{"id":272,"date":"2017-03-21T11:59:46","date_gmt":"2017-03-21T11:59:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.navigationmaven.com\/?p=272"},"modified":"2017-03-21T11:59:46","modified_gmt":"2017-03-21T11:59:46","slug":"ireland-redux-part-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.navigationmaven.com\/index.php\/2017\/03\/21\/ireland-redux-part-one\/","title":{"rendered":"Ireland Redux, Part One"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0\"\"<\/a>
\nA friend of mine recently told me that when you get older you have two birthdays. This point comes to mind as I turn back to writing on my blog. This particular post started off as a redux of our \u201crecent\u201d trip to Ireland that we took in May 2016. Close to a year ago now, that trip was not so recent, but it is still worth a few posts starting with our initial few days in Galway City. In some ways it was one of the best vacations that we have taken and also one of the most dramatic.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Galway City was our initial resting place, but I must begin with our arrival in Dublin. Excited to land and get out on the open road in\u00a0Irish countryside, we quickly collected our luggage and headed to the car rental office. This is where some advice comes in \u2013 if you rent a car in Europe, particularly with Sixt, you need to bring your proof of auto insurance. Despite the fact that we knew this ahead of time, the paperwork we brought with us didn\u2019t satisfy the rental agency and we ended up paying for insurance anyway. Any money we thought we were saving by using this particular company was lost due to this issue. (Plus, they did not have the manpower to accommodate everyone and it took close to 2 hours to get our car.)<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 By the time we got in our car, we were hungry and not willing to wait until we arrived in Galway City to eat. This could have been another harrowing experience but for the fact that I had a guide called “Delightful Dublin”<\/a> that nailed down places to eat all over the city\u00a0with a review that left you hungry. (I wish I had this guide for every city I visited!!) We had a lovely brunch at Brother Hubbard on Capel Street before making the two-hour car ride to Galway City. Brother Hubbard \u2013 a very cool and cozy caf\u00e9 – offers a sweet brunch: fresh scones and \u201cspirals\u201d (aka cinnamon rolls) as well as some damn good coffee. I had a tasty dish of eggs menemen, a Turkish dish of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, onions, green peppers and spices. \u00a0Yum!<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Upon arriving at our B&B in Galway City, “The Heron’s Rest,”<\/a> we were met by a lovely staff member who showed us around and had tea and scones waiting for us once we got settled in. Based on her recommendation and the weather forecast, we decided to visit the Aran Islands the next day. The Irish are known for their loquaciousness and this young lady delivered with stories of her family history in the Donegal\u00a0area and her grandfather\u2019s involvement in the Irish rebellion.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 We had picked an ideally located place to stay. The famed Spanish Arch was within fifty feet of our doorstep and from there you could see the main cobble-stoned street lined with outdoor patios and shops. We were close to the action without being in the middle of it. Our room overlooked the bay where a group of swans lived. On that particular night, given the fact that it was Sunday and the weather was unusually warm, people were out in droves. Locals congregated in groups on the water\u2019s edge an in the open areas sharing a drink and laying out in the sun.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Our plan for Monday was to take the ferry to the largest of the Aran Islands, Inishmore, which covers 12 square miles. On the ferry ride over we decided to rent bikes and ride to the other end of the island to see the prehistoric fort, Dun Aengus. Riding along the coast the ocean was our constant companion. The ocean air mixed with the occasional waft of sheep, cows, and horses that were kept in these small plots of land. Each plot was established by a short wall of stone. With the sun shining bright, the exercise of riding bikes actually made me break out in a sweat. I started to doubt my packing skills given the warmth and my lack of warm weather clothing. \u00a0\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Arriving at the other end of the island, we dropped off our bikes to make the short uphill trek to Dun Aengus, which sits at the highest point of the island. The waves crashed against the side of the cliff sounding like thunder. Leaning over the cliff\u2019s edge you could take in views that were breathtaking. We also encountered a local border collie that was chasing birds around the site. The dog seemed so happy just running around with the occasional pat on the head from visitors. Watching the happy dog run around brought to mind the idea of living in the moment.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 After making our way back to the bike stand, one of our companions decided to have a heart attack. We didn\u2019t know that\u2019s what was happening when he could no longer stand on his own two feet. Even when asked if he thought he was having a heart attack, he replied with disdain that he was not, but after we started our ferry ride back it became apparent that we needed an ambulance and emergency transport to the nearest hospital. The ferry workers responded immediately and found a doctor on board to assist. As he left us to disembark from the ferry with his family, I asked him what kind of doctor he was back in England. He replied, \u201cA pediatrician.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 One of the interesting things about travel is learning about other cultures. It teaches you to be open-minded and to embrace that there is more than one way to do things \u2013 some good, some bad, and some that are just different. When we arrived at the hospital where our friend had been flown by helicopter, the staff told us he was in the lab. We assumed that meant he was having some tests run, which kept our fear under control a bit. I mean, if they are running tests it can\u2019t be that bad, right? Well, we later learned that the \u201clab\u201d is the term Irish use for \u201csurgery room.” By the time he was out of the \u201clab,\u201d we understood that he had been immediately wheeled into surgery and given a stint to open up his severely clogged artery. So, we learned a new term and our friend got to live another day.<\/p>\n

