Galway; Monday, 27 July, 2009

I caught the bus into town and headed to the tourist office to book up for a tour the following day, get some postcards, and then pick up one of the many open-top tours that run in Galway. This tour had the benefit of the front third of the bus being covered so I avoided the worst of the spectacular downpour which hit just as we started moving off.

After the tour I had a bit of a wander through the city centre before finding myself at the quayside for the Lough Corrib river cruise, which I decided to join. By now it was beautifully sunny and warm so I sat up on the sun deck. 20 minutes into the cruise and everyone was diving for the lower deck cabin as the skies opened again, then it cleared, everyone went up towelled down the seats to make them dry and enjoyed another 10 minutes before the heavens opened again, this repeated twice more during the 90 minute cruise.

After the river cruise I wandered back into the centre of town, via a quick visit to the cathedral, and visited the Galway museum. I had intended on joining a walking tour at three after visiting the museum, but as I stepped out of the museum at about ten to three the skies were looking menacing again. I decided not to risk it and instead joined a different open-top tour for another tour of the city. Whilst it hadn’t rained at three and the skies had cleared quite nicely, halfway round the skies opened again and I again found myself running for the cover of a lower deck, and very grateful that I hadn’t gone on the walking tour as I would probably have been soaked.

Finishing the tour I had a bit more of wander around the centre of the city taking in a few of the sights before heading back to the hotel, getting to within 200 meters of the door before the skies opened again and this time getting absolutely soaked as there was nowhere to head to.

After a change of clothes I wandered back out again, this time into almost clear blue skies with no clouds looking threatening. I had a wander down the hill from the hotel onto Galway bay and walked along the Prom all the way from Salthill back into the centre of Galway, which made for a very pleasant evening with the sun (and force 9 gale) on my back.

A quick bite to eat in the city centre and then back to the hotel to pack.