Day 4 addendum and Day 5:

Friday 1/7: Friday night I went out with Maggie and two other friends she had met on her travels, Elise and Abbey, sisters from Australia as well, to celebrate Maggie’s birthday. We had dinner at an Irish restaurant and then went to listen to some live music. The band was quite good and the place was packed. A good time was had by all.

Saturday 1/8: Woke up at 9am this morning. It was raining off and on. After about an hour of working on photographs and eating breakfast I decided to chance it and just walk around in the rain. I went to a local market where they were selling fresh vegetables and fish, as well as some locally made bread and goods.

I started talking to a local man, Steve, over a Boerewors Roll, a delicious South African version of a bratwurst.  He is going to bike from Toronto to San Diego in March. I wished him luck and kept moving. Stopped in a tourist shop and bought postcards.

I went down to the River Corrib and took a bunch of pictures. Moss seems to grow on everything here. I see it on houses, walls, even roofs.

What is Galway like you may ask? It is a large town, and the part I am living in is very lively. There are a lot of people hurrying about doing different tasks. The cars whip by quite quickly. The smell is quite different than in America. People here burn coal and it is an interesting smell to get used to. People play instruments along major walkways for money. This is called Busking.

I decided to go check out the sunset, so I started walking west. I found Mutton Island Causeway, which stretches out into Galway bay about 2 km. As you start to walk down it, the cold wind takes away your breath and any warmth left in your jacket. You are left shivering, chilled to the bone, and if the view was so good, you’d turn around and walk home. But the view is that good. You can see across Galway bay to The Burren and beyond to the Aran Islands and the Gates of Hell.

The Gates of Hell are appropriately named because of the many ships that have perished striving to get into Galway Bay. Fickle tides and sharp rocks damage and destroy small vessels and large alike. Sailors have died by the hundreds so close to safety.

This evening the storm had blown itself over The Burren as the sun was setting, a perfect winter Irish sunset.

I went out to an Irish pub tonight with Maggie for some cider. We got to listen to some authentic Irish music. There was one man that sang 2 songs acapella. The whole pub got quiet while he sang. It was so amazing to hear one solo voice sung over a crowd, and their respect for the singer. The respect for the culture here is inspiring.

I played Jenga with Waverly and Annie, 2 girls from Virginia that were here touring the country. We had an even more epic game of Jenga than with the Korean kids.

Off to Killarney in the morning at 10 am!