\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 Of course, the remainder of the trip was not what we had planned — our friend would spend the next seven days in the cardiac unit. We finished our stay in Galway City, exploring what the\u00a0small city had to offer. Once we check out of our lovely B&B, our friend\u2019s wife was graciously permitted to stay in an apartment near the hospital until he was permitted to leave. Despite our protests, we were strongly encouraged to continue the journey as planned, which we did. Next stop, Dingle Town via the Burren and the west coast of Ireland.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0 A friend of mine recently told me that when you get older you have two birthdays. This point comes to mind as I turn back to writing on my blog. This particular post started off as a redux of our \u201crecent\u201d trip to Ireland that we took in May 2016. Close to a year […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"spay_email":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false},"categories":[45,22,27],"tags":[5,57,56,59,54,53,55,58],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hz1R-4o","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":181,"url":"http:\/\/www.navigationmaven.com\/index.php\/2016\/04\/18\/181\/","url_meta":{"origin":272,"position":0},"title":"The Journey is the Reward","date":"April 18, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"For some travelers, planning a trip is almost as enjoyable as the trip itself. It generates excitement and wonder. Nothing else can compare to this kind of freedom of exploration. Recently, we met with the couple we are traveling with to Ireland to plan our itinerary. With our plane tickets\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "ADVENTURES"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.navigationmaven.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/04\/20150502_Brandy_40_088-300x200.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":103,"url":"http:\/\/www.navigationmaven.com\/index.php\/2015\/11\/18\/the-next-big-trip-ireland\/","url_meta":{"origin":272,"position":1},"title":"The Next Big Trip: Ireland!","date":"November 18, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Ireland is a place I've always wanted to visit. \u00a0Partly because I have always been told that I have an Irish heritage - along with half of America! \u00a0(More about that later . . . ) For me, one of the best parts of a trip is the planning stage.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "ADVENTURES"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":1,"url":"http:\/\/www.navigationmaven.com\/index.php\/2015\/07\/19\/hello-world\/","url_meta":{"origin":272,"position":2},"title":"Welcome to Navigation Maven!","date":"July 19, 2015","format":"image","excerpt":"The inspiration for this blog came from a friend after discussing my most recent trip to the South of France. \u00a0In the midst of explaining what we did on our trip, how I organized it, and the planning that went into the trip, \u00a0she said \"You should start a blog!\"\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "General"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":267,"url":"http:\/\/www.navigationmaven.com\/index.php\/2017\/03\/09\/day-trip-to-dublin-texas\/","url_meta":{"origin":272,"position":3},"title":"Day Trip to Dublin . . . Texas","date":"March 9, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Travel can be exhilarating, exhausting and expensive. Taking time off from work coupled with the cost of plane tickets, hotels, and tours can add up to a hefty bill. This doesn\u2019t stop us from planning vacations in far off places, but if you have a \u201cnormal\u201d job it can limit\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "ADVENTURES"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.navigationmaven.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/IMG_3919-225x300.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":234,"url":"http:\/\/www.navigationmaven.com\/index.php\/2016\/10\/31\/how-flexible-are-you\/","url_meta":{"origin":272,"position":4},"title":"How Flexible Are You?","date":"October 31, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 It\u2019s hard for me to believe that our Prague - Vienna trip is over. (It\u2019s equally hard for me to believe it has taken me over two weeks to finish this post!!) As I\u2019ve mentioned in the past, one of my favorite parts of going on a trip is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "ADVENTURES"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.navigationmaven.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/IMG_3376-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":100,"url":"http:\/\/www.navigationmaven.com\/index.php\/2015\/10\/13\/hotel-v-vrbo-in-new-york-city\/","url_meta":{"origin":272,"position":5},"title":"Hotel v. VRBO in New York City","date":"October 13, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Thankfully, as of the writing of this post, I have (finally!) secured our accommodations for our trip to New York on October 22. \u00a0Everything else - plane tickets, check; tickets to a show, check; reservation for dinner before the show, check - was done BEFORE we even had a place\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "ADVENTURES"","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/www.navigationmaven.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/IMG_3524-300x225.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.navigationmaven.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/272"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.navigationmaven.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.navigationmaven.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.navigationmaven.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.navigationmaven.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=272"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.navigationmaven.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/272\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":283,"href":"http:\/\/www.navigationmaven.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/272\/revisions\/283"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.navigationmaven.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=272"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.navigationmaven.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=272"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.navigationmaven.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=272"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}