Galway

 Our good friend from Boston, Katie Broecker, was studying abroad in Ireland for winter and spring semester, so we were lucky enough to meet up with her in Ireland. I asked where it made the most sense to visit and she suggested Galway. She stayed the night with us in a fun hotel on the beach and then we spent the next day exploring the area. She had been to Galway before, so she acted as a tour guide for us, filling us in on all sorts of history and culture of the area. We first wandered the harbor, enjoying the cheerful houses set against the Atlantic Ocean.

 Then we made our way through the old town, which was the perfect way to feel embraced by the Irish culture. Fish and Chip shops lined the streets as well as Irish pubs. Katie taught us about the claddagh rings that originated in Galway that signify love and friendship. We also saw another "occupy" group camping out in the town.

 After wandering Galway, we had a few hours to spare and Katie recommended driving south to The Burren, which is an area about 200 miles square that is covered with limestone slabs, has a network of caves underground and unique plant life and wildlife above ground. It resembles a moonscape with spectacular views. Katie pointed out famine houses as we drove, which are homes that were abandoned, or where the families simply died within them, over a century and a half ago by the millions of people who perished of hunger when the potato crop failed. She also pointed out thatched roof houses, churches, stone walls and grave yards.

  We stopped at the Aillwee cave, which is one of many local caves. We toured deep underground, which is always the perfect adventure for children. On our way to and from the cave, we walked on a little trail past all sorts of carved figures.

Afterward, we joined a bird show. The crowd was small due to it being off season, so my children were the only little ones there. The bird handlers allowed all six of my children to participate in the show several times each.

The stone walls are created with holes so that the wind can pass through without knocking over the stones. Katie says that when the wind is strong, the rushing through the holes sounds like loud howling. 

On our drive we looked for structures such as the one above. They are megalithic tombs thought by the Irish of old to be fairy graves.

We stopped at an old chapel that was in ruins with an overgrown cemetery. Cows were peeking over the stone wall from the neighboring pasture.  

Sweet Ezra spent much of his time making bouquets of flowers for all of the girls and for me.This continued throughout Europe. 

 Afterward we returned to Galway so that Katie could catch her bus, but not before a dinner of fish and chips and hugs good-bye.