Michael and I had such an incredible time with our first all-for-us visitors! My college girlfriends, Steph and Beth (links to their blogs can be found on the right) came for 4 days of sheer bliss and laughter. I would highly recommend visiting Steph's blog where she recounted our visit all in limerick (you know... that fun Irish poem) its hysterical!!
We were shocked almost as much as they were with the weather that graced their visit. Purest of blue skies with temperatures reaching the 80's... They thought their plane took them to the Caribbean and not their planned route of the Emerald Isle. Thursday they arrived to a delicious Irish stew Mike had created, only for me to reheat it on the "range" and get so caught up in talking to the girls that i let it burn and more or less ruined pot #1 of the meal. The creamy stew was flecked with black burned pieces of lamb and potato. Good thing Michael cooked 2, he saved the day. We then brought them to our favorite pubs. We started at Monroe's, the large spacious pub with wood all around, where you leave smelling of peat and wood fire! We then sauntered to Taaffe's, our favorite for trad music. It did not disappoint! It was packed, and the fiddle, guitar and accordion filled the air amidst our conversations.
Friday, i took the day off and we actually went to the beach! We layed out on the sand at Galway bay and watched as other people actually went in the water, imagine, in May, in Ireland!! We played Guillotine (our favorite card game based on the French Revolution where you win by 
getting a head... hee hee), searched for hidden wonders and shielded our eyes from the brightness from the pale Irish skin exposed along the beach. It was around this time that we realized, with great entertainment, that capris have become increasingly popular among the men here, who knew!? As we counted all we could see the rest of the day, the figures astounded us- 11.. 12.. 13! After the heat and rays we needed something to quench and refresh us. Mike and i had yet to find the perfect place that serves icy goodness that would do just the trick, however, we spotted a wonderful nook along the promenade and after peering in realized THIS is what were searching for- about 16 flavors of creamy goodness for a cup or a cone! That evening we enjoyed the "best fish and chips in Ireland" at McDonagh's complete with tartar for the fish and vinegar for the chips- YUM! We brought them down to the spanish arch where we sat along the River Corrib and watched the swans, cormorants and the mulitude of people drinking at the park before going out for the night, oh yeah and more male capris 21... 22... 23!
getting a head... hee hee), searched for hidden wonders and shielded our eyes from the brightness from the pale Irish skin exposed along the beach. It was around this time that we realized, with great entertainment, that capris have become increasingly popular among the men here, who knew!? As we counted all we could see the rest of the day, the figures astounded us- 11.. 12.. 13! After the heat and rays we needed something to quench and refresh us. Mike and i had yet to find the perfect place that serves icy goodness that would do just the trick, however, we spotted a wonderful nook along the promenade and after peering in realized THIS is what were searching for- about 16 flavors of creamy goodness for a cup or a cone! That evening we enjoyed the "best fish and chips in Ireland" at McDonagh's complete with tartar for the fish and vinegar for the chips- YUM! We brought them down to the spanish arch where we sat along the River Corrib and watched the swans, cormorants and the mulitude of people drinking at the park before going out for the night, oh yeah and more male capris 21... 22... 23!Saturday was Aran Island day!! It was their first gray day here and i suppose it helps to see the Islands as they are lived... covered in gray clouds. Somehow its still beautiful that way. We got the ferry over which took about 45 min. Approaching the Inishmore we noticed how bare it is- scattered with small cottages here and there, but mostly stone walls and green fields were all we could see. We rented bikes and were off... but with any good rented product there were flaws. Steph's seat was too short for her 5' 10" frame so i switch with her as i figured it would fit my 5' 2 3/4" frame better. I hopped on and the seat wiggled and collapsed with a crash- i questioned my weight, assessed the situation and repositioned the seat. As i began to pedal again it turned left and right with each movement and again fell! After my moment of despair imagining riding for 7 miles with my knees slamming against my chest from having a much too low seat, i got my wits about me and fixed it! A few chains popped off through out the day but other than that we made 
it soundly around the island! We reached the highest point of Inishmore, upon which lays an old light house. The view was glazed with haze, yet you could see quite a distance with the bay on all sides. Its amazing how many stone walls were built, but while we were on the island we learned that the Aran Islands were originally part of the burren when they were still connected to Ireland and that is why there is so much limestone there. We continued on past some beaches, many thatched cottages, a multitude of farm animals, some beautifully sculpted Celtic cross grave stones and finally made it to Dun Aonghasa, a 500 year old circular fort built 
right on the edge of a cliff! The ruins are so well preserved! There aren't any walls like at the Cliffs of Moher so we scooted our way out to the edge of the cliff on our bellies far enough for our heads to peep over and looked down the 250 foot drop on crashing waves and the blue ocean. A lovely surprise was that right where we were looking down, only about 2 feet below were a beautiful cluster of pink wild flowers... how they survived the wind and weather there amazes me! We came back by the coast road and had enough time to enjoy the Aran Sweater market and make some purchases! Our night was finished off with delicious Shepard's pie, many card games and uncontrollable laughter.
