Before COVID turned all of our lives upside down, there were few things I enjoyed doing more than traveling and seeing the world. However, in March of 2020 traveling was put to an abrupt end. I wasn’t able to take a vacation until last week, when M’Lady and I spent a weekend in Vegas. I miss the highs and lows of traveling. I can’t wait to get back out there. To help scratch my travel itch, every Tuesday I will be sharing pictures and stories from some of my travels in a series I’m calling: Travel Tuesday. For the inaugural post, let’s head to one of my favorite places on this green earth: Doolin, Ireland.
If I was given a ticket to anywhere, right this minute, I’d have to pick Doolin, Ireland. Doolin is a small little village…using ‘town’ seems too big…on the west coast of Ireland in close proximity to the scenic Cliffs of Moher (Harry Potter fans may recognize it from Half-Blood Prince movie). The village has a couple pubs, a few shops, and lots of beautiful green acreage. Visiting Doolin was a bath for the soul. A trip outside of the modern day to a simpler time. We hiked the Cliffs (an amazing experience I highly recommend) and when we reached the top were able to watch dolphins swim with surfers down below. We were told this is a pretty rare sight. After this hike, we went to a pub for a pint of the black and to tell the bartender stories of our venture. We told him, “we watched surfers swim with dolphins! It was crazy!” The bartender seemed unfazed and responded, “Oh yeah, that was me surfing.” That’s how small this town is! I thought my story was cool, but he was able to top it immediately. At one point, we had to walk cliff-side merely inches from falling hundreds of feet into the rocky ocean. I was petrified, but looking back it was a one of a kind hike. Thank you, Pat Sweeney!
If you’re looking to get drunk and rowdy, Doolin isn’t for you. It’s more of a place to enjoy nature and a cup of coffee on the patio (or a Guinness, or two). However, if you’re looking for a relaxing trip where you can look at beautiful scenery, amazing food caught right there, and have conversations with friendly locals–Doolin is your destination.
Cort Freeman 