Hello all!
Today is our second day in Galway, the fastest growing city in Europe. With our “breakfast at the hostel is over by 10am, so eat early” burden lifted during our time in Galway, we were free to “accidentally” sleep in until 11 this morning. Well, for Nolin it may have been an accident, but when I woke up briefly around 8, I didn’t exactly make an attempt to inform Nolin of the time before I snuggled back into my nest of comforters that I collected from surrounding empty beds the day before.
Recharged from our blissfully long night’s sleep, Nolin and I headed into town again, which is basically a two block trot to the main streets. Today was a lovely soak in small-town life, as we spent the majority of it waltzing around town, peering in bakery windows, splashing in the Irish rain, and sipping freshly blended juice from a place called “Pulp.” We also decided to explore a few of the many grand churches in town. Most of the churches are scattered on the outskirts of the main streets, and tower over passersby with their beautiful but unimposing stone walls and pillars.
Today we stopped into Thomas Dillon’s, the original maker of Claddagh rings. We also visited the small museum attached to the store, which tells the historic tail of how the Claddagh ring was first created, and the many people and stories related to it. The shop and the people that work there are lovely, and we’re planning on returning tomorrow, possibly to purchase a ring or two.
On a small and personal-victory sort of note, Nolin and I have officially decided that my health is on the incline. He was actually able to hear me speak today…though the extent to which that is defined as a good thing is debatable, from his point of view. 
Hopefully I’ll be good as new in the coming days.
We’ll be heading back to Dublin tomorrow afternoon, and though I’m sure we’ll both miss the sweetness of Galway, we’ll be happy to return to our hip and happening home at the Ashfield house in the city.
Hope everyone is in good health and spirits!
We send our love from across the globe.
4 comments
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June 17, 2008 at 6:21 pm
Lana
Jennnn!!! And Nolin!!! You guys seem like youre having a blast. Im so jealous. Keep writing these updates- I read them all. Love you two!! <3
June 18, 2008 at 8:12 am
Morgan
hello! totally glad you tagged me in that note and i randomly read this! sounds like you’re having so much fun! I’m so jealous your learned all aobut those rings too, they are so awesome i’ve been meaning to get one. not that i’m like irish in any way shape or form. anywho…random tanget…I MISS YOU GUYS! i’m so glad you’re having fun though
much loooove
June 18, 2008 at 11:46 pm
carol kull
Hi Jen,
Sounds like you are having a great time. I’m jealous. Wish I could see all these great places. Have fun and be safe!! By the way Jen, your Mom sent me a DVD of your “One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest”. You were excellent as Nurse Ratched. You are such a good actress. You seem so comfortable on stage. Congrats on graduation.
Love you,
Aunt Carol:)
June 19, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Alli
Wow. For a small town that’s quite an impressive church. Beautiful. I LOVE that green is the dominant color…it’s not very often that you see that…usually it’s a grand mixture. I suppose it makes sense though, being Ireland and all. If I built a church, it would be green, green, green. And accented with bright yellow and purple. And the angels would have silver wings, although that might bring the whole aesthetic into a cheese hipster/school colors kind of area which for me, implies more cool apathy (in that enthusiastic hipster way) than divine inspiration and worship. Then again, it’s a church we’re talking about here…MY church…so I suppose Big ‘G’ would probably be the last thing on my mind.
Also, I LOVE that you started using flickr…and that you had Nolin make an author account even if he doesn’t ever decide to use it. I’m so proud of you my little budding internet addict.