it soundly around the island! We reached the highest point of Inishmore, upon which lays an old light house. The view was glazed with haze, yet you could see quite a distance with the bay on all sides. Its amazing how many stone walls were built, but while we were on the island we learned that the Aran Islands were originally part of the burren when they were still connected to Ireland and that is why there is so much limestone there. We continued on past some beaches, many thatched cottages, a multitude of farm animals, some beautifully sculpted Celtic cross grave stones and finally made it to Dun Aonghasa, a 500 year old circular fort built 
right on the edge of a cliff! The ruins are so well preserved! There aren't any walls like at the Cliffs of Moher so we scooted our way out to the edge of the cliff on our bellies far enough for our heads to peep over and looked down the 250 foot drop on crashing waves and the blue ocean. A lovely surprise was that right where we were looking down, only about 2 feet below were a beautiful cluster of pink wild flowers... how they survived the wind and weather there amazes me! We came back by the coast road and had enough time to enjoy the Aran Sweater market and make some purchases! Our night was finished off with delicious Shepard's pie, many card games and uncontrollable laughter.Sunday was as leisurely as you can get. We got to hear of Beth's trip to New Orleans to help with the rebuilding and many of Steph's stories of her trip to Africa. We tried to get the bus for town, but Ireland is notorious for poorly timed public transport for a reason and couldn't bring ourselves to wait longer than a half hour for the bus. We drove into town and enjoyed some girly 
time of looking in boutiques at clothes and jewelry and just enjoyed being together again. Our time together ended with a trip to Dunguaire Castle for a banquet! Dunguaire Castle was built on the Galway Bay in 1520 and was the home of King Guaire. There was honey mead wine to greet us, a harpist and songs during our meal which consisted of an absolutely gorgeous 4 course spread, complete with endless pitchers of both red and white wine, and poems and singing to finish off the evening. We had such a giddy fun time being called "lords" and "ladys" by our "maids and 
butlers", it was the perfect end to the visit. Steph and Beth left Monday morning after one last large "Irish breakfast" with eggs, sausage, potato hash and tea and one last card game. It was so difficult to see them go especially knowing we won't see them again until January, but the memories ought to keep us laughing and hold us over until then.
time of looking in boutiques at clothes and jewelry and just enjoyed being together again. Our time together ended with a trip to Dunguaire Castle for a banquet! Dunguaire Castle was built on the Galway Bay in 1520 and was the home of King Guaire. There was honey mead wine to greet us, a harpist and songs during our meal which consisted of an absolutely gorgeous 4 course spread, complete with endless pitchers of both red and white wine, and poems and singing to finish off the evening. We had such a giddy fun time being called "lords" and "ladys" by our "maids and 
butlers", it was the perfect end to the visit. Steph and Beth left Monday morning after one last large "Irish breakfast" with eggs, sausage, potato hash and tea and one last card game. It was so difficult to see them go especially knowing we won't see them again until January, but the memories ought to keep us laughing and hold us over until then. Remember to check Steph's blog for her version of this story fully in Limerick!!
