a NOLA girl in a Big world

But let’s talk about getting to the Cliffs! It was roughly a 4 hour drive. we took our time and stopped to take pictures of the mountains and the beaches and the amazing views. We drove the coast which allowed us to see the best of Ireland – mountains and beaches! We had to jump on the Shannon Ferry to cross from Kerry to Shannon. It’s about a 15 min ride for 18€ – and people in NOLA complained about the 25 cent price hike on our ferries! 

We continued our drive and realized Castles aren’t anything “special” in Ireland. To us, we wanted to stop at each one we saw but we would still be driving on N67 to Galway! Every few minutes we saw a castle. But as we learned at the Rock of Cashel landowners in the early years wanted castles/forts for themselves to protect their land so they are in abundance here, especially on the coast. We also saw plenty of Wind Turbine! I loved seeing them in Scotland last year and love it even more that Ireland also takes advantage of their natural wind resource. 

We finally made it to the Cliffs of Moher and we couldn’t have anticipated the magnitude and sheer amazement we felt as soon as we stepped foot on the trail. Even now, as I type, I feel my heart race a little because the memory of that first view is ENGRAINED in my memory. Pictures don’t do this place justice. I tried! I tried to get angles, videos and panoramic views and each one – while gorgeous – just fell flat!

  

We started our 6 mile walk behind a safe blocked off trail. There is a national visitors center at the cliffs to ensure visitors safety while seeing the Cliffs. But of course, there is always a path off the beaten way for those more adventurous. We took that path. 

The path has a few spots were you are less than 2 feet away from a STRAIGHT drop down! It added a little thrill to be already amazing hike. The other factor was the wind. I remember as a child going outside during a hurricane and being forced back by high speed winds & the winds at the Cliff rivaled hurricane type winds. Not as frequent or for as long but nonetheless strong. There were a few times Bowen and I both were pushed off balance by the winds. 

We tempted fate a few times to get the perfect pics! #doitforthegram. We would lay down and peak over the edge down the 700ft drop! You only live once so why not see the best view possible! The waves below were crashing and the birds were coasting and it was in that moment I felt humbled to be there. Most people don’t/won’t get to experience this in their lives and here I am on my honeymoon laying next to the love of my life looking over a cliff. I kid I kid! It’s so much more than that, he and I have been blessed to be able to take this trip, have jobs back home that allow us to take time off, family who are holding down the fort & taking care of Zoë while we are away and friends who are sending their well wishes for our new life. At that moment, there was no room for complaints or worry only room for appreciation and love. 

We carried on our way and made it to the watch tower from which the Cliffs take their name. We ate our celebratory Cadbury Chocolate bar – I’ll explain later. After a few minutes we made our trek back and I deeply enjoyed passing fellow hikers seeing the views for the first time. Their faces were of pure joy & astonishment. I wanted to tell each one to slow down, take it all in, the end isn’t going anywhere! The Cliffs of Moher is by far my absolute favorite hike even after last years hike of the 3 sisters” in Scotland – sorry Scotland, like in rugby Ireland beats you again! 

We finished our hike and joined the non-adventurous visitors in the visitors center. We learned more about the cliffs and the wildlife and the spectacular underworld beneath the caves! We even made a post card to send home! 

We still had an hour drive to our final destination so we changed clothes, settled back in the car and were off. We got to Galway around 6pm and instantly knew we would like Galway. It is a mix of big city Dublin and small town Killarney. Our hotel is posh, luxurious and modern. Bowen found a restaurant – the Latin Quater – and it was amazing. We haven’t had a bad meal in Ireland YET! A far cry from Scotland. We enjoyed a few glasses of wine and walked the town for a bit. 

Can’t wait to see all that Galway has to offer on our last day in Ireland! 

Slàinte. 

*Chocolate Bar story – in Scotland we decided to split a Cadbury Chocolate Bar when we made it half way through our hikes. It’s a sweet treat that we can only get in the UK.