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Kylemore Abbey

Today we had the option of having a free day in Galway or going on an optional excursion to Kylemore Abbey and Connemara.  Ten people opted to stay in Galway for the day.  Jacky and Brian had a relaxing day at the hotel while the other eight went exploring, possibly stopping at a pub or two!! 😉 in fact, they actually had proof that they went to a museum.  However, I don’t have proof that they actually went INTO the museum!!
The rest of us left at 8:15 and travelled Northwest of Galway into a more remote and barren area of Ireland. We also stopped along the shore of the only fjord in Ireland.  The landscape was very different in this area.  There were lots of sheep, some on the road and we even saw three running side by side down the sidewalk, like they were heading for a big sale!!!
Our main destination was Kylemore Abbey, a Benedictine monastery founded in the 1920’s on the grounds of Kylemore Castle.  We checked out the inside of the Abbey and also walked around the gorgeous and impeccable Victorian Walled Garden.  It wasn’t sunny but it was a very pleasant day.  We also had lunch at the Abbey cafeteria before heading back towards Galway.
We made a couple of photo stops on the way back and we stopped at a marble store where they explained and demonstrated Connemara marble, with beautiful green colours.
We got back to Galway around 3:30.  Some people went back to the hotel while the rest of us got dropped off at the Cathedral.  We visited the Cathedral and then walked along the river to the downtown area.  We split up into smaller groups to stroll through the very lively pedestrian streets.  We stopped for something to eat and then walked a couple of kilometres back to the hotel.  We had an evening to relax, giving me the chance to get caught up in this blog!!!

















































































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