This past weekend, I had my first visitor from back home come to Ireland! My girlfriend Abbie flew over for a long weekend, and let me tell you, it was great to see a familiar face from back home. I have been so busy with schoolwork, basketball, coaching and volunteering that I really haven’t had the time to feel homesick. But, every now and again I get a rush of feelings that really make me miss my family and friends back home. Abbie’s visit couldn’t have come at a more perfect time.
On Friday, I was very fortunate that one of my teammates took me to the airport to meet Abbie once her flight arrived. We then drove back to LIT. I was able to show Abbie around my college before we went into the city. We grabbed a coffee and a quick bite to eat then we went exploring through the streets of Limerick. We took a tour of King John’s Castle which was so cool. The place was massive inside and out. It was raining pretty hard that day, so we were completely drenched by the end of the tour. Also, it didn’t help that on our way to the castle a passing car drove right into a large puddle of water (which realistically resembled a small river) and splashed us on the sidewalk. It left us feeling like we had front row seats in the splash zone at Sea World. I literally could wring out my jeans and fill a small bucket, that’s how bad it was. I think my shoes might still be wet. There wasn’t really anything we could do but laugh, though. We were lucky that the following car swerved to miss the puddle, he must have seen us get doused by the first car and decided not to add insult to injury. After the tour, we went back to change into some dry clothes and ended up back in the city for a nice dinner at a traditional Irish pub. There was live music and Irish dancers performing as we ate, it was a nice way to end the night.
Then on Saturday we were big time tourists. We took a bus tour to the Cliffs of Moher, Doolin, Burren, and Bunratty Castle. The Cliffs of Moher were just as spectacular the second time around. We got really lucky because the entire bus ride up it was raining but as soon as we got to the cliffs it stopped, and no lie, as soon as we got back on the bus to leave to our next destination it started to rain again. The rest of the tour was very fun; we got to try some seafood chowder in Doolin and got some good pictures at Burren and Bunratty Castle. The tour ended around 5pm so we stayed in the city after to get some dinner. We ended up at another local pub. The Ireland rugby match was on, so it made for a cool atmosphere. Abbie and I had absolutely no clue what was going on in the game but the energy and excitement in the pub made for a good experience.
Sunday, I had a national league game in the afternoon. We lost a close one but overall, we played well. After the game, Abbie and I hopped on a bus to Galway. We got to Galway around 6pm, checked into our hotel and then went out for something to eat. We ended up at this seafood restaurant that had a great reputation for their fish and chips. After that we met the three Victory Scholars, Tom, Amy, and Kayla, who are at NUIG. They showed us to a traditional Irish pub with live music. It was nice introducing them to Abbie and catching up.
On Monday, we got up early and went to see the Galway Cathedral, the Spanish Arch, and the colorful houses along The Long Walk. The Cathedral was breathtaking. Between the architecture and the stained-glass windows, I couldn’t keep my jaw off the ground. It was truly a remarkable cathedral. The Spanish Arch and the colorful houses were great as well. We got some lunch, then got a bus back to Limerick for my college game at 6pm. We won in convincing fashion. It was a great way to finish off a busy weekend!
Tuesday was a sad day as we went to the airport for Abbie’s flight back home. We were also very fortunate that my coach offered to take us there. On our way to the airport, we made one last stop to see Dromoland Castle. It was the castle that former President George W. Bush stayed at when he came to visit Ireland. The architecture was amazing and cosmetic upkeep was perfect. We finally made it to the airport after squeezing in one last touristy sight.
Overall, I had an absolute blast and like I said, Abbie’s visit couldn’t have come at a better time. It was great seeing someone from home. It made me that much more excited to see the rest of my family in the upcoming month! I want to thank everyone that helped make Abbie’s trip easier and more enjoyable. I feel like I say it in most blogs, but I am very lucky to have so many people here in Limerick that look out for me and make my time here so much easier. Lastly, I want to thank Abbie for coming to visit, and for paying the extra $30 luggage fee for going over weight. I know my sweatshirts, snacks and most importantly my peanut butter accounted for most of that excess weight! I can’t wait to see you soon for the holidays!
