Ireland, Cliffs of Moher & Galway
Of course, there was no way to trump my last night in Killarney, but my family had to move onto the next destination. Sadly, with this next landmark on deck, it meant our trip was coming to an end, very soon. What was our next stop, you ask?
Cliffs of Moher
The Cliffs of Moher HAVE to be one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. They MUST be on some “Top World Landmark” list. There was no doubt in my mind! Because the Cliffs were fascinating, spectacular and captivating. And words don’t even do them justice!
By this time in our family vacation, we all might have been a little tired, but it didn’t stop us from exploring the Cliffs. There was a museum built in a hill, which gave the fun facts and offered viewing of amazing photography and art. There was a gift store, which gave me a chance to shop for small things, and it also had a sit down restaurant, which we didn’t eat at. Once you left the underground part, you had the ability to walk the 8-mile span of the Cliffs, from tip to tip. The path was shaped like a Y, with the Cliffs branching off to the right and left.
We went up the right side first. Between steps and a number of lookout points, we finally made it to the “top”, where a tower sat. You had to pay to go to the top, but you almost didn’t need to. The view from the path was grand enough. And I mean the VIEW!!! WOW!
Did I mention that it was windy as all get out?!? And cold!!! Goodness gracious!
Once you reached the top, at the tower, there was a part of the trail that was “walk at your own risk” – and God help you if you get close to the edge. There’s no surviving that mess. The walk on the “unguarded, no railing” part was not for the faint of hearts or those scared of heights. It really had its daring appeal and you really needed to be careful. If not, you were gone for good.
My brother and I were the only two from my family to venture off the beaten path. I mean, we stayed on the foot path, but went on the unguarded trail. And it was freaky!!! Remember that wind I just mentioned? Well, it almost had me off my feet at certain times – thank goodness it was blowing inland, not toward the edge! We took some absolutely amazing pictures. And again, the view! Instead of sharing more words, here are more pictures.
Once we safely got back to the guarded path, my dad made the “executive decision” to walk part of the left side of the Cliffs. And no one complained! The more time to take in the landscape and the fresh Irish air, the better. Our trip was close to the end and I personally didn’t want to leave.
Again, the left side had “walk at your own risk” section. This time there was a higher wall and much easier walking path for my parents to take. We didn’t reach the end of the left side, but we made it a good portion before we turned around.
My brother and I have the same hair style – haha.
For those who plan to visit Ireland, plan for lots of driving and lots of walk – most of the time uphill! Haha. These hills were kind of brutal, and I like waking everywhere. It might have been the winds that made it more difficult than usual. But regardless of how cold or how windy it was, Cliffs of Moher are a must see!
Galway
After finishing up at the Cliffs, we made our way to Galway. We needed to find dinner quick…it was getting late and my family was pretty beat from the uphill walking. We found a nice restaurant that had some decent food – but no sticky toffee pudding! Unbelievable! Just kidding. 🙂 I thoroughly enjoyed my dish and sampled everyone else’s. (I would have to say mine was the best, and that wasn’t just at this restaurant. Most of the spots we ate, I made the better of the food selections! Foodie, right here!!!)
I can’t say officially if I would like Galway or not. We didn’t get that much exposure to this a city. All I can say is I noticed a lot of stores/shops and I believe it was a college town. I can’t tell you what there was to do or see, but wouldn’t mind going back to see what the city has to offer.
After our last night’s sleep in Ireland, we had to drive back to Dublin, where we were flying home from. Similar to Galway, we didn’t get to see Dublin much at all. We drove around for like 30 minutes, managed to get lost, but made it to the airport on time. My brother wishes we had gotten to spend some time in Dublin, so him and I talked about taking another trip together there. Most people (even some Irish people) said Dublin wasn’t really worth the time. I would say it’s equivalent to our New York City. It could be worth exploring – mainly for the food and museums…and for my brother, the pub scene. Just another reason to return, right?!
Realizing that time was wrapping up, we returned our tiny, reliable car to the airport and made our way to the gate. Oddly enough, we had another close call with flying out. My mom got pegged for some extra security happenings, but somehow my brother, dad and I managed to jump the line at Customs! We breezed right through, while my mom got stuck behind. Luckily, we all made our flight and landed safely back in Rhode Island.
Did you forget we flew out of Rhode Island?
Well, we didn’t!
Let’s just say that was one loooooong drive home – I actually slept most of the way! Never again for a great flight deal. Lesson learned 110%!
That wraps up my family adventure to Ireland. I hope you enjoyed it. For me, it was a great experience, despite all the mishaps, and I am so lucky to have spent that time with my family. In the future, we can all look back and remember our first international family vacation…and look forward to the next one – which hopefully will be soon.
This was one of the few family photos we actually got together.
Stay tuned to find out about “The Knows & Lessons Learned” of Ireland, where I discuss what you need to know, the hot spots and what to do if you plan to travel to Ireland.
Have any questions? Did I miss something? What was your favorite part? Leave me a comment; I’d love to hear from you!
Missed my last posts?