Galway... City of Wonder

I am utterly mistified by the hold this city has on my imagination. It makes me frolic, dream, and suddenly become quit while I watch crowds roll by me. I feel, proper time permitted, I could come to some conclusion about the existence of music if I were to rest here long enough. Note to self: take a trip just to Kilarney, Galway, and Dublin someday. Three completely different places, all the country inbetween.
We spent the past five days in Sligo and Droheda. Both cities, or towns I would call them, are near some amazing neolithic cites: such as New Grange and some lovely Victorian places (Yeats' church/ burial and Sligo Abbey where Bram Stoker was born); none of them, however, are very healthy places. You feel dirty the entire time (despite the beauty they are near) it's always grey (rather like Detroit), and there's really not much to do. Always the low point of the trip. But now we're in Galway and it's beauty from here on out.
The streets all run into one another to avoid the river and the pubs are filled with music, old men, and tourists. Twentysomethings mill about looking for purpose and find it through every means of expression you can imagine while the old men smile at them. I think there's some sort of instant agifier in Western Ireland. You are young, young, young, and then old! Not a bad way. I can't wait to be old, I am enjoying being young, I dread middle age. Yikes.
The radio is Ireland's only major downside. So much talking! Three songs, then ten minutes of gab, two songs (the ends usually cut off with talking) and then the news. So sad. However, we have heard everything from Will Smith to Abba to Frank Sinatra, so props to the DJs when they actually choose the music.
We went to the cliff's of Moher today, that's a post to itself. Tomorrow is Coole Park where Lady Gregory lived and hosted the famous creative genius of Ireland. So excited. Swans.
I love Galway, I still miss Dublin a bit. I have a lot of gift shopping to do.
The ocean side has made me very sick for the Chesapeake bay. Odd how we find our home's landscape in the most foreign places.
I do apologize for any spelling errors. I simply don't feel like fixing them.
Cheers!
hannah.abigail.margaret.oliver.depp.