Of all days, today was the day we were most hoping for nice weather and it just so happened to be the rainiest day we have encountered on this trip. We had our tour of the Aran Islands today, and it is typically toured by bike. The morning started off with a slight drizzle, so we held out hope that the rain may break on the Island. The climate is slightly different than the mainland of Ireland, known as the tropics of Ireland by the locals. Unfortunately, we were not so lucky today…
As we departed the ferry, the rain immediately down poured. We sought out shelter as Angie and Taryn sorted out an alternative to the bike tour. We all sighed a huge relief when they came back with bus tour tickets.
On the tour, we learned that the largest of the three Aran Islands, Inishmore, only reaches a population of around 800 people year round. They prosper off of tourism and farming, and the locals have maintained the rich traditional culture. On Inishmore, we visited Dún Aonghasa which is an ancient Christian hill fort. It is not known exactly when Dún Aonghasa was built, though it is now thought that most of the structures date from the Bronze Age and Iron Age.It is located right on the edge of the Island, as many of the kids gave us a heart attack while peering over the edge for a breathtaking view.
After the tour, the kids had some free time to grab lunch or a treat in the quaint cafes. Some of the best food on this trip were in these cafes, made with love by sweet little grannies in the back of the kitchen.
By the time we got back to the ferry, the sun finally came out. We still had an incredible time despite the rain.
The rest of the evening, the kids had free time to explore Galway or stay in their apartments and cook. Tomorrow will be the kids full free day, and then we will have our ending banquet.
Stay tuned for our final post!
