The Cliffs of Moher

Early on Sunday morning, the three of us boarded a tour bus that would take us all the way to the Cliffs of Moher and back, stopping at several tourist sites along the way, for a total journey of about 8 hours.

As we left Galway city and entered the countryside along the western coast of Ireland, we saw more and more rolling green hills (Ireland really is as green as they say!), thatched-roof cottages, and dry stone walls (walls that have been built up with rocks from the surrounding limestone and fit together in such a way that there is no need for mortar to hold them together).  Our first stop was Dunguaire Castle, which was breathtaking both in low tide (on the way out) and high (on the way back).

We then entered the Burren, an area that is known for its wide expanse of limestone cobbles and endemic flora and fauna.  We saw an earthen ring-fort (also known as a fairy fort) dated to the Iron Age.  Click the link for more info on that; it's actually pretty interesting!  We passed by a couple of dolmens and a cairn, all left over from Neolithic times, before arriving at the Poulnabrone Portal Tomb, probably the oldest thing I've ever seen with my own two eyes.

After passing through the lushest, greenest pastures I've ever seen, all dotted with cows, sheep and horses grazing, we arrived at Kilfenora Cathedral, a partially ruined 12th century church with a particularly interesting cemetery.  From there we headed to the small town of Lisdoonvarna, the self-proclaimed matchmaking capital of the world.  Every September, singles from hundred of miles away gather here to be matched up with their potential soul mate!

Next was lunch, and as usual, I ordered soup from a small cafe.  After lunch, we finally arrived at the Cliffs of Moher, but we were utterly disappointed to find that the typical Irish weather had turned on us, and the entire area was obscured by thick clouds and mist.  Where we should have been able to look over the side and see the Atlantic Ocean 700 feet below, all we saw was whiteness.  We took the opportunity to visit the gift shop and watch the cows lazily grazing in a nearby field, and just as we were about to give up and write off our losses, the clouds cleared away for a brief moment, just long enough to see the breathtaking drop into the sea and snap a few pictures.  Elated and exhausted, we piled back into the bus, ready to sleep the rest of the way back to Galway.