Back from Ireland
18 July 2007 10:40Got back from Ireland last night. It feels as though I've been away for months, yet it has only been a week. I really enjoyed my time in Eire, the weather was, over all, being quite nice to me. Although there were some heavy showers as well.
I arrived in Ireland on Tuesday afternoon and had to take the 15.15 bus to Galway, which took me another 4,5 hours. But I really wanted to go back to Galway though, cause when I was in Ireland for 3 months, 5 years ago, I had such a great time there.
Being back 5 years later was weird. It all pretty much looked the same, and it was as if time had stood still. I stayed in the same hostel I stayed in 5 years ago, though now I had a room all to myself. I had horrible nights of sleep. My room was located right next to the elevator and stairs, meaning I could just about hear anything. Including slamming doors. I brought my earplugs with me, but they were of no real use.
Galway itself was a nice experience. The same old antique/ second hand bookshop was still there, which was lovely. They also added a new walking route along the water to go to Strandhill, which was a pleasant walk to make. I made some pictures, and hopefully might post them later.
I spent 3 nights in Galway and then I headed off to Tralee (close to Killarney, where I actually wanted to stay, but I couldn't find me a place to sleep there). The bus ride was a long one, and not really that beautiful. Mostly because of the weather that sucked that day. By the time I arrived in Tralee I found out I could have gotten an alternative ride passing The Burren, The Cliffs of Moher and all those other cool places. Gosh...I'm still a bit upset by that, but it's another reason to go back there!
In Tralee I stayed in a B&B. Tralee itself is not really a great town, a bit depressing, although it has the Dingle Mountains overlooking it, and when you would turn into a street, you would get some dramatic mountain views.
Anyway...I really, really wanted to visit Killarney again, especially it's National Park. So the next morning I took the 10.00 bus and had a 45 minute bus ride. I knew that I would get some dramatic Dingle Peninsula views during the ride, but had forgotten about the Kerry/ Killarney mountains. So at one point the bus took a turn and *BAF* those mountains just raised up in the air. At that point the weather was still deciding wether or not she was going to be nice, or just wet, and it made the views even more dramatic. I got excited a lot and just wanted to be in Killarney and walk to the park. Then before we entered town, the bus took another turn and were on a high hill, and you could see the Lower Lake and it took my breath away. I love that place SO much.
When we arrived at the bus station I didn't know how quickly as possible I could get off and go to the park. I really wanted to go there first, cause I didn't know what the weather would be like the rest of the day.
All in all I spent almost 6 hours in the park, I walked around, and just visited all the spots I remembered and loved. Last time I was there, 2 years ago, the weather had been so horrible that it was impossible to go anywhere cause of all the water. Now the sun was out and I was able to take a lot of pictures and just really enjoy it. At one point there was some rain, but that was actually pretty and lasted for only 10 minutes or so.
The next day I went back to Killarney again, and explored the town a little bit etc...I was really sad to leave later that night, cause I wanted to spend more time there.
But I had to take the bus to Dublin the next day, which would take me 6 hours. Being back in Dublin was interesting, I never really liked the city much, but when I walked around town yesterday, before I went to the airport, I could finally experience that city in a different way and I appreciate it a little more now.
And now I'm home and it's all weird...
I arrived in Ireland on Tuesday afternoon and had to take the 15.15 bus to Galway, which took me another 4,5 hours. But I really wanted to go back to Galway though, cause when I was in Ireland for 3 months, 5 years ago, I had such a great time there.
Being back 5 years later was weird. It all pretty much looked the same, and it was as if time had stood still. I stayed in the same hostel I stayed in 5 years ago, though now I had a room all to myself. I had horrible nights of sleep. My room was located right next to the elevator and stairs, meaning I could just about hear anything. Including slamming doors. I brought my earplugs with me, but they were of no real use.
Galway itself was a nice experience. The same old antique/ second hand bookshop was still there, which was lovely. They also added a new walking route along the water to go to Strandhill, which was a pleasant walk to make. I made some pictures, and hopefully might post them later.
I spent 3 nights in Galway and then I headed off to Tralee (close to Killarney, where I actually wanted to stay, but I couldn't find me a place to sleep there). The bus ride was a long one, and not really that beautiful. Mostly because of the weather that sucked that day. By the time I arrived in Tralee I found out I could have gotten an alternative ride passing The Burren, The Cliffs of Moher and all those other cool places. Gosh...I'm still a bit upset by that, but it's another reason to go back there!
In Tralee I stayed in a B&B. Tralee itself is not really a great town, a bit depressing, although it has the Dingle Mountains overlooking it, and when you would turn into a street, you would get some dramatic mountain views.
Anyway...I really, really wanted to visit Killarney again, especially it's National Park. So the next morning I took the 10.00 bus and had a 45 minute bus ride. I knew that I would get some dramatic Dingle Peninsula views during the ride, but had forgotten about the Kerry/ Killarney mountains. So at one point the bus took a turn and *BAF* those mountains just raised up in the air. At that point the weather was still deciding wether or not she was going to be nice, or just wet, and it made the views even more dramatic. I got excited a lot and just wanted to be in Killarney and walk to the park. Then before we entered town, the bus took another turn and were on a high hill, and you could see the Lower Lake and it took my breath away. I love that place SO much.
When we arrived at the bus station I didn't know how quickly as possible I could get off and go to the park. I really wanted to go there first, cause I didn't know what the weather would be like the rest of the day.
All in all I spent almost 6 hours in the park, I walked around, and just visited all the spots I remembered and loved. Last time I was there, 2 years ago, the weather had been so horrible that it was impossible to go anywhere cause of all the water. Now the sun was out and I was able to take a lot of pictures and just really enjoy it. At one point there was some rain, but that was actually pretty and lasted for only 10 minutes or so.
The next day I went back to Killarney again, and explored the town a little bit etc...I was really sad to leave later that night, cause I wanted to spend more time there.
But I had to take the bus to Dublin the next day, which would take me 6 hours. Being back in Dublin was interesting, I never really liked the city much, but when I walked around town yesterday, before I went to the airport, I could finally experience that city in a different way and I appreciate it a little more now.
And now I'm home and it's all weird...
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