Goodbye Limerick, Back "Home" to Galway

I've changed my mind back and forth about where to travel, and for several reasons, after a week in Limerick, have chosen to return to my "free" house in Galway.  Just arrived and it feels better than I imagined to be back, to pass the colorful city centre, drive along the Promenade and look again out across Galway Bay.  Such a lively city and such a beautiful waterfront.  Smart choice -- and no-cost lodging.

Good old Vinnie, our regular cabbie, picked me up at the train station exclaiming, "Well!  I thought I wouldn't be seeing you again!"

The problem remained of how to enter Sean and Mary's house, since I'd left the key where they'd told me to and it was irretrievable, except by another key.  They instructed me to set up a meeting with the neighbor who had a key to let me in, or if she wasn't home, where to dig up a hidden key. Lucky for me, excavating was not in the cards!

Now for five or six more nights here before heading to Dublin on my way home.

(Click photos to enlarge.)

Goodbye sports stars jerseys, soccer I guess.  Don't like soccer, won't miss you.

Goodbye history of the Strand.  You were lovely and I would recommend you.

Goodbye bar that I only got coffee from.

Goodbye bar eating area that I only sat in once.

Goodbye lobby.

Goodbye front door.

Goodbye more lobby.  I will not miss your open windows, wind blowing in when it was 60 degrees, and all of the desk personnel loving the "fresh air."  Brrrrrr!!!

Goodbye glass elevators.  Thank you for being oases of warmth against the freezing lobby.

Goodbye more lobby.

Goodbye dining room.  Full Irish breakfasts are good.  Once.  But I am having vegetable DT's and can't wait to go to the grocery store here.

Goodbye outdoor eating which was too cold or too windy most days, and upon which I cannot believe I am seeing people sitting now, especially in short sleeves when it is only 60 degrees with a breeze.

Hi folks at the train station sandwich counter.

And lovely little seating area.

Hi European train station -- I love train travel.

Hi train station on the trip back to Galway.

Hi another train station.

Hello Galway, more space, more TV channels, my own washer and dryer to clean my clothes, fridge, oven and microwave, and great travel show about training around Europe, my teenage dream.  Just might happen one day afterall.

An Irish Grocery Store

I thought it would be interesting to show a few grocery items and talk about Irish grocers for one post.

(Click on photos to enlarge.)

Hula Hoops are ring-shaped potato chips, kinda.

"Chips" in Ireland are French fries;  "crisps" are potato chips.

Really "hot" ketchup.

"Lollies" are lollipops, and frozen ones are popsicles.

"Topped to the edge."  I like that.  I hate it when you order pizza and all the "stuff" is only in the middle with like 2" of just crust.

They don't do fish sticks, they do fish fingers.  (Who knew fish had fingers?)

Many signs (not just in grocery stores) are also in Irish Gaelic.

A "staying down" price.  Love their phraseology.

In Tesco, at least, all of the produce shows locally grown information, like even the farmer's name, on signs above it.  So you can call him up if you have a beef.  (Ha ha, not really.)  But the local farm and farmer's names are really posted!

"Slan" doesn't truly translate into "thank you" or "goodbye," but kinda.  It's also an adjective meaning "safe."

Candy with no artificial anything?  Cool.

I can't imagine kids want to be slurping some of these flavors.  I sure wouldn't.

As far as soda, pop, whatever you call it where you live, Coke still has a corner on the market.