Galway Bay
After a most needed night of sleep, Jim and I got back into our little Ford Focus and began our drive to the East Coast of Ireland. Once we arrived in Galway City we checked into our B&B, which had a wonderful view of Galway Bay, relaxed for a little while, then headed into the city to explore. Our B&B was about a 15 minute walk from the city centre--not as far as it first seemed! We lingered on the bridge of the river and looked out over the bay, admiring the scenery--colorful buildings and boats afloat. Galway has a really great mixture of pubs and restaurants--a luxury, as we would soon find out--and a wide variety of shops that ranged from touristy trinkets, jewlery shops, name brand stores, and unique boutiques. We stopped and ate at the CUTEST restaurant called Fat Freddy's--a small restaurant that served a unique mixture of Italian and Mexican cuisine (see my review for more information).
River Corrib in Galway
I found it highly entertaining to hear the waitress try and describe to a guest what a "Quesadilla" was, and pronounce it Queso-DILL-A! After dinner, we roamed the cobblestone streets window shopping and stopping for the occasional drink. We walked passed this great park, which was ideal for people watching and checking out the tribal flags. Ultimately, we ended up hanging out at The King's Head pub for a few hours talking, listening to music, and watching soccer (well, sort of) before heading back to our B&B. The only thing I regret about our stay in Galway is that we didn't allow ourselves enough time to explore the places outside the city. I was so eager to explore Connemara--check out the scenery, Kylemore Abbey, Clifden Castle--and didn't get a chance because we over estimated how much we can see in a day. But, hey--there's always next time, right?
Unique Bistro in the Heart of the City
Fat Freddy's restaurant is a fun, cozy, unique restaurant that serves a mixture of Italian and Mexican cuisine (which is a nice change from pub food). The restaurant is scattered with tables covered in cute red and white checkered table clothes, and is lit up with waxy candlesticks held by wine bottles. The atmosphere is casual and friendly, and the food is good. We had a great anti-pasto tray, followed by an interesting version of pepperoni pizza--not quite what we're used to in Chicago, yet was still quite tasty--and a great dessert with coffee. I would highly recommend this restaurant if you are looking for a great place to eat in Galway.
Fat Freddy's on Quay Street
