The Burren, Connemara, Galway...

June 21, 2009 Feakle, Ireland
Time: 4.00 PM or 16.00
(writing while watching a hurling game)

On June 17th, the Team Texas Cyclists biked around the Burren which is a rocky,limestone filled countryside. The Burren has been occupied since ancient times. The settlers left their mark with the tombs with faced the rising sn in the east.

Dad started off as the navigator and, of course, we got lost. However, a kind Irishman ointed us in the right direction to go to the Corkscrew hill which we thankfully went down instead of up. The Corkscrew hill had switchbacks and at the top we had a wonderful view of the limestone hills.

WE raced down the hill to Ballyvaughan. There, in the small tourist town, we stopped for a quick, light lunch. As we were shopping for suitable souvenirs for family and others, the wind started to pick up, giving us a chill.

After several pots of warm tea and crispy apples, we began the climb back to the hostel in Corrofin. The road back to Corrofin was surrounded by eroding limestone. The limestone had some holes and depressions that were ideal for plants to grow in because the limestone heated and protected the flower from the elements. This unique relationship between stone and plant allows for a variety of flowers to flourish including species from the Mediteareen.

On the road back, we visted an ancient tomb left behind by the early settlers. Of course, the site was made old people friendly.

The way back was fairly windy. So, not enjoyable. Though being on a bike most of the week isn’t enjoyable anyways.

Funny story alert. Dad needed a atm before we arrived in Corrofin the day before. So we traveled to Corrofin expecting a ATM provided by the information given to us at the previous town. No ATM at Corrofin. The people there told us there was an ATM at Ballyvaughan. This town was on our routethe next day so we decided to stop there. No ATM there either. The peoplethere told us there was an ATM at Kinlley or something like that which was 10-20 km away. By this time, we were suspicious of the information provided. Dad decided to go Ennis which was 15 km or so south of Corrofin. Finally found an ATM. Funny thing is Dad warned us that we would travel to such rural towns in Ireland we wouldn’t find an ATM. Dad did not heed his own warning.

Cribbage: I won 4 times in a row against Alicia. haHAHHAHa.




Date: 18 June 2009 (writing on the 20 June)
Location: Corofin to Galway
Event of the day: getting to Galway
Accommodation: Sleepzone Tourist Hostel
Cribbage: ahead of Dad, Lauren 3 up on me

Yes, getting to Galway was the main adventure. Our bike from Corofin to Kinvarra was nice with a few bonus views of the Burren. Lauren for a great little café in Kinvarra (The Pizza Café), where sandwiches were more than just ham & cheddar—I had peppers and sun-dried tomatoes on mine!
However, after Kinvarra was the stressful, tense riding. We rode on a national secondary road (green and white) to Kilcolgan where we joined a national primary roads. I strongly prefer to stay off the national primary roads (green, but usually do have wide shoulders) and the secondary roads if possible (secondary not as bad). The shoulders on the primary roads are sometimes ridden with potholes, one of which I hit, causing a flat (my third).
Traffic only gets worse closer to Galway. We were headed straight for the Sleepzone (slightly outside city center), until Lauren redirected Dad for the city centre and then missed the subsequent turn. That left us under a bridge during a short rain shower and time to replace the replacement tire that had a bad patch.
Sleepzone is an industrial sized hostel: hundreds of beds (most rooms en suite) and a large, loud common area/kitchen with WiFi and free tea/coffee. (Note: I haven’t had coffee since Houston airport.)
We opted to go out for dinner and not fight the Sleepzone crowd for kitchen space. Through Eyre Square (now officially renamed John F. Kennedy Park—they were real excited about a Irish-American president) and into the pedestrian zone lead us the Finnegan’s Food Kitchen for a average meal. We should have opted for Couch Potatas down the street (recommended by Moon guide book).
Didn’t sleep well—pillow was too lean and room too hot. And (!) shower was water conserving—you had to push button for one minute of shower and again for another minute and again…..




