2006-08-01

Friday, March 26

The next morning we had a great breakfast at the hotel, checked out, and caught a bus to Heuston Station. Here we caught the 11:00 to Galway, where we arrived around 13:40. The train journey itself was rather uneventful, but we got a great view of the beautiful Irish countryside, although the middle of the island is rather featureless. We passed Portarlington, Tullamore, Clara, Athlone, Ballinasloe and Athenry on the way. So we actually drove right through the Fields of Athenry (or so I like to think) :-). The coffee on board the train must have been some of the hottest liquid in existence - it certainly felt like it. If MacDonalds had served anything this hot, someone would definitiely have sued. We didn't mind however, although we could leave the coffee to itself for more than 20 minutes, and it was still steaming hot afterwards!

George (Hans' brother) picked us up at the station, and he followed us to our hostel for the next two nights, Salmon Weir hostel (cheap and without many facilities, but very friendly and with an atmosphere). We left our luggage and walked with him on the the University where he had a lecture. We arrived a bit late, and the lecture turned out to be very short (just some exam and paper writing info), so we were out and about again at 15. Hans and I both wanted to go to the nearest Irish pub for lunch and beer - George didn't protest, so we walked to Monroe's Tavern on Upper Dominick Street and had a couple of Guiness and some pizza. We visited Monroe's the next two days as well, to listen to the great music being played every night in front of the fireplace, and we most definitely will do so again the next time there (and the next time, and...).

Next we went to another Galway pub Tis Coili (I've seen this spelled at least 3 different ways, but this spelling resembles the one in the front of the bar itself!) on Mainguard St.. Tis Coili is, a small and subsequently very often crowded place. There are music sessions each afternoon and evening, and we caught the afternoon show (a jam session). There were no free seats anywhere, so we had to stand up against the wall. The beer and music was good, however..

We then went for a bit of book-shopping. I had heard a lot about Charlie Byrnes, a very big second hand bookshop on Middle St. (2000 square meters, 40.000 titles!), and so George took us there. This is one of the best bookstores I've ever visited, and if I'd had the time I could probably spend the bigger part of a day in here. Hans and I then went back to the hostel, George went back home, and a few hours later we met up again at Eyre Square where we had a couple of burgers at SuperMacs (the all-Irish competitor to MacDonalds). We then went to Superpub King's Head for a quick pint, and ended up at Monroe's to listen to the music and having quite a few Guiness. We arrived back at Salmon Weir sometime after everything else had closed.

Saturday, March 27

The next morning Hans and I went to Shop St. or High St. where we had a few Eggs and Bacon bagels for breakfast (don't remember the name of the café). We'd arranged to meet George at his place in Newcastle, a Student's estate a few km north of the center of Galway, right beside the river Corrib. We spent half an hour or so looking for his keys, and then went further north along the river. The river itself is beautiful, and so is the surroundings. About 1 or 2 km north of George's place lies Menlo Castle on the opposite side of the river (see picture). This castle, built in 1569, was home to one of Galway's original 14 clans, the Blake family, but tragically burnt down in 1910. It is still one of the major sights of the area. We sat down and relaxed here for 5 minutes or so, and enjoyed the view, and the found the road network and walked back to Galway.

Sometime after 13 we arrived at the Galway Shopping Centre, where I purchased an amazingly expensive memorycard for my Digicam. It cost twice as much as a memorycard twice the size had cost me in Copenhagen, before we left just a few days before. But there was still two days left of our tour, and my first memorycard was full, so... Hans and I also bought an official Celtic shirt each at a nearby sports shop.

We had lunch at the local SuperMac's just opposite Kate's, home to the local Galway United supporters. The final games of the Six Nations Cup were being played while we were there, so we watched a bit of Rugby, and met with some of the local Galway United FC supporters before they left for that evenings away game in Sligo. A couple of Guiness later, we went to Tesco to buy a bit of beer and frozen pizza, which George brought with him back home. Hans and I then went to relax for a bit at our hostel, and a few hours later we went out to George once again to watch the decisive game of the SNC and have some food.. Hans and George then had their own personal jam session on some sort of Irish Banjo (sorry, George, can't remember the name ;-) and a tin whistle. It really didn't sound as bad as Hans has claimed ever since.

We had an early night this saturday - we had been on the roll for 5 days by now. When left George around 21 or 21:30, walked down to Monroe's where we had just one beer, and then went back to the Weir. (I think we stopped by SuperMac's on the way, but I'm not sure... Perhaps that was the day before?)

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London-Dublin-Galway (Marts, 2004) Danmark - London (del 1) - London - Dublin (del 2) - Dublin - Galway (del 3) - Galway - Danmark (del 4)