Ireland continued...

I had two more stops over in Ireland. First I took a bus to the West coast for a visit in Galway. Second was a stop south, in Cork.
Unfortunately there is not much to say about the city of Galway itself. It was a university town with lots of bars, clubs etc, and not exactly the vibrant cultural center my guide book made it out to be. Fortunately though, it was near two of Ireland's most famous natural landmarks, the Aran Islands and the Cliffs of More. I only had time for one, and since the islands had cliffs on them, I took the ferry across and rented a bike on the biggest island, Inishmore. The views were absolutely breathtaking and well worth the trip. Aside from the natural rock formations and sea views, there were ruins all over of different churches and such. There was also an old Celtic fort which was supposedly from Roman times. It was built only as a crescent with the back side of the fort being the high point on the cliffs.
I inched out over the edge on my belly and took a video clip with my camera:





Not much, but I tried.
Other highlights were miles of stone walls, rolling green hills, talking to old farmers who didn't really speak English and Teampall Bheanain, purportedly the smallest church in the world. All in all, very cool. There are of course pictures on Picasa. If I were to do it over I would have skipped Dublin, spent the extra time out here, and stayed in a smaller town such as Doolin. More time for scenery and less drunken tourists.
After another bus ride I stopped down in Cork. I had a quick turnaround there since I had to fly out the next day to Bristol. I had enough time to get a feel for the town though, and what I saw, I liked. It seemed fairly untouched by all the tourist hordes of other cities. There was much more of a natural feel about its streets, shops and people. They hadn't been converted into junk shops and things like that. It had managed to reap the benefits of the thriving Celtic economy and retain its soul. Highlights included the very cool municipal art museum which was hosting exhibits on maps as art and other fine contemporary works. Also, it was the only spot on my trip where I was able to find Murphy's stout (in my opinion, better than Guinness).
There was also a very neat Gothic church and some more fine scenery.
From there was a stop in lovely Bath England. My cousin, Becky, and her husband, Sean have been living there for a few years now and just had a baby! I got to be the first one of my immediate family to see little Isla, and I even helped assemble a crib. I think I'm already her favorite second cousin.

In town there a couple very neat attractions. One was the Bath Abby, a stunning Anglican church, with amazing vaulted ceilings and angels climbing up and down the ladder to heaven on the facade. There was also the famous Roman baths, which had been excavated and had quite detailed and interesting displays. The gardens in Bath were beautiful as well. Apparently they have been retired from the national British competition for city gardens, for winning too many times. They are right on the river with a perfect scenic backdrop. Perhaps that's too much of a natural advantage.

This stop was definitely a highlight of the trip. It was great to get out of the hostels for a little bit and reconnect with family I hadn't seen in a while. Becky and Sean were amazing hosts even though they were dealing with a big new adjustment of their own. They fed me well and even let me do laundry, what could be better. :-)

A wee bit o' the Emerald Isle...

I wrote bits about my stop in Belfast already and hit the main highlights. It was a small and manageable place, which made it an ideal first stop. The hostel I stayed at was a great place as well. Because it was smaller and it wasn't overrun with the hordes of tourist that other places deal with, it was much more accessible. It was amazing to see how much progress has been made in the struggle to bring peace to a region that has been so torn apart. It was one of the most encouraging stops on my tour for that reason. I spoke with folks on the catholic side of things and a Brit while I was there and it was interesting to hear their perspective on it all. Surprisingly, the Republicans (Catholics) are quite amiable to British individuals, and it is the loyalists who are more hostile since they feel "sold out" by the peace process. The British guy I met and spent time with felt much more comfortable in the Catholic parts of town and even rented a room from a Catholic guy. Strange how politics can turn things on their heads sometimes.
Highlights and sight include the aforementioned stops on the black taxi tour, a hike around Belfast "castle" and Cave Hill, and a few pints at the famous Irish pubs. The "castle" proved to be a big house, but it was pretty. Cave Hill was situated above the "castle" and provided some really nice views of the city and the port. As for the pubs, I learned that Magner's cider is much better than Strongbow. Also, I think Murphy's is better than Guinness. Pictures of all of the above are on Picasa, in the appropriately named album: "Belfast."
Dublin was the next stop, and, unfortunately, disappointing. It was a good thing I only stayed one night there. There wasn't much in the way of culture or tradition, just hordes of tourists. The Temple Bar area, which is the center of town, was crowded with lots of middle aged folks trying to re-live their youthful indiscretions. You had to go quite a ways from the center to even find an authentic pub. I trekked a ways out to a place called the Stag's Head. Apparently James Joyce's old hangout. I paid my respects with a pint of Guinness and some writing.
There were some highlights. I enjoyed Christ Church and St. Patrick's Cathedral. The former contained a bit of macabre with the famous mummified cat and rat. The campus of Trinity College was beautiful as well, and housed the ancient Book of Kells. I also took a tour of the Guinness Store house. It was Brilliant! There are pics of these stops as well.