Chelle’s Travels

Hooray! In Galway again, managed to get accomodation and are now having a look around.

This morning for breakfast we chose a place called “Paddy’s bar and Restaurant”. We walked in to find Celtic music playing and two old men tapping their feet to the tune while rapidly talking in Gaelic. Another man at the bar was ordering his first Guinness for the day (10:30am). We sat down and ordered bacon and red cheddar omelettes. The waitress brought out a plate of soda bread, a coffee for Thad and a fresh pot of tea for me, and then turned on the Rugby for us because Australia was playing. Oh, I nearly had a tear in my eye when they sung Waltzing Matilda.

The tea was fantastic. After drinking the poorly versions of teabags that I could find here, to have such nice tea was fantastic – I could taste the tea leaves. Aaaaah. Then out came our omelettes, which were amazingly fluffy (and huge), and were accompanied of course with a serve of hot chips (!) and some toast. We were so full by the end of it (I couldn’t finish my chips) and we still hadn’t tried the Soda bread, which I was wary of, but is meant to be a true Irish specialty. So I took one bite and oh my god it is one of the nicest things ever. A little bit of butter and mmm. I have no idea what they put it in, there’s oats and maybe barley or something? It’s beautiful. Unfortunately, I was so full that I couldn’t eat another bite. Luckily, there were still to slices left so I wrapped them in a napkin and put them in my pocket for later like a true traveller . But it was truly the best meal I’ve had in ages. Just so good and simple and wholesome – how I expected Irish food to be!

After exploring Galway today, at 5pm Thad and I are taking a bus & ferry to Inish Oire I think it’s called (pronounced Inishir), one of the beautiful Aran Islands. We are staying at a B & B (you mean we won’t have to share a single bed!?!?) And will explore there until we come back at 4 tomorrow. Anyway, better head off as we’ve got to explore!

Love to ye all!!!