Connemara

Yesterday, I decided that, although Galway is beautiful, I had better get out of the city to help out my pocketbook. I took an all-day bus tour to Connemara that left right from our hostel. The trip consisted of a scenic tour, including stops in a little town, picturesque landscapes, and at Kylemore Abbey. The bus driver referenced many films along the way, including “The Quiet Man”, which has made the Quiet Man’s Bridge quite famous.

Also, a film called “The Field” had many scenes shot around Connemara, including at a pub we stopped at for irish coffees. 

By the way, only in Ireland will you find tour bus drivers who have no shame having a pint or so at every town we stopped in, announcing over the speakers that a few shots that morning helped to steady his nerves for the difficult roads. He was quite giddy while narrating the tour, and laughing heartily at all of his own jokes.

Although the whole trip was beautiful, I have to admit that the abbey was my favorite stop along the way. It included the extravagant Manchester estate, a victorian walled garden, and a church. Once again, words fail me in describing this breathtaking area:

I can’t fully describe the beauty of the countryside and coast, but if you click the link below, you will find all of the photos I took:

Connemara