Week 04
- Wednesday 30-7-2003 -

11:22, Galway City centre, Out of money (and time)

No update yesterday. That means... yes, I was having such a good time that I did not get to writing stuff. So you will now get a flash-back on tuesday (since I am now in a city, this might be the last time to send an update).


The place I woke up tuesday-morning

Yesterday I did not get out of bed easily. When I woke up, the clock was at 11:00. Luckely I already was close to Connemara park so I still had time to do the dishes and be there at 13:00.


Sorry that the picture is to bright. But just a note. This road isn't narrow, but already sometimes you need to get into the hedges. When you're driving the minor roads, this can frequently be the case. So the left-side of your car (certainly when it is as wide as a camper) will get some scratches. If you mind, don't take the minor roads! (no problem on the R-roads, these are usually wide enough).

So then I arrived at Connemara park. The entrance looked fine, the displays and information they provided were also fine. Then I remembered that I only had one film with me (only 35 exposures left). So I went back to the camper to get some extra. I was driving trough the surrounding area for some time and that already started to dazzle me, so my expectiations were high.

But then I started with one of the 3 walks. And I got very disappointed. It didn't look like a nature reserve with some nice walks, it just looked like a park. Some pictures of the 'highlights':


At any place where there was a view, it was outside the park. So you were always looking at houses. No spectaculair views...


The 'paths' were wide enough for a car to drive them. Ideal for children and older people. Not that much of a 'touch with nature'.


While walking the last of the three 'walks' (they only lasted for about 15 minutes each) something exciting happened: my foot sank into some mud! That was the highlight of the walks until then.

But then I got to know why it is as it is. At the end of the last walk (the bog walk), there was a guide making sure nobody went of the paths. When we got to the end of the path, there were still some paths leading into the bog. I (and some other dutch persons I met) followed those paths until we heared a wistle. It was the guide indicating us that we were not supposed to walk there. So we went back. We had a chat with the guide and we told him that we were a little disappointed by the fact that he nature reserve seemed to be so much less then the surrounding area. And that was when things became clear.

In the past (until this year) there were paths further into the park. Now we did only see about 5% of it. But people didn't always stay on the path so the park was damaged by this behavior. They were busy building paths and making a survey of the rest of the park. This should be completed next year. Also on three mornings in the week, there are guide nature walks that start at 10:30. Those take you into the heart of park, off the paths. So I was just unlucky to get here this year (or this day & time). When I went back to the parking, I had a different view and even made some other photo's.


By making a good composition, you can have an idea what it should/could look like.

This is the reason why 95% of the park was closed. Those two shots are taken less then 1 meter apart. Left you see how it should be. the right one shows the effect of people walking straight trough the park.


For those that want to visit the park, but do not feel the need for heavy walking: These are the kind of paths that you walk on the shorter walks.

So then I got on my way to Galway. Again I tried to make a scenic drive of it. I will only tell which roads to take and which to avoid.

Best part: R340+R336 Bunnahown-Costelloe. This takes you trough rocks filled landscape. It was very bad weather when I passed it, so I could not take photo's. But the roads are good and if you have time, don't miss this.

Average part: N59+R344 Letterfrack-Bunnahown. If you didn't do the Doo-lough-pass (see monday), you could do this. Otherwise maybe the N59 via Clifden might have better views and be just as fast/long.

Worst part: R336 leading along the coast from the west towards Galway. This was terrible. For some reason Ireland is filling the coastline with ugly houses. One after the other. The entire road looked like an urban area. Almost no views towards the sea. Try to avoid this part since you're mood is likely to get bad...


A view just under Bunnahown.


A sample (not the best part) of the R340 views.


Another thing I noticed: The behavior of gipsies in different countries: In Holland we put them together in dedicated places. As far as I know, they stay there for a long time. In France they 'capture' airfields and other places by arriving in huge groups. In Ireland they park along the road in groups of about 10 caravans (and make a huge mess).

Once I arrived in Galway, I parked my car and went into the city. One thing I did not really do much: Tasting the Irish food. Two reasons. It is not that much fun to sit in a restaurant alone (altough I noticed it is common here). Other one is the price. But yesterday I did buy myself a big plate of seafood. I even had oysters for the first time in my life. How do they taste? It is for sure an acquired taste, but my first impression was 'watermelon that has grown in the sea'. It had a 'swampy' structure and it tasted like sea-water. Love to try it again, don't like to pay the bill.

