Galway, Ireland

I forgot to mention The Burren, which was on our way to Galway. When we were getting Fritz's hair cut in Waterford, the barber asked where we were going. We mentioned County Mayo and he said that we shouldn't bother as there's nothing much there, except for sheep and rocks. Francie said that one of the reason's we were going was because she had family from there. He replied, well that's OK then, but whatever you do, don't go near The Burren, as that has only rocks, no sheep! Here are the the photos of The Burren, and bless his little soul---he was right! Actually, it is a 10 mile square limestone plateau.

In the 1650's a Cromwellian surveyor said it was "a savage land, yielding neither water enough to drown a man, nor a tree to hang him, nor soil enough to bury him."

Galway is another Kettle of Fish entirely. It is the largest place that we have visited and reportedly has 16,000 students at various colleges and universities. It is very lively and busy as we found out when we tried to find a pub for dinner on a Saturday night. We ended up here at the Dail Bar

They receive our award for the best Banoffie pie so far. We believe that this dessert is as much a part of the local diet as are potatoes. At least it is in our local diet as we have been taste-testing this Irish staple across our travels. The Dail's entry has a graham cracker/toffee crust that was delightfully moist, the bananas and custard deliciously smooth and creamy, and the cream and toffee and raspberry sauces were delightfully complementary! We are becoming such gastronomes!

When we came out from dinner it was as if the starting bell had sounded! The streets were packed and you could hardly move. The main part of downtown is all pedestrian, which is a good thing as you would never have moved in a car. 

We walked back to the car along the canals which wend through the center of town.

Crossing in front of the Cathedral on a crosswalk we were almost mown down by a car zipping around the corner. It was then we picked up our favorite new phrase from the Irish guy also in the crossing. He said "it's a Fooken Stupid place for a stop light!" Drivers coming around the corner don't realize that they have to stop--because the stop light is around the corner and they are looking to the right for traffic. Here's the corner and we agree it is a Fooken Stupid place for a light. 

We have added this phrase to our other favorite Irish word--eijit! So we now have "FSE" to add to ABR's! The appropriate use is "look at those FSE's putting on their newly purchased plastic rain ponchos in the middle of the doorway--so that no one can get in or out!"  

I guess it is true that travels expands the mind (and the vocabulary)!

As we were in Galway on Sunday we went to Mass at the stunning Cathedral.

The priest was the quintessential Irish priest with a wonderful brogue and a beautiful singing voice. He could barely see over the lectern and, in his green robes, put us in the mind of leprechauns. After Mass we met a delightful old couple on the steps. He was a retired professor of math at the University, and she was formerly from (our favorite) Yorkshire, but had married an Irishman (she said with a twinkle in her eye) and here she was!

On to Eyre Square where we sat in the sun with the locals and ate our picnic from Marks & Spencer's food floor. There was a very talented young man playing the guitar and he must have been using our combined favorite playlists as a guide. He started off with the Beatles and finished up with the Fields of Athenry---to which we now know most of the words and can sing along, even with a mouthful of sausage sandwich!