The Cliffs of Moher

Today was our final day in Europe. SAD. I cannot believe my summer adventures are over already, and I am so grateful that I get to come back in just a few weeks to start my semester long adventures. We fly out of Dublin for Philadelphia at 11am on Thursday. From there, I will be spending one night in Washington to see my Georgetown friends and to collect the final paperwork from the Czech Embassy in DC for my student visa for the fall. By Friday night, I will be back home in New Orleans. Time really does fly when you're having fun.


Our trip today was really the perfect way to end our travels. We took a 2.5 hour bus ride across the entire island of Ireland to the western coast on the Atlantic. From the major city of Galway, Stephen and I joined a 8 hour tour bus group for a trip through the Burren and the Cliffs of Moher.


Western Ireland is absolutely beautiful, and it is very hard to put into words or even pictures. Our day started with a view of a medieval castle in the Burren. The Burren is karst-landscape (dominated by bedrock) region in northwest County Clare, in Ireland on the Atlantic Coast. During the morning half of our drive, we passed ancient Stone Age and Celtic artifacts, including a 6300 year old stone fort and a burial monument for 23 hunter/gatherer adults and children (discovered in 1983 by archeologists). For lunch, we stopped at a little countryside restaurant in Doolin. After traditional chicken wrapped in bacon with veggies (including Irish potatoes), I finished lunch with a delicious Bailey's coffee.


After lunch, we spent 2 hours at the Cliffs of Moher. These gigantic and picturesque cliffs lie hundreds (if not more) feet above the Atlantic Ocean. It is a tourist mecca, and the views are indescribable. They have become iconic for the Republic of Ireland, and they have been used in many films, including Harry Potter 6 and the Princess Bride. After walking up and down the protected edges of the cliff, we boarded our tour bus again to finish our adventure in Western Ireland.


Before the 2.5 hour ride back on the N6 highway, we had dinner at a traditional pub in Galway. This city is one of the fastest growing cities in all of Europe, and it really is a fine example of the resilience of the Irish people, culture, and economy. It is a cultural and arts center, and this week is special because it is the annual week-long Galway Horse Races.

We are almost packed up for the last time (after 4 previous legs of our trip in Europe alone)! Still can't believe we've come this far, and it will be hard to leave Europe after getting used to being here. Looking forward to some time in the US to catch up on the things I missed. I will be sure to post a wrap up entry on the blog when I get home..before the blog continues on August 15 from Florence, Italy!!