Thursday 4 April 2024

Today is day 98 since the departure from Melbourne, meaning we have used up a quarter of our seniors’ gap year. It seems to have gone very quickly and despite some big spending on birthday and Chaine items, we have managed 81% of our time in free accommodation and almost managed on our daily living allowance. Using Australian savings and converting here to Euro (at about 60 cents) and the Pound (worse still!), makes living expensive.

So, on that note off to Galway to walk the cliffs, taste some beverages and listen to some music.

We did a short walkalong the Galway waterfront, when big black clouds threatened, so we took refuge in a pub and had a Guinness as the light rain came in. Spying a break in the weather, we made it to the car and drove into town looking for some Irish music. The first pub was a stop gap because the music doesn’t start until 7.00 pm or 9.00 pm, with only a couple having an early session at 6.00 pm.

So, after that, we propped ourselves at this gin bar.  Hundreds of gins from all around the world and we settled in for a tasting. Halfway through, a group of 14 year olds wander in and hide down the back, with the biggest (6’2”) ordering something that looked like Coke but probably had something else in it. 

The young barman spotted them straight away and was determined to ask for proof of age. Oh dear, it reminded Flashy of those days at Sodens in Albury when we were 17 and drinking in the small bar. Well, the young barman waltzes up to them and says “I need ID.,” then goes back to the bar to serve someone else. This gives the group time to scamper quick smart out the door. I reckon the barman has been there before!

It’s close to 6.00 pm, so it’s off to Tig Coili Pub for the much lauded Trad Irish music. The musos are not complying, so at 6.30 pm we go across the road to The Quays Pub to hear some folk Irish music. This is a bit like country and western.. “my dog died, she left me and my truck broke down..” sort of stuff, except it has a that banjo, fiddle, guitar Irish sound that reminds us of the Bushwackers and the Rouseabouts and they sing about the transportation to Australia and some tart in a black velvet band.. Flashy contemplated asking if they knew “The Factory Lad/Turning Steel” but as he was well into a number of Guinness and whiskeys, he decided to call it a night and head home.

Lady P cleans out the fridge and makes an amazing chicken salad, including perfect hard boiled eggs so that there’s not much to take to the next place.



Red lights seem to be so modern in this Gin joint









This old bloke was not the only nutter to be swimming in the Atlantic in winter!
Please Sir, can I have another?






A nice interlude in the Galway area, we think.

Comments

  1. Esler5 April 2024 at 01:35

    Memories of 33c pints in the Sodens small bar.

    ReplyDelete

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