FINAL ~ Leaving the West Coast 041105

Having had enough of the West Coast, we finally depart for good. As usual the cross-country drive to Dublin is delayed by congested narrow roads and constructions (Ireland lacks interstate dual carriageways), but hey, no selfish queue jumpers hogging the emergency lane here!

Btw, that looks like a German-registered car in front of us.

The Shopper 041105

Hmmm ... there must be a leprechaun here somewhere ...

Scenes of Downtown Galway 041105

Colours to lighten drab winter days?

Musicians aplenty in this very cultural city.

I have no clue what this maestro is playing, but it sounds traditional.

Homegrown fast food, I'm sure.

The Claddagh Quay 041105

"A Stolen Ringbuoy - A Stolen Life"

I wonder who's watching whom. Look at that smug girl in pink - just a jumper while the others are all rugged up. It must have been about 7C!

Oblivious to the bitterly cold wind and freezing water, graceful swans (and the odd ducks) wait for hand-outs. Any stale bread will do fine, guv'nor!

At the Claddagh Quay, River Corrib opens up next to colourful traditional houses.

The River Corrib 041105

The bubbly but cold River Corrib, passing through some residential blocks, on its way to Galway Bay and out into the Atlantic.

The Cathedral 041105

Leaving our car, we take a walk along the scenic River Corrib, which meanders through downtown Galway, and chance upon the imposing Galway Cathedral. Official name is Cathedral of Our Lady Assumed into Heaven and St. Nicholas, and it sports a Renaissance style, though built only in the early 60s.

FIRST ~ The Galway Lunch 041105

Connemara leaves us famished and we head southeast for Galway City, the capital of Galway County, for lunch.

Hey, look at them pretty Filet-O-Fish all in a row!

FINAL ~ The Sheep 041105

And of course the sheep!

I notice there are two types of sheep: one with black face and feet, the other with white face and feet. Different genders or diferrent pedigrees?

Rush hour in the Connemara.

What's with the plastic underwear?

 

 

The Connemara Show 041105

The bens, the lakes, the heaths, the woodlands, the grasslands, the bogs, ..., all uniquely Connemara.

Some parts, minus the lakes and woods, remind me of outback Australia.

 

The Inagh Valley, between Kylemore and Recess.