London & Galway

So the trip to London & Galway was successful. We actually had typical rainy weather this time. It was so interesting to see how the Londoners take the rain in stride...everyone's prepared & whips out their umbrellas @ a moment's notice. We Denverites, however, were taken unawares when we stepped out of the grocery into a downpour; minutes earlier it had been quite pleasant. It was usually rain in the morning then clear.

Galway had interesting rain... the clouds roll in, rain, then clouds roll out & clear. Repeat several times over the course of a day. The girls had a blast though: "Rain! Yay! Rain!" Something to be enjoyed for sure since we get so little of it here in CO. Splashing about & soaked & loving every minute!

We stayed in a flat in Knightsbridge just around the corner from Burberry's & down the street from Harrods. Hyde Park across the street. Phenomenally large. I'd be there everyday w/ the girls, if we lived in London. Buckingham Palace down the other end of the street.

The people are so fashionable. I cannot emphasis this fact strongly enough. Quite the fashionistas, really. I've got several great ideas for sewing projects. Okay, I guess our home base was central to a major elite shopping district. But even up on Oxford or in Picadilly the dress code was eclectic & yet highly stylish. I can see why Madonna would choose to live there. A little more unique than Paris. It seemed that Parisians were very stylish in a more classic manner. Either way, makes the ordinary dress in the States seem so very casual in a non-flattering way. I don't believe I saw one person in gym clothes on the street.

The Madster & I went to mass in Galway. I didn't know where a church was located but Dave, a longtime friend of 1/2 of Ireland's cutest couple, said to just step out into the street before mass time & follow the crowd. It was true advice! Little did I know there was a tiny church across from the sportsmen's club where we were feeding the swans. But as we were driving away, I saw loads of people on the sidewalk (well, okay, maybe the 50 or so who were actually in attendance). Voila! Right time, right place! It was slightly different...of course Madst wanted to sit near the front so I had no one from whom to take cues. A little Irish thrown in. But it wasn't so very different that we couldn't mostly know what to do when. Here's the most interesting thing: the sound of coins in the collection basket. I mean, I know the Euro makes coins in the $1 & maybe $2 amounts. It was just interesting to hear so much coinage.

Oh and we did get to see the "other" side of Galway. The normal, everyday side away from the Quay & other shop streets. The non touristy part of town. Conveniently located up over Prospect Hill. SuperMac (like McDonalds) & Walmart type stores. Hmmm, maybe not so gargantuan as Walmart. but that type. And normal looking people. Didn't get to see that last trip. So it was a nice contrast.

And for all that Ireland is known for wool & sheep ,etc. I could find not one yarn shop. Nor could I find a craft store for that matter. Bummer.

And the phone book covers the whole of the Republic of Ireland! So I do know there are yarn shops & craft shops elsewhere in the country, just not in Galway proper.