Ireland day 5 Galway
My son enjoyed his sleep as we missed breakfast, but all of us caught up on rest which is a part of this trip to tend to forget to do. Angie and I got takeaway (such a better term than take-out) coffee and got the kids out the door by 11a. We found a fun sweets shop and we shared a Whamm bar. Taffy? Not sure. I can tell you it was bubble gum with sour in the middle. Afterwards, the kids really wanted these Ireland shirts so we grabbed a shirt for both. It is unseasonably hot today in Galway…more on that later.
For lunch we let them check out McDonald’s which is wild. The relationship the Irish have with sugar is fascinating. A Happy Meal cannot get anything but milk, water, or sugar-free soda, the most you can have is 4 nuggets (fish or chicken) and you have to get veg or fruit with fries. That is either cucumber or grapes and apples. There is even a book you can take to see all the calories and allergens. There is so much they do that I adore when it comes to food. The only can of Mountain Dew I saw was at a sweet shop if that tells you anything about what they think of that sugary delight.
Angie and I had a recommendation to eat fish and chips at the legendary McDonagh’s which is caught fresh and fried…it was the best I’ve ever had. I love how much pride they took in this shop because the fish they plated for us, the owner didn’t like how they turned out so made them drop a new order of fish, which is something you hardly see in the States. The chips however were just okay, until you added the malt vinegar and then they were an entirely different animal, wow 🤯
The night before the porter at our hotel gave us a notated map with all his favorite spots in Galway. With that in hand like a D&D campaign we set off to walk to the Cathedral which is an old Gaol (prison) but ended up in Salthill where the kids and I got into the ocean 🌊 no swimsuits but we still met the ocean on the west coast of Ireland. If I had one thing, I would love to see more of it is wayfinding. The signage tends to be sparse and usually a block away from where you are going and thus, not that helpful. However, once you understand these cities you hardly need it – Ireland is very walkable.
We walked back towards the city and the correct path to the Cathedral stopping at the playgrounds of which there are many (another thing I love) for the kids to burn off some steam. The Cathedral itself is hard to describe because it takes your breath away and not just because it was a prison designed to cage away humans and now serves as a vessel to grant freedom to humans through Christ - but the design is stunning, in fact, it’s absolutely beautiful. The only thing that might compare is Grace Cathedral in San Francisco but it really isn’t even close due to the age and energy of this place.
We walked back along the River Corrib into the West End of Galway so the kids could get ice cream. They all got Gelato at Gino’s but I had to visit our friends from Dingle, Murphy’s. In line they allow you to try anything you’d like but we had been there the night before. Instead, I asked the gentleman working what was HIS favorite combo. He lit up as he told me when he was a kid they would have something called a loop-de-loop which was lime and chocolate (technically it is an ice cream bar with lemon-lime sorbet dipped in chocolate) so he said “Wait here” and he brought me lemon-lime sorbet and the chocolate whiskey made with Teeling’s whiskey 🥃 and said to eat them at the same time….this is why I ask because it was brilliant and I would never have gotten to that combo in a million years. So, at the counter, the woman asked for my order and I told her, she also smiled and whispered “That’s my favorite” For context, the shop is slammed with people and here I am in on a secret with two of the staff sharing a childhood memory. If you ever want to know why I love travel so much it’s because of moments like this.
After 9.2 miles of walking, we spent a few minutes resting back at the hotel. We all know that we are likely getting pizza from The Dough Bros again because it was out of this world. But for a minute let’s pretend we are trying something new.
We went back into the city and Angie and I had a Harp, a Smithwick’s, a Guinness, and Porn Star Martini which is a cocktail love here and you can get in every pub. Outside Taaffes, we met Tom from Galway who shared stories about his work and family farm and then we met a couple from Iowa along with a group from Traverse City who are biking across the country which is wild. Tom told me what many Irish will tell you which is that Temple Bar is a total miss but I’m not sure I can’t go there. The kids had some free time around Main Street while we chatted up the locals and then it was dinner at The Dough Bros.
We got a table this time at The Dough Bros and ordered Garlic bread Pepp dila jala Hey pesto and a Margarita I am not sure I will stand for any other pizza ever again. Why? Well, it might be the city or the trip but there is just something about these perfectly constructed pies that I cannot get enough of. If you are in Galway, I can guarantee you two things, you will have the time of your life because the city is electric, and no trip is complete without that pizza in your itinerary.
