A Day Tour From Galway

Our Friend!

It was our first full day in Galway and we were actually leaving for a full day "day trip" to the Aran Islands.

It was very early but we managed a few extra minutes to give our seagull friend a little bread.

We left in a hurry to walk to the meeting place to catch our tour bus.

It wasn't far.

We were to meet in front of the Kinlay Hostel by 7:00 a.m.

We were not the only tour meeting there. 

It got more and more crowded.

Eventually, we were all sorted out and on our way!

We were traveling from Galway to Doolin to catch our ferry.

It was a beautiful coach ride which took about an hour, maybe a little longer.

Oh my!

This was our ferry that was to shuttle us across the Wild Atlantic Way to the smallest of the three Aran Islands.

Thankfully, Inisheer is also the closest.

It was nearly an hour's ride!

 On this boat!

What a ROCK and ROLL ride it was!

We stood outside in the cold wind and some rain.

We hung on to the railing for our dear lives!

It was the same on the way back...

We never dreamed it was a boat like this! 

We saw a beautiful catamaran just gliding along through the swells.

But not us!

Home Sweet Home - Galway, Ireland

We are "in" for the night. It looks much later than it actually was. It was  looking dark partially because of the rain but also because sunset doesn't even happen until nearly 11:00 pm.

It was actually only about 7:00 pm.

It felt good to be in since the day was full of adventure...taking a train the wrong direction can be exciting. We could have taken the 5 hour slow train and arrived earlier!

But, we made it to Galway from Ennis!

This is the view from our window of the street below.

We were on the third floor.

 We had a nice view of Galway Bay from our deck but it wasn't visible on this evening because of the rainy weather.

I really like red umbrellas but in this case pink did just fine. It was a Friday evening and quieter on the streets than we had expected. 

Everything changed about midnight when we went to bed...

The pubs are "happy" places!

I believe we made a friend...

There's a seagull at our window, looking at us!

This cute seagull stuck around all night, every night!

Thankfully it rains a lot to keep the window ledges clean.

We finally gave it a little bread!

Then a little more and then a little more again, and again, and again.

Yep! We had a new friend!

Geez! It wants more!

It's time for bed, little buddy. 

We will see you in the morning!

Adare Heritage Center

Such cute umbrellas! 

I like the cows☔️🐮🌂

These girls shared a cute umbrella!

It really poured for about a half hour while we shopped inside.

And then the sun came out!

Adare Heritage Centre 

County Limerick, Ireland

Umbrellas on Piazza San Marco

a few raindrops brought out some pretty blue umbrellas

 

Piazza San Marco

Venezia, Veneto, Italia

September 27, 2013

Sulfur Crested Cockatoos in the Jamison Valley - Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia

This Sulfur Crested Cockatoo sits in the foggy rainforest of the Jamison Valley in NSW, Australia.

Believe it or not...there is a thick green tropical forest hiding in the dense fog!

This cutie is quite messy on this very fine rainy/foggy summer day.

The valley is the home of many of these great birds.

They gather around the 'skyway' station without any worries!

A little hole in the fog reveals some green tree ferns and gum trees!

SkyWatch Friday
Camera Critters 

Sydney's Icons

While planning our trip to Australia, I had much anticipation of photographing Sydney's two great iconic landscapes...the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbor Bridge.  I wanted my photos to be special to me and not like every postcard on the racks throughout the country.

The top photo was taken on a very rainy night - November 23, 2011.

Please click on images to enlarge!

 

This image was taken the next afternoon.  

It was still very rainy with a dark sky.

 Jerry and I walked across the Harbor Bridge a few days later.

We lingered on the bridge for quite a while watching the boats and activity beneath us.

Under the Sydney Harbor Bridge on the North Shore at Milson's Point.

Please click on images to enlarge! 

SkyWatch Friday
Scenic Sunday
Blue Monday

Katoomba (Blue Mountains) NSW, Australia

We spent a night in the Blue Mountains (Katoomba) in NSW, Australia.

This is Echo Point...a gorgeous valley with craggy rock formations that we were NOT able to see!

