First on the agenda was turning in the paperwork for the rental car. Actually we had dropped-off the car last night because our day trip was done and we had no place to park the car at our apartment. Since the Budget office was closed for the evening, we could not complete the return at that time. We walked to the Budget office in the morning. Once downtown, we decided to stay. We walked the streets east to west, west to east and vice versa, north to south. We shopped fancy stores; we perused thrift shops and we went into every shop that offered Coat of Arms for Irish family get our names. There was no Weeks, no McBee and certainly no Latting. We did find Wood and Andrews. We have decided to have our DNA analyzed - what the heck are we anyway???

A light but annoying rain was falling. We checked out the mall. We found their malls are very much like ours except theirs are much more important to them. It rains a lot here; let me emphasize alot -- they say that's why Ireland is so green! Even though the people are accustomed to dealing with so much wet weather, they do like the cover and weather-protection indoor malls provide to their shopping experience. We walked upstairs and downstairs. Still we bought nothing, that is until we left the mall and walked along Shops Street where we stopped into a small, family-run music store. We looked at all their merchandise and then, Stan found the first and probably only item he chose to buy on this entire trip except maybe about ten Hard Rock Café guitar pins. He found and bought an Irish tin whistle with written piping instructions and a teaching CD to boot. I cannot wait to hear the Irish ditties he will pipe out for us on our deck in Atlanta or at the beach. What memories his tunes will inspire!

Oh then, we stopped at Cooke's for light meal. Stan ordered Irish stew and I ordered the Super Food Salad. Mine looked a little like barf but it was super yummy - how nice to eat and not feel over-indulged for once. But Stan's stew was the most amazing presentation I have seen in a long while. His stew was filled with tender chunks of lamb in a nice clear broth with well-cooked onion chunks, carrots and a few potatoes slices. It was served in a deep bowl with a big dollop of mashed potatoes with chives to top it off. It was the best. I just kept wishing I had ditched the barfy-looking super foods salad and had ordered the Irish stew just one more time.

As we walked back through the town several street performers had set-up and were making great music. But, oh, The Galway Street Gang was very lively ; their music was enticing. They had attracted a nice and enthusiastic crowd.. I simply leaned on a street post and watched them for a good while. I have a feeling we are going to hear or see these guys again in the future, but at that time, I have a strong feeling they will be very high profile as well as rich and famous! This group of talented boys and girls were good! They wore worn-out clothes, worn boots, one guy had curly red hair, one had a man-bun and several wore well-seasoned caps or hats. They shared hand-rolled cigarettes. One member did the most captivating vocal version of SIxteen Tons I have ever heard—when he got to the part "deeper in debt," the whole band of 8 or 9 cool-looking 20-year-olds shouted it out. Plus that band had the best hula-hoop-er I have ever seen. That pretty girl could do it in grand style!!!

We have been thinking about extending our stay . . . well actually it was my idea and my yearning. We went back to the apartment and invested the time and talent to determine if a trip-extension to return to Norway to see the fjords in the spring might be possible. We googled and we looked at frequent flyer points. We looked up and down. Not going to happen . . . we will defintiely be travelling home June 6.

Two fabulous meals in one day! We had reservations at Oscars. So glad we did. It was the best meal we have had in the entire 11 weeks we have been travelling. . oysters, then chicken, then monkfish and mussels. It's is no wonder we feel as if we are growing wider. No wories, we will be back to regular routine, regular diet and regular visits to the gym in less that a week. That thought makes me a little misty. I'm sorry this lovely adventure will soon be complete.