I think everyone would say that our trip through Connemara was a little disappointing. We were under the impression that we'd be stopping every half hour or so to look at various sites. Instead, we rode through the amazingly desolate and entirely inhospitable landscape for most of the day. We passed sites such as the "Leprechaun's House" above (alas, no leprechauns in sight) and imposing hills that paid homage to Mordor. The bus driver didn't help much by incessantly blowing into the microphone every few minutes to make sure that it was on. I did get a little kick out of his cell phone ringtone, however, because it was the bagpipe tune, "Scotland the Brave." That seemed more than a little ironic in Ireland. He was kind enough to keep the microphone on so that we could hear him arrange for "John's" car to be fixed at a body shop. (That's all I can remember from my driver-imposed eavesdropping.)
We only really stopped once the whole day; and that was at Kylemore Abbey to tour its castle, gothic church, and walled Victorian garden. That was definitely the site of the day. Oh well; it was interesting to experience such an odd landscape for the day and to try to understand how difficult it is for the people who live there to cope with the environment.
(By the way, I have to give a shout out to my friend Teep's dad, Eric Schlachter, because I'm currently watching the music video of his favorite song, "Waiting for a Star to Fall" by Boy Meets Girl. And now it's followed by some "Can't Hurry Love" with an inexplicably-twinned Phil Collins. I love Ireland!)
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