Connemara

Not far into our trip someone asked a group of us tourists where their favorite place was in Ireland. This one man claimed, without hesitation: Connemara! He claimed it was a beautiful and unforgettable stretch of earth and he wanted to go back there.

Well, our original plan for this day was to take a passenger ferry boat over to the Aran Islands to appreciate a true Irish fishing village, old school. But we awoke to absolutely pouring down rain and fog with a strong wind. Somehow, the thought of churning on that ferry for an hour only to get to an island that is best explored via bicycle or horse carriage didn't sound exactly comfortable. So, given what our fellow tourist had said, we elected to explore the great West of Ireland: Connemara.

Here is what we found:
- More lakes and puddles than the land of a thousand lakes
- Castles and cathedral ruins scattered throughout the countryside
- Picturesque rivers and streams full of fat fish and fisherman
- the rockiest and toughest land I have ever scene

Evidently Cromwell told the Irish Catholics to either go to Hell or Connemara. After driving through the rocky hillside, I understand what he was saying. No lawns or expanse of grass. The "green" comes from moss on rocks - no trees, few shrubs and tons of rocks. Somehow, this hearty group of people carved out a living on these boulders.

Drive 15 Kilometers more and you'll find a beach with white sands and the bluest water this side of the Caribbean. I could have sworn we were in Trunks Bay Beach, not Ireland. But while the scene was spectacular, the chill in the air was unmistakable. All a magical illusion (thanks fairies!).

We enjoyed lunch at Guy's Restaurant in Clifton, the major city in the national park area. Supposedly there is a range of 12 mountains that are called the 12 pins. But the fog and rain concealed these tops from our view.

After a comfortable return trip to our hotel, we ended up having dinner in our hotel. What was expected to be a boring hotel restaurant dinner turned into the BEST meal experience we have had in years. They had a chef tasting option and were willing to let Steve and I partake while allowing our boys to order a "regular" meal. They completely accommodated us and the service was impressive. The food was phenomenal! Such a foodie experience!