Monday, August 7 Aran Island visit

 On the coach ride to the ferry port Lynn stated that Irish parents may 

send their teenage children to this Gaelic speaking part of the island for three weeks during the summer holiday. We saw the young people walking along the road.

The ferry carried about 300 people, and it was full. The ride was smooth, which we learned was a first for Rick Steves tours his year. There are three Aran Islands, and we visited the largest island, Inishmore. The year round population is under one thousand, and the daily visitors number 2000! You can understand why mini buses and vans meet arriving visitors at the port.

We were met by Oliver and Patrick and their mini-buses. They drove us on curvy roads and pointed out buildings dating to the bronze age, i.e. 1200-500 BC.  Dry rock walls separate farms, and cows and sheep seem content within them. The highlight on the island is the stone fortress, Duncan Aonghasa, set 300 feet above the Atlantic Ocean. It us reached by a gravel path which rises gradually.  The path continues over uneven and jagged rocks. After beginning the first few feet and need to climb differently from taller persons I decided to enjoy the view below the rocks. 

A ferry ride and a coach ride back to the hotel,  we removed our warm clothing and walked the city center with two others from our group. We phographed plaques relating to the city's history. One plaque indicated the location where the mayor hung his son. Apparently he couldn't find anyone to do the job for some crime which the son committed. Strert musicians on the pedestrian walkways sang and played instruments and enlivened our walk.

Stoll not hung from lunch of seafood and corn chowder we stopped a SPAR grocery store for snacks to eat at the hotel.

It was still light when we decided tocall it a very full day. 

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