Tuesday, March 16, 2010

So last weekend I went out to Galway west Ireland with erin, kylen, and greta. Our main goal of this trip was to see the legendary Cliffs of Moher. We went in and took a bus tour from Galway to see them, but then Kylen and I were not satisfied. So we got off the bus tour halfway and with all our backpacking gear decided to hike all of the cliffs. So at 4 Oclock on sat. we take off hiking starting at sea level. We have only a loaf of bread with peanut butter for food because our other food needs our stove which we don't have fuel for.... As we start walking we are not disappointed. We walk along the edge of the cliffs the whole way until about seven at night and end up camping in a farmland right near the edge of the cliffs which is absolutely amazing. Sunday we work down the other side of the cliffs and into a tourist surf town of Lahench to catch the bus all the back to Dublin. Overall the hiking trip was great and the cliffs are amazing in every right.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Sunday climbing in Dalkey
I went south of Dublin with the climbing club to go rock climbing in Dalkey. It was the first time I have rock climbed outside and it was sweet. I was able to climb a few routes which was lots of fun. The weather was great so it made the climbing even Better and the view from the top of the routes was great, being able to see the whole bay of dublin. I got home though and I was so tired from such a day and week, I just made food and crashed.
The West of Ireland
Last week we left on a class trip to go to Westport a small town on the west coast of Ireland. Our class took this trip to learn hands on about the Great Famine between 1845 and 1850. On the first day on the drive up, we went to the National Famine Museum and also the Strokestown House. They were both very cool, but the Strokestown house was fantastic. It was an anglo-irish estate house that had been owned by one family for over 400 years. The collection of historical artifacts was absolutely dumbfounding. For example, the library contained multiple first edition of dickens, some Tolstoy, and also a first edition candied by Voltaire. Also I was able to hold a first edition version of dickens Christmas stories which was pretty cool. Then we went back to the Hotel and had the most fabulous three course meal, a sausage appetizer, lamb rump,all topped off with a creme brulee. The next day we went out to croagh patrick mountain and looked at it; we were not able to climb up it. It is the third tallest mountain in Ireland and is a religious pilgrimage for many people each year, it is called the Holy mountain. Then the group proceeded to go in through an amazing mountain pass, toward Connemara national park. Which was fantastic and I was able to do a small hiking loop which was very pretty. The we returned to the hotel for a great meal again and a night out on the town in Westport. The last day we went to achill island to see many deserted famine cottages and a brilliant coast line. The last thing we did was go to a heritage farm. This was a small farm that has been preserved since the famine and is run by the owner of the house who group up on the small farm. It was very informative and quite impressive. The we went back for our last night at the hotel for a great meal and fun night out with our whole group including our professors. Then on Saturday the rest of the group took the bus home and kylen and i stayed in westport to climb up Croagh Patrick which was absolutely amazing. Overall, the trip was phenomenal and tons of fun.