Magic In Ireland
I returned to Ottawa last week after spending 5 days in Ireland. I didn't visit this country the last time I was in Europe, so I was happy to experience this part of the continent as well.
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I spent 4 days in Galway where I stayed in Ashton Castle. It was an old building that had since been renovated with a restaurant below and apartments above. It was beautiful.
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I did some sightseeing, but the typical Galway weather is no myth. It rained most of my days there, not making for the greatest conditions.
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I came across a historic site called the Hall of the Red Earl. In 1997, a renovation was taking place on a building, where the remains of a medieval hall from the 13th century was discovered. The city immediately changed their construction plans to build around and preserve the remains.
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The pubs, in Galway were very warm and welcoming. I found them to be a bit more intimate than the pubs in Ottawa. Many of them had people packed into small rooms, with acoustic bands playing in the corner.
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It didn't take long for me to notice that the Irish love their beer, especially Guinness, which is originally Irish. I saw many piles of empty kegs like this outside of pubs.
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I did some street performing, but in Galway I found it was a bit more difficult to get an audience compared to the other cities I've visited in Europe. I'm guessing it's because of the smaller population. However, I still had some good reactions.
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One thing that I love about traveling in Europe is that I get to see many cultural specific performances. Here, a tap dancer and a drummer playing a cajun box drum are performing in the streets of Galway.
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I was surprised to find a magic store in one of the malls. This store was a bit more for children, with games and puzzles, but also had a few good tricks in there too.
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Next stop was Dublin. This was an enjoyable train ride from one coast of Ireland to the other.
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Street performing in Dublin was awesome. The population here is much greater than Galway, making it easier to build the perfect audience. Here's a picture of me performing on Grafton Street. Both the tips and reactions here were great.
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On my last night in Dublin I went to a lively pub called The Temple Bar. Again, it was packed with people singing along to live Irish music. I figured it was appropriate to make my last beer in Dublin a Guinness.
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I'm now back in Ottawa where I have a very busy holiday season approaching. I think there is a good chance that my traveling adventures will continue in the new year. Until then, happy holidays!
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