I took a stroll down the old long walk of the day I-ay-I-ay

It's been over a month since my last post, and I have so much to tell you! A few days after my last post, my study abroad group traveled to Scotland for a long weekend. We flew into Edinburgh and spent all of our time in the city. I'm willing to confess that I love Edinburgh as much as Galway. For being twice as large as Galway, Edinburgh has almost as much charm. Our weekend started with a sunrise hike to the top of Arthur's Seat, a literally breathtaking experience that left me wheezing by the time we reached the peak.

Throughout the rest of the weekend, we watched several bagpipe players and street performers as we walked the Royal Mile, an old cobble-stoned street connecting the Edinburgh Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse. My inner Harry Potter fan was also ecstatic when I had the chance to eat at The Elephant House, a cafe where J.K. Rowling started writing her series. I am going to make my way back to Scotland one day.

The following weekend, I found myself in Belfast and exploring the rest of Northern Ireland with my two close friends, Laura & Tiffany. Belfast itself is a rather rundown place; it still hasn't fully recover from the violence of The Troubles. We were able to learn Belfast's history from a Black Taxi Tour, led by a man who grew up in this city. With the exception of Edinburgh, I do not really like to travel to cities. While they can be rich in history and each have their own character, I have found that they are relatively the same from place to place. Naturally, I enjoyed our trip up to the causeway more than exploring Belfast. Our bus tour reminded me of our January trip to the Ring of Kerry. Highlights of the tour included the Giant's Causeway and crossing the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. 

Last but certainly not least, my boyfriend and his dad spent last week with me in Ireland! I can't even explain how wonderful it was to share my life here with loved ones from home. Pictures may tell a thousand words, but they can never beat actually experiencing a place and living in a moment for yourself. Although I've been here for two and a half months, I still had not been to the Cliffs of Moher, Connemara, or spent a day in Dublin until their visit. It was more meaningful to see all of these for the first time with them, and I'm glad I waited! My tour guide skills are not up to par, but I think they were both able to see all of Galway and its personality throughout their week.

It's been a fantastic month, especially now that the sun is finally here! We had a partial solar eclipse two days ago, but unfortunately, my iPhone and I were unable to capture a decent photo. It's still a little cold here by my standards, so my friend Emma and I are headed to Croatia for a week to soak up some warmth and hopefully lounge on the beach! Unfortunately, this will probably be my last international adventure; our term is winding down and final essays are calling my name.