Day 17 – 19th of June
Today is a nonbiking day, we are renting a car driving up into the Connemara to see the sights. The night before we scouted out the location of the city centre Budget office so we would not be hunting around for it early Friday morning. The agreed upon leaving time frm the Hostel was 7:45 and Alicia was notdownstairs os Laureen and I headed off without her. We arrived early at the Budget office so we crossed the street to wait in Eyre Square. Five minutes later Alicia comes walking up to the bdget office and is momentarily perplexed seeing no Lauren or dad. I watch her from the square for a few moments before calling out to herr that we are across the street. We signed the papers, got the keys and then started to 2+ block walk to the car park to get the car. As per our usual habit there are the missteps. Lauren becomes irritated with these missteps and starts to express her irritation. Finally we get to the correct level with the car and I start looking for a Skoda since that is what is on the envelope given to me by the office manager. In reality I was given two envelopes – one containing the car park ticket with Skoda on it and the other containing the rental agreement with Toyota Auris on it. The key does not work on the Skoda, I am baffled when Alica suggests jjust hitting the lock button to see what ca lights up. voila the Auris flashes its headlight so we load up in it and I start ot orientate myself to the new car, driving on the right and shifting with my left hand. At the eexit the gate will not open, Lauren says insert the ticket, I don’t havethe ticket since I gave to the parking personnel. The car is too close to the wall for AC to exit, confusion reigns, voices raise, tempers momentarily flare and finally; we are off with Alicia navigating. She choses a different then the one I had intended, more irritated but she does a good job getting us of town though it involves more turning (especially right hand turns across traffic which I was trying to advoid till I am more fully comfortable in driving the car on ithe right.
Stop one – groceries at a SuperValu in Movaan –really a burrg of Galway.
Stop two – Oughterard - Aughnanure Tower House. I see the brown sign indicating the site so I made the turn and head down the increasingly narrowing road. EEventually it becomes a single lane and there is a red car traveling right behind me impatiently. I pull into the lot and so the red car and the driver quickly pops put and announces to another woman waiting in the lot Sorry I am late. Unspoken translation: I was stuck behind these damn slow moving without a care in the world tourist. We spend about an hour wisitingthe site – neat features and go explanatory signs, even a secret room.
Stop three. The scenery is changing from lakes in flatlands to lakes in mountains but the girls are asleep. The twisting bumpy road and my driving style has a narcoleptic effect on passengers.
Stop 4 – Clifden- AC checks out the IT office, nothingto see so we proceed.
stop 5 – Connemara National Park. We visit the center and then take a 3 km walk on the Bog Trail.
Stop 6 – The falls of disappointment
Stop 7 – Kylemore House. Nice parking lot, too pricey to visit so we drive on.
Stop 8 – Photo op of the Kylemore House across the lake. Tres difficle turning around.
More sleeping while I drive so I am listening to Irish talk radio – program about pedophiles, actual and mis-accussed cases and the impact on the families.
stop 9 – Cong Abbey
Stop 10 – Ross Friary
Stop 11 – Haynes Car Park
Stop 12 – Dunnes food Market for dinner eats
Stop 13 Sleepzone Hostel and dinner and cribbage battles.




Date: 20 June 2009 (writing on the 21 June)
Location: Galway to Gort (which Dad pronounces Quart, which gets confused with Cork)
Event of the day: Saturday Galway City
Accommodation: Sullivan’s Royal Hotel
Cribbage: ahead of Dad, Lauren 3 up on me

A main reason to come to Galway was to see the Saturday market. Smaller than I expected but still interesting. Vegetable stand, a fresh fish stand (fish gutted while you wait!), pastry/bakery stands (some gluten-free), crêperie stand, an olive assortment stand, woven bags, jewelry, prints, mosaic mirrors, wooden spoons, bagel and pretzel stand, clothing stand, cheese stand,….not just a farmer’s market. Even with all the options, lunch was a ham&cheese roll and scones.
Galway cathedral and city museum not enticingly interesting, but the Corrib walk along the river was nice.
General European downtown Saturday city life is more interesting than College Station (of course). We saw several street still-life performers, and sand artist (makes a lying dog out of the sand), several music performers. For restaurants not on the main pedestrian drag, it was common to hire someone to hold a sign for advertisement (joked that that would be a good job for Lauren).
Getting out of Galway was as tense/difficult as getting in. Dad and Lauren have taken to arguing with each other when directions go bad. At two different traffic circles, the same series of events: at busy traffic circle, Dad takes first opportunity to go, Lauren and I miss opportunity and must stop; Lauren then curses Dad’s “bad decision” and then tries to go without looking and blocks car (that had right of way) trying to exit traffic circle; Alicia waits a long time to safely go into traffic circle and is a ways behind arguing father and daughter. Sign that trip is getting a bit too long in duration—good thing we only have 4 more days. I would like to change my plane seats so as not to sit next to Lauren or Dad, or at least not both of them.
Finally arrived in Gort. As it’s a working town, not many B&Bs in sight, had to stay at Sullivan’s Royal Hotel, 90€ for room & breakfast.
We again mistook the lunch menu for the dinner menu and ended up facing higher prices than expected at dinner (at Ambiance in Gort). Were also charged for water (!!).
Outside of several grocery types stores are a plastic cone with ice cream to indicate that there’s soft-served ice cream available inside. One such brand is Angelito, marketed as “freshly whipped ice cream”. My curiosity was finally satisfied. The Angelito “freshly whipped ice cream” is comparable to Dairy Queen’s cone—very sweet, light, with a creamy taste.
Sullivan’s is very nice for the extra €€€ we’re (umm…Dad) paying. A big room with a big bathroom, a towel and soap bar each provided, tea provided (with digestives!), a tv, comfy comfy beds, and (most importantly) breakfast. We used the towels (usually a 1€ charge per towel at hostels, and Dad opts for only one or two towels meaning we have to share), we watched Spain vs South Africa for the world cup qualifier (Spain won 2-0, but South Africa still qualifies for World Cup—important since they will be the host country), we drank the tea and ate the digestives, and we slept very well in the beds. Breakfast was the best yet: sconces, tea, toast, cereal, oatmeal, grilled mushrooms, potatoes…much more complete than our average cereal breakfasts.
On to Feacle/Feakle and (part of) the Lough Derg.

Alicia’s things to do on arriving home:
1. Drop off Dad (no more Dad!)
2. Shower & shave (no more body odor!)
3. Clip nails (no more long nails!)
4. Have Mom do laundry (no more stinky clothes!)
5. Eat dinner
6. Arrange photos
7. Get ready for Korea (7 days till departure): Hangul, cloth shopping, etc.

Translation notes: craic means fun, dual carriageway means two lanes, digestive is a shortbread or graham cracker meant to accompany tea