So once classes were finally over for the week, which seemed to take FOREVER, Mom and I were able to actually leave Galway and see more of Ireland. On Friday we went to the Aran Islands for the day.... well we went to the biggest one anyway. After getting up an hour earlier than we needed to because the hotel told us the wrong time to catch the bus, we did take the bus to get to the ferry. The ferry took us to the island where a weird but slightly amusing man who gave bus tours accosted us as soon as we walked off the gangplank. He convinced us to take a private tour in his bus (really more like a large ugly van), private because like five other tourists were with us on the ferry and they decided to get around the island some other ways (possibly bicycles those crazy people, it was quite cold for part of the day).
We looked at lots of teeny tiny Irish cottages, as well as sheep, goats, horses, and ponies. Oh and seals, which Mom really adored and I thought were kind of boring because they mostly just looked like rocks since they hardly moved and are gray. We saw some ruins, some church ruins, some ruins of houses, etc. The main attraction on the island is what's left of a fort on the edge of a pretty cool cliff. We took a bajillion pictures and walked past the door of the fort twice because we were too busy talking to notice it. The climb up to the fort was a fairly rocky and occasionally a little steep, but definitely worth the effort.
We had the BEST beef and guiness stew yet at a little cafe, as well as a toffee square which I fell head over heels for. It was really that good. We shopped a little, and unsurprisingly I got something purple that I absolutely loved (a knitted doily for a table... it's so pretty!). Mom's favorite part of the afternoon was the matching teapot and teacup her tea came in... we took numerous pictures of them.
Our guide never shut up the entire time. We learned all sorts of useless things, as well as a few interesting facts. He also tried to crack a few inappropriate jokes... not quite sure what he was thinking. We are quite obviously a mother and daughter pair.
We slept almost the entire way back to Galway, we were so tired. We stayed in for dinner for the first time that week since Mom wasn't feeling so great. We had Supermacs, the McDonalds of Ireland. We stayed in Galway Saturday and did a bunch of shopping. I should mention the weather was amazing the whole weekend. It was the nicest weather I've experienced since my arrival. There was actually blue sky... for more than 10 minutes. It lasted like a few hours! Sunday we went to the Cliffs of Moher, which were just as awe-inspiring as the first time I saw them. I even convinced Mom to be a bit daring, and we got close to the edge and took some pictures. They came out wonderfully. Unfortunately, on that trip the cold I'd been fighting caught up with me and hit me fairly hard. I felt pretty crappy for most of the day, but we still had a really great time.
Coming back to Galway was bittersweet because Mom was leaving the next night for a hotel by the airport because there were no buses early enough for her to catch her flight in the morning on Tuesday. I actually went back to my apartment for the first time in days, so I could go to classes in the morning (and do some homework). We met up after I got out of class and spent our last few hours together at my apartment before her bus left. We ate leftovers and I made pasta to go with it. The walk to the hotel to pick up her luggage and then to the bus station was very emotional. As soon as I saw the bus I started crying. I stayed and watched it drive away, waved goodbye, and cried all the way back to my apartment.
So Valentine's Day was not the best since I was depressed that Mom was flying out. I did get to skype her when she was safely home, but it was hard to acknowledge it will be another three months before I see her again.
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