Getting to know Galway City..

This past week a small group of us traveled into Galway City. We didn't have any clear plans and just wanted to explore the city more, so we took off from the Eyre Square and traversed much of the town. From the west side of Galway, we walked to the eastern portion where the Galway Hotel is located, and decided we would see a movie. The theater was fantastic! It was very similar to those back in the states, but I did notice that at the concession stand, alcohol could be purchased which was interesting to me. 

Also on our adventures we found this little gem. A plaque on this wall indicated it was constructed by the Spanish in the 17th century! Whilst it seems that the purpose of the wall was defense, I do not know for a fact that it was. It stands now as a relic among the growing city of Galway.

The long streets of Galway can almost mesmerize a person. Almost every street seems to just go on endlessly, with shops and cafes nestled next to one another as you walk. I find myself often stopping to gawk at all the buildings that line these streets. The narrowness of the streets is also interesting. With just enough space to squeeze a car, I sometimes hold my breath when I see the double decker buses zooming up and down.

One of our last stops was the Galway Atlantaquaria, the National Aquarium of Ireland. The aquarium here holds many of the local fish, as well as a few exotic types from around the world. What I found most interesting about this aquarium however, was its collection of artifacts located on the second level. In particular, they have a native Irish dugout canoe from around 3000 B.C. Preserved in layers of peat thousands of years ago, a recent strong storm had brought in back to the surface for archaeologists to find!

In the upcoming week we are going to be heading to the Aran Islands for our first field trip. These island have historically been a difficult place for its inhabitants to subsist, but in recent decades has seen a great increase in contact with mainland Ireland and has somewhat prospered. It will be interesting to meet the people of the Islands and learn about their history!