbrella seemed to scream with pain each time the wind whipped it forcefully in a direction it just should not be going in, I figured stopping in to get a cupcake would be perfect. "I'm on vacation" I said to no one by myself as I opened up the door.

I was greeting with a beautiful table filled with lovely looking treats and knew I had made the right decision.



I started the laborious task of removing all my layers (hat, scarf, jacket) and took out my book after I placed my order.





Neither of my meals lasted long and I had to return to the wacky outdoors. I tried to just brave it and walk around, but it was miserable. And I figured it was okay if I went back to Robin's place and did whatever I wanted there. I felt like I had to go to the pub and read or write, but I just wanted to crash on the bed and do nothing that required too much thinking and absolutely no walking around in the rain.

I had some time to really think about what I wanted to do tomorrow and Thursday. Options were wide open but it was narrowed down to taking the train from Galway to Dublin and spending the night there and then going out to the airport for my flight to Budapest or renting a car and driving to Carrick-on-Shannon, going to The Thatch and then driving myself to the airport for my flight to Budapest.

I know I know. Going to The Thatch is a no brainer, right? Well with Gene not being there, I really wasn't sure how it would be. Besides, I could go to Dublin and spend the night in a nice hotel and do a bunch of walking and sight seeing there. I could even hit up the Jameson's Distillery if I wanted.

But in the end, I decided I would be crazy to pass up an opportunity to go to The Thatch- Gene or no Gene I am certain that place is magical. And it'll actually be the first time that I'll have been to The Thatch on my own, so it'll make me talk to more people. Plus with renting a car, I'll have some nice alone driving time and will have the opportunity to see more of Ireland- even parts I haven't really been to.

With that decided and my clothes just barely dry, off I went to The Townhouse to meet Robin. I took my book and journal, finished my book (I highly recommend picking up Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet- it was a touching story where I yet again learned more historical events that made me feel like a stupid, ignorant American) and started writing in my journal before Robin showed up.





Our night was low-key and included kick ass fish 'n chips and catch-up time on the couch and the computer.

It's been a great stay in Galway. Before this visit I hadn't spent much time here and I felt pretty indifferent toward it. But after this extended stay here, I really dig Galway and think it's a pretty spectacular place to call home for a few days.

One of today's favorite images: