I'm oddly sleepy for 4 in the afternoon. This morning I woke up and didn't feel like going on a bus tour. Before deciding for sure that I had changed my mind, I checked to make sure it wouldn't mess up my entire travel plans. Fortunately, it did not. So today, instead, I went to town, exchanged my broken zippered sweatshirt, took a video of Shop Street, had lunch and then went for a walk down part of The Prom again. The weather changed rapidly from astonishingly beautiful, to overcast, to rainy and unpleasant and then back to partly cloudy with mostly sunny skies. It's thinly overcast at the moment. No weather type seems to last for very long here.
It was a challenge, but I managed to take a fair amount of pictures and do quite a bit of video while I was out. I loaded my backpack with necessary items and continued to rotate through them as the situation required. I dabbled with the idea of going to the aquarium, but I had already spent money on lunch and a CD, so perhaps another time. Instead I admired the ocean from a little remembrance park and met up with Dave for a few minutes after he was done at school. When something is good he says it's "class", which I find funny. I've never heard people say that before. I've heard of something being a "class act", but never something just being "class". Classy! But not class. Lack of class... not class. I don't know. I learn something new everyday. Oh, and he says that no one here says "neat". Also silly, in my opinion, because it's a great word! I was telling him what a neat guy Martin McDonagh was, and he made sure to let me know that no one says that word xD
Lunch was an interesting time. I finally ate at Neactain's. It was very quiet when I got there and I wasn't entirely sure what the ordering process was. No one said anything to me, but I guess I did something right when I approached the counter with a menu in hand. Everyone was very nice. I ate potato and leek soup. There was a pasta offering but it sounded a bit heavier than I wanted. I also had a coke. It was €2.40, something I didn't realize until after I had consumed it, which is a bit steep if you ask me. It was one of the most delicious cokes I've ever had though, maybe that has something to do with it. The soup was OK, I think a little more sophisticated than I'm used to. I finished it though!
Neactain's was playing some fantastic Irish music so I began asking the employees who it was/what is was. One of the bartenders, a man named Steve, started talking to me about Irish music and feeling me out for which types I liked. He then wrote down a few different artists on a piece of paper and heavily recommended the Waterboys. He asked if I'd heard of them and I said no. He replied with, "You're lucky" and I asked, "Are they bad?" and he said, "No they're fantastic. I'd love to experience them for the first time again". After that I went around the corner to HMV and bought the only album they had by them; a greatest hits from '81-'90. I'm very excited to listen to it. Steve also gave me an EP from a guy that works there named Emmet. I actually met Emmet last week when Brad took me out for a pint. He's moving to London this year, I believe music, so that's great for him! I mentioned this to Steve and he was surprised and told me to tell Brad that he says hello. Such lovely people here in Ireland :)
I'm getting hungry. I wonder what's for dinner? Miriam bought me some peanut butter. It even says "American Style" on the container! That made me laugh. I had toast this morning and it was delicious. I think tomorrow I'll try out a hot chocolate from Butlers Chocolate Cafe, the supposed masters of hot cocoa here in Galway. Fingers crossed that it does not disappoint. I'm going to watch Harry Potter now, me thinks.
Oh wait! At the bus stop this morning I met a French guy named Pierre. He's visiting some friends here in Ireland. I guess he hasn't been here in quite some time because he fell out of contact with a bunch of people he met in '95. Through the magic of Facebook he found them again and is making the rounds in Ireland to reconnect everyone. How great is that? We continued to chat on the bus and he asked if I knew anyone in Paris (since I told him I'd be there for a weekend) and I said no. He offered to meet me for a drink while I'm there if I'm looking for someone to chat with. Very nice of him! I took his e-mail address and I'll be contacting him before I fly out in August. Look at me, makin' friends on the other side of the world!
Ok, toast and Harry Potter time!
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10:52 am: home: It's a gorgeous day. I think I'll walk The Prom again.
11:08 am: bus stop: The weather changes very rapidly here, even more than back home. It's strange.
11:39 am: Shop Street: Met a very nice French man from Paris named Pierre at the bus stop. We had a good conversation and he gave me his e-mail address in case I wanted someone to go out and have a drink with when I'm there for the weekend. :)
12:32 pm: Shop Street: 90% sure I just picked out my new tattoo design.
12:43 pm: Neactain's: Having lunch at Neactain's, finally. Potato and leek soup with bread. There is something strangely comforting about drinking a coca cola.
1:52 pm: A park: Sitting, passing time and enjoying the ocean.
-MJ
3 comments:
Okay, Butler's has delicious cocoa. I wish I had some now. I also advise buying chocolates there to take home to your friends ( :D ) and family. Mocha Beans also has good coffee and I can't remember the name of the place I went to with the other girls almost every morning before class but it was really good. I know, I'm so helpful. I also HATED buying soda in Europe! It's so expensive! Although in the Netherlands they didn't have Diet Coke, they have Coke Light which tastes the same. At my hostel in Paris, a diet coke was 3 euros. Ugh.
Have you been to the Galway museum yet? It's right on the water by the Spanish arch, it's free and they let you take pictures. I also suggest going on a walking tour of Galway if you can. Our Professor hired a guy to give us all a tour and that was one of my favorite things, because you learn about the history and some really interesting things, and also how big of a deal JFK visiting was.
OK first tell me about your new tattoo idea. And second, tell me about your new tattoo idea???
I'm glad you had a relaxing day. I think you were due for that. the pictures you took today were lovely, daughter :)
I bet the American style peanut butter has more sugar in it than you usually find in Europe LOL. Excited to hear your new music!
I haven't been in the museum, no! I haven't even seen it! Thanks for the tip :) I hadn't even considered going on the Galway tour either, I've been walking around it so much already. I'll put it on my list. Soda here in packs isn't so bad, but from restaurants, ugh too expensive.
Mom my new tattoo idea is a surprise. But don't worry, it's not in a highly visible place :P
The peanut butter tastes just like the stuff we get at home. I haven't had a chance to taste the stuff she normally buys!
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