Majestic. That's the best word I think to describe what I saw today. We loaded up the bus pretty early today and made our way to the ferry headed to the Aran Islands. I get motion sick very easily so the thought of being on a great big boat had me worried a bit. The fog was thick again this morning but I just kept praying and praying that it would lift so we could see what we were hoping to see today. The ferry ride was a rocky one but thanks to Dramamine and a fitful nap I was able to make it to the islands without any tummy trouble. From where the ferry dropped us off we all climbed into a van and were given a tour of the island. Our bus driver was funny and had an accent much thicker Irish accent than I had heard the whole trip. This is where things get very difficult for me. It's very hard to put into words how beautiful that little island was. Many of the houses were very old and had thatched roofs. Rock walls made little boxes all over the island. Rocks were everywhere, stacked neatly on top of each other just as they have been for hundreds of years there. It is a very old island. Our tour guide pointed forts out to us that he said had been there for 4000 years! I can hardly fathom that! They've only had electricity out there since the 70s and only in the last 5 years have they had internet. The whole place was the most authentically Irish place we've been to. Everyone there could speak Irish which sounds like a weird combination of German and French. We were told to make sure we made it to the ferry on time, because if we were left on the island we would have no street lights or open stores to give us comfort.
The very best part of this whole trip for me has been the view from the top of the fort of Dun Aengus. We walked up a long gravel road with the sight of this gigantic fort getting bigger and bigger and my curiosity was growing more and more. A paved/gravel road turned into an almost mountain climb as I tried my very best to keep my clumsy self from tripping. I was almost running as I saw the fort just within my reach. Once I got through the walk wall entrance I was not disappointed, as you can see from the pictures. It was totally and completely majestic. I was and still am without words to accurately describe what I saw. The cliffs were huge and towering. The water crashing up against them was the bluest blue. The fort itself was so enormous and strong looking. It reminded me of something that should have been in Braveheart, even though it's the wrong country for that. I told Rachel, "I feel like I've somehow slipped into a movie and I'm just walking around in the television." I took pictures but even looking at the pictures it just can't capture what a breathtaking view that was. I feel honored and blessed to have been able to see something so beautiful!
When we headed back down the rocky road we were starving. We ate at the most authentic place we've been to yet. The tomato soup was fantastic and people all around us were speaking Irish. It amazes me that a place that's so frequently visited by tourists can remain as quaint and traditional as it has. After our tour of the island we wandered around some shops and then came back to Galway. It was an absolutely incredible day.
It's our last night in Galway. Our hotel is a bit far from the town so I decided to have a night in. We head to Dublin tomorrow and I'm very excited about that. It was where we spent our first night in Ireland and we had a blast. Only two more days left in this beautiful country and unfortunately we have to say goodbye to our wonderful driver, Con, tomorrow. Sad times.
Slan (goodbye in Irish),
-LG
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