 My husband strolls over to join the other tourists who believe they see something...hmmm!

I have been wanting to do some 'foggy' photography but not at the expense of missing some of Australia's iconic scenery!

This is a candid image of someone I do not know...

I don't think she even saw me down below!

Our World Tuesday
Watery Wednesday
Outdoor Wednesday

Bush Fire / Blue Mountains, NSW, Australia

This is the aftermath of a bush fire in the Blue Mountains of Australia...a few hours from Sydney, NSW...

The fire came to the property line of a beautiful hotel where we stayed just 3 weeks after the flames were put out.

Please click on images to enlarge!

My husband and I walked down this road to the bottom of the valley.

The fog and rain made it an eerie few hours!

Amazingly, this yellow wheel escaped the flames!

And, equally amazing, the regeneration of this tree fern is just 3 weeks old.

raindrops on a little something that escaped the flames...

 

 The fog looks like smoke.  The burn smell was still quite strong in the damp weather.

 We weren't alone...someone else is braving the fog and rain, too.
The fire ends at this point...quite amazing!

Scenic Sunday

Mellow Yellow Monday

Ruby Tuesday

Manly Beach, Sydney, NSW, Australia

A rainy day on the beach...Manly Beach, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

November 23, 2011

Watery Wednesday
Outdoor Wednesday

SkyWatch Friday

Today's Flowers, Mellow Yellow, Camera Critters / Hello MOO Cow!

 Click on photo to enlarge!

I am loving that this MOO COW is standing by yellow flowers and all dressed up with yellow tags on her ears.

I stopped my car and approached carefully so not to scare her away.

I wish more of her face was showing, but, she kept a good eye on me as I came closer.

Today's Flowers

Mellow Yellow

Camera Critters

SkyWatch Friday & Looking at the Sky on Friday / Flood Control Channel at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena, California USA

Click on photo to enlarge!

This is a flood control channel that runs beside the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

It was a rainy day but I chose to take the drive to view the float decorating anyway.

People have to be rescued from these channels every year because it seems they don't know what the fences are for...smart, huh?

The sky had a little bit of attitude at 5:00 p.m.

No rain, PLEASE, for the Rose Parade on New Years Day!

SkyWatch Friday

Looking at the Sky on Friday

Round Robin Photo Challenge / Water

 

  

  

The early morning after the rain is so crisp and fresh.

This rain-drops were photographed on Jan. 26, 2010.

 

Round Robin Photo Challenge

The theme is "water."

Camera Critters / Bird Feeders

 

This bird feeder is in my friend's backyard.  She has two of these hanging feeders which attract a lot of attention. These beautiful feathered critters are having a feast on a very rainy day! I shot these through a window and I struggled with the focus.

Camera Critters

Weekend Reflections / Puddles From the Big Storm!

I took my little grandson and my dog for a walk this week whenever the rain "halted" for a little while.  The puddles around were full of reflections of the trees standing tall above them.

This tree has finally shed the last of its colorful fall leaves (in the middle of January).

The first photo shows that there were no rain drops...the second meant we had better get back home since my little grandson was more interested in running than carrying his umbrella.

We made it before we got too wet.

But, it was fun!

It reminded me of my younger day when getting soaked was what it was all about!

Weekend Reflections is hosted by James at Newtown Area Photo

Thursday Challenge / Winter

This man lives in my neighborhood.  He did his best to keep his pup dry on a rainy walk, but  I'm not sure it helped much!

Thursday Challenge 

The Theme is "Winter."

SkyWatch Friday & Looking at the Sky on Friday / Snow on Mt. Baldy

Click on photo to enlarge!

 I took this photo at 7:30 a.m. this morning.  We had a few minutes without giant rain drops so I ventured out to our sidewalk to get a photo of the new snow on Mt. Baldy, southern California.  Much more rain is coming today and tomorrow...

 

SkyWatch Friday

Looking at the Sky on Friday

Worldless Wednesday / Rain-Soaked Daisies!

Rain-Soaked Daisies

Wordless Wednesday