July 9

"It doesn't matter if it's raining if you keep sunshine in your soul."

-The lady who owns our hostel.

So, recapping this weekend is going to be difficult and take some time, haha. Get ready for some lengthy posts.

Today we met at 6:30am. We had called cabs to meet us, because we were too early for the buses, haha how sad. We got into City Centre, with a little extra time to grab some breakfast. Then we got on the bus to take us to Galway. Once we got to Galway, we had ANOTHER bus waiting for us. This bus took us from Galway on a tour through Doolin, The Burren Coast, and.. ready for it... the world famous Cliffs of Moher. I'm so glad I get to say that- my dad has asked me when I'm going to see the Cliffs of Moher since before I left the States, haha.

(Breakfast and waiting for the bus.)

(Finally on the second bus. Beginning our tour for the day.)


On today's tour, we began with driving through some of the little villages such as Oranmore, Clarenbridge, and Kilcolgan, and learning a little about their history. When we got into Kilcolgan, we had our first stop where we got to exit the bus, which was at Dunguaire Castle. It was beautiful, and we somehow made an agreement with two girls also on the tour bus, we take pictures of them at all the stops, and they take pictures of us. We finally found another willing group to help us out, and the girls who took our photos loved using my camera! They actually zoomed and knew a little about proper composition. It was nice hahah. I'm usually always annoyed with the results of strangers' photography skills. Anyways, here's the castle.

(Dunguaire Castle.)

(Group shots of course.)

(Another group shot from our photographer.)

(The view of Galway Bay from the side of the castle.)

(Tried to set up the tripod on a steep incline, on the side of the castle, to get the Bay behind us. I'm not really that short.)

(Jennnnehhh.)

(Walking back to the bus we got some really nice views of the castle and the bay together.)

(I couldn't get enough.)


Our next stop was brief. We stopped in Kinvara to take a look at the harbour and grab a coffee and bathroom break.

(The houses were so cute.)

While everyone went to the bathroom/safe... Kim and I spent some quality time together. So prepare for some photos of Kim.

(Kim gazing into the harbour. We're about the get off the bus now.)

(Went back to the bus to grab my tripod. It was cool empty.)

(Kim complained about this photo. But I like it. Notice the castle in the background.)

(Admiring the view with Kim by my side, of course.)

(Kim has no friends.)

(When everyone returned to gaze into the harbour with us, I set up the tripod and forced some smiles.)

(Just wait... it gets even cuter.)

(Yeah... that's cute. You know it.)

(Hanging at the harbour on Galway Bay.)

(Now Kim and I bonded over a random red pole.)

(Go Team!)

(Jenny joins in the fun!)

(You really shouldn't be surprised by this photo.)

Our next stop on the tour was at an old Abbey which I unfortunately don't remember the name of! I forgot my notebook this trip and couldn't take notes on the bus for blogging. I just had to rely on memory which failed me this time. Regardless, the Abbey was really cool.

(Look at all the Celtic crosses!)

(Galway and the surrounding areas are known for their HUGE supply of limestone. You will see this more clearly in other photos... but seriously the ENTIRE landscape is comprised of sheets of limestone or stone walls. Stone walls were used to separate anything and everything.)

(See all the limestone!?)

(A photo of all the stone walls separating properties.)

(I love it here.)

(I love stone.)

(Inside the Abbey.)

UPDATE: Maggie just came in as I was making this post and found a picture of the sign for the abbey. It's called the "Corcomore Abbey." Thanks Maggs.

Continuing...

(More in the inside.)

(Outside. This just doesn't even look real?)

(The same girls took these group photos too.)

(I'm bending awkwardly?)

(Continuing down the road.)


Our next stop was on the coast somewhere between towns Fanore and Doolin, at a cliffside. It was absolutely beautiful. These kind of stops along the coast are definitely my favorite. I never want to leave.

(Exploring.)

(So cool.)


(Group shots on the cliffside.)

(Again.)

(Individual shots for the scrapbooks. John)

(Jenny.)

(Kim.)

(Maggie.)

(Jules.)

(My turn.)

(I never know what to do with my hands.)

(Photographer Julie.)

(She just holds down the shutter. She says its so she can capture the "natural moments.")

(Beautiful.)

(We're a couple now.)

(Natural Moments by Julie Buzgon.)

(Davenport.)

(I wanna stay here.)

(Our next stop was in Doolin for a quick lunch.)


And then... our next stop... was the long awaited, highly anticipated, Cliffs of Moher, actually pronounced with the H by the Irish.

(This photo makes me laugh so I left it up. Walk RIGHT in front of the tripod lady!)

(The group and the Cliffs of Moher.)

(There they are!)

(Happy dad?)

(So we wanted individual shots in front of the Cliffs of Moher, and unfortunately this is the best spot to see them in the background. Even more unfortunately, the rain had gotten pretty hard at this time, so I usually left my camera around my neck, zipped up inside my jacket. I looked prego, but it worked. We quickly got the camera out for these shots, and seriously, the group one by one SPRINTED by and stopped at this point, smiled, and ran away. It was like 30 seconds for all 10 people, no joke. It was absolutely hilarious. People were watching.)










(Amazing.)

(Walking toward them.)
(Obrien's point opposite the Cliffs.)
(This is what the Cliffs of Moher look like when you're standing on them.)
(This is where Megan CLIMBED the wall to get a picture and fell and bruised up her entire shin.)

(In memory of all who lost their lives by falling off the Cliffs. Comforting, eh?)

(See anything wrong with this picture?)

(The gift shops were built INTO the cliffside. So cute)


After we left the Cliffs, our last stop was at the Poulnabrone Dolmen, which is a big graveyard basically with an above ground tomb in the center.

(Here we go.)

(Kinda pretty, kinda creepy.)

(Pose with the dead!)

(The ENTIRE trip, Julie and I have wanted to get a photo with a sheep. But they are never close enough, or there's never a wall to jump that doesn't involve barbed wire. This was the closest we could get to any livestock.)

(Happy with the cows, even though we're still on a sheep hunt.)

(It was raining HARD at this point. Damn you water dropplet.)


(Heading back.)

(Back in the hostel for a few hours.)

(Making herself pretty.)

(Dinner that night.)

(McSquiggan's if I remember correctly.)

(Accidental shutter drag at the pub that night.)

Today was pretty fantastic. But the day tours always wear us out. Getting up early again tomorrow to do another day trip, leaving from Galway and heading out on a bus and ferry to the Aran Islands. :) Goodnight.