After diner I went into town. There were a lot of street musicians, so I couldn't stand it and went back to my camper to get my camera. While taking pictures I also got into contact with them (they even offered me a beer!). After a while I went back to put the camera in the camper and get into a pub. Then I got a cold shower: I was in Ireland and the pubs closed before midnight... Only some night-clubs were open, I visited one but I didn't think it was my thing. One good thing about it: There were TV screens on the walls that showed BASE-jumps (for those that don't know, it is jumping of buildings/antenna's/cliffs with a parachute).

But now? I will first go to a internet cafe and get this story send to the 'publisher'. Then I will drive out of the town-centre to a laundrenette to do some washing. Next might be a visit to the races or I will go straight for The Burren. This evening I hope to be in the far south-west. The wetter is fine now, so maybe a second chance for sunset pictures. That leaves me one day for the Killarny park and then I have to get a ferry to france :(.

And about the money: I was no longer able to get cash from the ATM using my normal bank-card. My account has dried up. It reminded me that this is the end of the month. All normal expenses are paid now (house, insurences). One of these days my salary will also arrive, so no problem. Untill then I can be very happy with my credit card. It will keep working for some time...


And last but not least. My overnight place tuesday to wednesday! Isn't it a nice one?

22:29, At the cliffs of Moher (parking)

What did happen since the last notes? I went to the laundrenette. I was expecting a do-it-yourself place, but it was a leave-your-stuff-and-we-will-wash-it-for-you place. After some bargaining, they could do it within 2 hours. But by the time I came there it was already 3 o'clock. So there went my plans of getting to the Burren. (Even if I was able to do it myself it wouldn't be feasable). Since it was being done I decide to finally write some postcards and visit the city centre once more. Again it was very busy. Sorry I couldn't stay much longer... I did not see any sights, I just went into some shops and breathed the atmosphere. If you plan going to Ireland, don't leave the cities without a visit, they live. They are not just crowded places.

Then I was finally on my way. Much to late. I was thinking that there should be something as an entrance to the Burren area. After all there was a Burren national Park. But while I was driving in the region, I couldn't find anything like it. One thing I could notice, the area looked much more attractive in the 'north' then near the national Park. Suddenly I saw some signs of a Burren centre, I have some notes where, but I don't feel like getting them at this moment (you will understand why if you keep reading). When I came there it was already closed. The cliffs of Moher were close so I decided to go there.

I already saw a lot of pictures of those cliffs. They are high (at the highest point 200m). But they are not that spectaculair (simple shape, no great views-just a look to the sea). And of course very touristic. So when I arrived there, I just had a good CD playing (The King). So I first stayed in my camper, watching all the tourist do their tourist stuff (arrive, take the same photo's, leave). When the CD was finished I also went to take a look. Not expecting exciting stuff. And I was not dissappointed in that. The cliffs at Tory Island were not so high but much greater to look at. In Norway and Iceland I had been on cliffs with great views and almost nobody there. So I have a high level to compete with. But as I wandered around I could see some nice things. The rock for example was very loose. It were all layers and where it was on the edge, you could just peel it of layer-by-layer. Standing on the southern part also resulted in some great views on the northern part. I also took some pictures (of course), but really amazing? No not really. I've had better :), even in Ireland


2 languages. One of them is german. Why??? If there is one nationality there are more then enough off.. (just kidding, but as a dutch person I am 'teached' to have something against germans. To bad I can't keep up with this. Most of the germans I meet are nice people... Must have something to do with history, not the present times. And I don't know if the site is still alive, but they have something pending since the soccer-tournament of 2002 www.ihrseidnichtdabei.de)



Some random shots on the cliffs. But I think I already told sometimes... Wait for the film photo's

After seeing these cliffs (and missing the Burren), one question arrived: What to do next? I could either go to see the south-west. But I like to be in France coming weekend. That means that I would have to leave Ireland on Friday. Going to the south-west would require a lot of driving. So I have decided to give this region (the Burren) a better visit. I will get back to Ireland, I will then also have a part that I have not visited yet. I hope I will be able to walk a part of the Burren or at least take a good-slow drive. And hopefully I'll have the same weather as today. Again no sunset but during the day the weather was fine.