Saturday, July 4, 2015

Blessing #184: A trip to the Aran Islands

I took a trip today to the Aran Islands, a group of 3 islands off the west coast of Ireland.  I walked to town where a bus took me to a ferry which took me to Inishmor (the big island).

These islands are the home of the Aran Sweater, the ones you've seen associated with Ireland before.  These islands are truly Irish: some of the natives don't speak English; everything is in Irish.  Some of the highlights from my day:

  • I ate at a wonderful restaurant called Bayview, and the owner happens to be from New Jersey and on sabbatical of sorts from being a math teacher.  I am NOT making this up! 
  • The bike hire guy let me rent a bike even though I didn't have 10 Euros for a deposit.
  • I saw the most amazing pre-historic fort.  Here's what it looks like from the air:
Photo from http://www.visitaranislands.com/inis-mor-inishmore-island/attractions
  • I wanted to buy a hat and scarf from a woman at the visitor's center at Dún Aengus, but she (and the whole island, actually) didn't take credit cards.  Instead of sending me away empty-handed, she told me to take the had and scarf and send her the money.  Irish hospitality once again!  Amazing! 
  • I was so tired on the way back to the mainland that I slept on the boat and didn't get nauseous at all!

Windblown but happy after my afternoon biking. 
An Irish Longhorn?  Go horns go?!
This is very, very, very high up.  I'm lying on the ground here, looking down.

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