Good evening everyone (for me at least), today was another early start but was well worth it. We ventured outside of Dublin again today and took a very long bus ride from the east side of the country to the west. We first visited the Cliffs of Moher, which is a beautiful tourist attraction that offers the these huge cliffs that touch the edge of the north Atlantic ocean. The views were absolutely breathtaking. The road leading up was very bumpy and very steep and i’m still getting use to the driving on the opposite side of the road. But once we did get to the top we exited the bus and was greeted with a visitor center that had a food court and tiny gift shop but the main point of the attraction were the views. There were a couple different paths that you could take to get to the top and see the outlook of the entire ocean for miles and miles. However, this fun tourist spot was a lot busier then I imagine. I heard a lot of different languages all around me while I was admiring the views.
I think the tourism to not only the Cliffs of Moher, but everywhere that attracts tourist does a lot for this country. Culturally speaking people from all around the world come and visit Ireland for its many historical and popular sites. It brings the country a lot of business with all the tourist coming in they will want to buy gifts, souvenirs, food, and lots more. This brings the country a lot of money, some of these business are locally owned and some are more corporate. Either way I think it is a good thing for this country. Every local I have encountered is always extremely friendly and welcoming (even when they can tell i’m from America almost immediately). If the locals and citizens don’t seem to mind all the tourism and the tourist are still coming I think it is a win/win for both parties.
After the Cliffs of Moher we got back on the bus and went about an hour north to a town called Galway. I was really excited to visit this town because Ed Sheeran wrote a song called “Galway Girl” and it was based off this town. Once we were in Galway I had so much fun. The locals were playing music on the street, they had banners hanging at the top of the buildings, and everyone was so friendly. We visited a couple different shops and had lunch at a place called Freddy’s. The food was really good and I enjoyed having lunch with some of my new friends. I was a true Galway girl today. Overall, today was a lot of driving but was 100% worth it and I would do it all again if I could.
If someone back at home were to ask me about Ireland and if they should visit; I would say they should visit Ireland at least once in their life. The city of Dublin has so much to offer for everyone. Whether they are a huge fan of Trinity college, the Irish accent, or more culturally they want to learn about the history and what they accomplished to become the Republic of Ireland. I would say they should definitely visit especially because everything is within walking distance, the pub nightlife, the castles, and views; it would be definitely worth the trip to anyone interested in Ireland. Plus they can visit Galway and be a Galway girl too!
