Monday, September 23, 2013

Sunday + {Day Six: Sligo}

Since there was an overbooking at our hostel-like place, we had to be moved. Again. The first time we were moved, it was only seven minutes away (walking) and not that big of a deal, since we hadn't even arrived in Dublin yet.

This time, however, we're out by the airport rather than near Dublin center. Again, not that big of a deal, since we've seen most of what we wanted to see in Dublin anyway and are leaving in two days. But it's frustrating for two reasons. The property manager was shady about the whole situation originally, telling us that we had to move because of scheduled maintenance. 

Then we're informed that it's because a group of 10-20 Spanish men have booked the place solid for a really long time. (They're here on a construction job.) 

The manager did give us a ride to the new place this morning to drop off our bags and then dropped us off at the airport so we could catch a Bus Eirann to Sligo. It was a terrifying ride, to be honest. Both the property manager and his business partner were really misogynistic and racist in their remarks.

I'm just happy we only have a couple days left here and that they don't stay at the places they let. The new place is definitely an upgrade, but it would have been inconvenient if we were staying here longer since it seems to be designed with a car in mind. (The place in a decent walk to the bus stop and then it's probably a half hour ride into the city.)

Enough about that, though!
  
Today we took a day trip to Sligo. It cost about 21.00 euro for a same-day return ticket. Not that bad for a four hour bus ride across the entire country.

The countryside was beautiful. We snapped a lot of photos in-between reading, napping, listening to music, and working on homework.

When we got to Sligo, we found a cute cafĂ© to eat lunch at. Gooligan and I split a warmed chicken ceasar salad and a mozrella, pesto, and tomato panini. Hands down, some of the best food we’ve eaten so far. We also had a pot of earl grey tea.

After lunch, we strolled through the city. Situation on a river, Sligo is absolutely beautiful. I’m envious of Maddi staying here for three months. There’s also an apparently stunning (from the looks of Maddi’s photos) town nearby on the beach called Strandhill with surfing lessons and a spa that does seaweed baths (50 minutes for only 25 euro). If we were here longer, we definitely would have tried that out

Then we walked Maddi to her hostel where she’s staying for a church program she’s participating in and headed back to the bus with a detour to the grocery store to snag food for dinner and breakfast.

The bus ride back to Dublin was long—about four hours—but we made it back to our hostel just past midnight. The only problem is that the property manager never gave us the wi-fi password so I'm posting this from Bus Aras, the main bus station in the Dublin city center.

Overall, Gooligan and I are grateful to have gotten out of Dublin and see another part of Ireland, since Dublin is huge and very urban.

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