Tuesday, June 22, 2010

ahh, Aran Islands

Inis Mór. Let me tell you a little bit more...

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Quite possibly one of the most amazing weekends of my life. 3 days of cloudless skies, brilliant sunshine glimmering over the Atlantic, hiking up Ireland's green hills, scaling rock walls and bike riding along the coast with the wind at my back and that familiar smell from childhood to keep me company--the salty smell of the sea.

Food was beyond amazing, as you can imagine. We hiked over five miles throughout the weekend over rocky terrain (the Aran Islands are made of huge slabs of limestone so footing could get a bit tricky) and biked over 20 miles.

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Our first day we did most of the hiking (a half hour walk turned into 2 hours in an epic quest to find the elusive Black Fort). Exhausted, the gods smiled upon us and we stumbled upon an ice cream truck. Pictured here, my vanilla cone with a flake bar.

For dinner the first night? Fish & Chips & a frosty Heineken.

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Fresh-caught Aran pollack, beer battered, fried and served with chips, salad and coleslaw. The best fish and chips I've ever eaten (and I'm finicky about fish).

The second night, we had a group dinner, cooked by the boys' guesthouse owner. Chicken kiev, mashed potatoes, carrots and broccoli. The breading was perfect. The chicken was tender and juicy. The brown sauce was rich and delicious. Garlic butter trickled down the center when I cut into it. I am drooling just thinking about it.
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Dessert was equally delicious. Chocolate covered cream puffs and the creamiest vanilla ice cream I have ever eaten.

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Well deserved after such an exhileratingly wonderful weekend.

(oh and finally, I fell in love with rhubarb-vanilla bean yogurt. I saw it, was originally weirded out but thought, "when in Rome...")

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Despite the water shortage (what happens when an island made of limestone gets no rain), the weather was beautiful. I saw cows and horses. I walked through rabbit warrens. I made friends with a seal. I was sad to go, but excited to start my Galway adventure...

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1 comment:

  1. I wish you wouldn't use the word, warren in reference to rabbits...bad memories of a torturous moment in middle school I believe...

    I am also highly jealous of the ice cream with a twirl! Ah, the luxury!

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