More sun and more music

I could get used to this whole "nice day and nice night" thing.

Yesterday my new Polish friend, Marcin, called and wanted to go on a photo safari, so we met for lunch, and then walked down to the Blackrock diving board, which is really more of a concrete platform from which people--other people, not me people--jump to their deaths into the water from a very high high-ness type spot. My fear of heights kicked in just about the time I was switching lenses, but I managed to take a few before it went full throttle.

I know it doesn't look that high, but trust me, it's like 40 metres, which is nearly half a mile in English measurements I think. People/polar bears were actually swimming in this water.

Then we started walking--the long way--towards National University of Ireland Galway, going through residential neighborhoods and construction, taking pictures along the way.

Marcin doing a close-up.

The Quad at NUIG

The Cathedral near the university

I returned home a bit exhausted...I think we walked about 4 or 5 miles...and took a little nap.

For dinner I met up at the Gourmet Tart Company in Salthill with Lillis, a sean nos singer and local educator who I met at the concert last Friday night at the church. More great conversation, this time about all things musical, and in particular Irish trad music. The dinner was superb, and the desserts were excellent as well. High recommendation to anyone traveling here.

After dinner we walked over to Wards Hotel, where there was a small but lively session going on. We met up with Christine of jig-perception-study fame. I took out my bodhran at some point and joined the session for a few sets of tunes, but it was just as enjoyable sitting back and listening to the guitar, flute, and fiddle players do what they do best. Lillis sang a beautiful version of "Down by the sally gardens" that I'd never heard before. The fiddle player in particular--a young Natalie-McMaster-in-training--was on fire, and she treated us to some wonderful sounds. 

It's the kind of stuff that makes you glad you're alive.

Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone. It's a national holiday over here, so I'm going to go join a friend of a friend and start holiday-ing in city centre, starting with the parade!