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Callan Bentley Ireland |
Galway
Transport to Galway
I took the bus to Galway, a city midway up Ireland's West Coast. I checked in at Barnacles, a trendy hostel located in the heart of the pedestrians-only area downtown. I wandered around town, taking in the path along the river, and up to Galway Cathedral.
Galway Cathedral
I wandered around inside Galway Cathedral, enjoying the quiet and the warmth of the building. There was some nice stained glass, and several racks of quietly flickering votive candles. Several people were praying in a little room off to the side.
Pope calls for New World Order.
Leaving the Cathedral, I saw this newspaper. Many of my conversations in Ireland had to do with imminent war between the US and Iraq, and the decline of moral standards in the modern world. I saw this headline, and thought, yeah right. How many times over has one world leader or another called for a new world order? None of it seems to do us much good. How depressing.
Walking On
I walked downstream along the river to where in empties into Galway Bay. I saw a wedding party taking portraits near this boat. The boat itself was lolvely, to my eyes -- the classic dory lines, the Gaelic script on the bow.
Galway Bay
As I neared the Bay, I found a ballet of swans (the actual term for a group of these birds, according to a ten-second Google search). Parents and kids were feeding them bread crumbs. The afternoon was darkening as I headed past them towards the ocean.
Sunset
I watched the sunset over the Bay, surrounded by shorebirds and gulls. Out to sea, I could see the Aran Islands, where I would be heading in the morning. As I walked back to town (for Guinness, two fine Irish music sessions, and the best plate of fish and chips -- and mushy peas!-- yet), I saw a seal swimming in the water.
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