July 1 Galway Ireland

Yet another small Irish city.  Cruise ships visit here to visit the Cliffs of Moher, an impressive natural feature about 80km south -- indeed, all of the ship's excursions were in that direction.  But we've already been, during our 2008(?) lap of the British Isles on Globus, so we just wandered through the city.

We tendered to the city and were greeted by the town crier calling for the participants in a private tour.  I wonder if he did the whole tour in character.

 It was a medium walk to the city centre (800-1000m).  It's an interesting city.

 The city is on the River Corrib, and it defines the layout.  Besides the river itself there are at least two canals for transportation and establishing water power.  Here's the dam at the upper end of the city.

 The Galway Cathedral, inside...

 and outside.

 Scenery about the town

 These drops from the canals to the river were everywhere.

 Just across the street from this drop is the mill building, built in 1800. 

Here's the canal on the western side of the river

 And the lock on that canal

 Downtown Galway

 Sign identifying the restrooms at the Dunnes Stores Mall

 River near the mouth, with cathedral in the distance

 Spanish Arch, built in 1584 by the .... Spanish! Chris Columbus believed to have stopped in Galway area on his way west.

 Here in the estuary the moss was amazingly green.  The picture does not do it justice.

 Nautica's tender coming to pick us up.

 Our personal yacht.  We were the only passengers on the return to the ship, along with three crew members and a suspicious looking box shipped to "Nautica".