"County Galway.....the best of the WEST!!" County Galway by ladyanne

Taking a visit to County Galway in the wintertime is a unique experience. The mornings started out with heavy frost, and some fog. Then later burns off to a crisp cold clear day. Most of the local folk would tell us that this was not typical weather and complained about the frigid temperatures.

The streets of Galway City were decorated for the coming Christmas holidays, and the shops were busy and full of shoppers. It was harder to find traditional music in the pubs being off season, and those pubs that had music had their sets at 5:30 pm which was a bit too early and the other sets were at 9:30 which was too late for us. The short days of winter bids you to want to settle down in the cozy B&B.

Traveling in the winter gives one a whole new perspective of Ireland, nice friendly chats around a fire, wine and irish coffee or a hot cup of tea, and the coziness of taking refuge in the car or restaurant or lodging. Finding that special warm sweater or hat you wish you had brought.

One thing we did not think about was running into so much fog....which made it hard to see anything when we traveling on the narrow roads or any roads at that matter. But when the fog lifts it is a magical wonder of beauty....and clear clear blue skys.

We started out to see Connemara in the dense fog....and then when we hit Recess, it lifted in a few seconds and we had a visual feast of the Twelve Bens, and other Mountain of this barren wonderful land. Kyelmore was also lovely scenery, but as we headed for Leanane, we could see a bank of fog in the Killary Harbor, around the bend and it was another world of mist and haze.

Famous Kenny's Bookstore and Gallery!

Kenny's Book Store in Galway City is all buckled up tight for the winter months but the inside is warm and alive with it's bookstore charm, several stories open around a cat walk looking down to first floor, and wonderful nooks and crannies to take refuge in.