Cities like Dublin, Belfast and London have much to offer a traveler, but it’s in the country and smaller cities where I find myself most at peace.In trying to keep with a somewhat chronological order to my blog (I know I have a lot of catching up to do) I’ll focus on Doolin, Ireland to explain.
Doolin, a small town along the coast of Ireland near the Cliffs of Moher and the Arran Islands (just south of Galway), is off the tourist’s beaten path. But with the traditional Irish music that fills the local pubs nightly and the amazing natural scenery surrounding the no-streetlights village, it was undoubtedly one of the highlights of our trip so far.
While in Doolin Jackie and I stayed at a small, relatively inexpensive hostel called the Aille River Hostel. It sits on the bank of a river that meanders through town (hence the name), and is just a short walk from the town’s three pubs.
In addition to the great music and cool hostellers we met, one of the best parts about our visit to Doolin was the Cliffs of Moher. These sea cliffs are some of the largest and most dramatic in Ireland.
The hostel manager, Karl, informed us of a great “unofficial” hike along the cliff’s edge, which took Jackie and I through cow and horse pastures, back and forth across barbed wire fences and along what appeared to be a goat path right on the cliff’s edge.
There were times when the hike was terrifying, but mostly it was absolutely amazing. In all, the hike lasted about four hours, the aftermath being pure physical exhaustion.
And here lies the difference between a city and the country for me: A city is extremely mentally exhausting, with the sheer amount of activity going on (some cities more so than others -- think Amsterdam), while the country can be physically exhausting. But physical exhaustion for me has the effect of quieting and focusing my mind, which in this age of constant stimulation I find to be a worthwhile exchange.
Posts
