Day 5 revised:)

Is this day 5 or month 5? I feel like I've just started and have been doing this forever! and there's SO much left to do!
Good morning, anyway! I'm looking forward to my walking tour with Liam Silke (www.walkingtoursgalway.com). He is undoubtably the best from everything I've read and you know I love to walk! First a lovely hot shower and an Irish breakfast at the b&b. A nice group of people...a couple of men on holiday from the London area who said they just needed an excuse to drink Guinness-I was unaware that you needed an excuse. And a lovely family...a woman and her parents from England, but her bloke is Irish and from nearby. The younger couple is living in Louisiana! You just never know who you'll meet! I tell the manager I'll need another night he's happy and so am I! I'm off to meet Liam and I'm wearing sunglasses-hello sun;)

Liam is darling and it's just us for the tour today-he was supposed to be in Dublin but the client called yesterday with a head ache (I've already taken my ibuprofen, thank you!) and he opened up his computer to find me! So it's fate that we've met. Of course it's raining by the time we officially meet, but Liam has a huge umbrella and an even bigger smile it's gonna be a good tour...Liam is as excited as I am! We figure out that we have several things in common, the first being we love to chat...perfect! I wish I was smarter because Liam knows this city better than the back of his hand and there's so much to know! I love that we met by Browne's door in Eyre Square. It's the old front door to a mansion that belonged to one of the fourteen families who ran this town. One of the big nice hotels is about the size (maybe a little smaller) of one of the original homes, excuse me! Town homes, Liam keeps reminding me. These families had larger homes elsewhere-and I thought having a little cape cod all to myself was a lot! As the tour progresses I can tell you a few more things about Liam: he's 71 the way some of my favorite people do 71; he's divorced (it was annulled) but not before he got three wonderful children (one of who he's already lost, I'm sorry to say)  and now 3 ...wait, wait...yep 3 darling grandchildren. He's retired from lecturing at the university and could this not be a more perfect job for him? I agree! I want the job walking and talking...I love it! His favorite tour (until today obviously) was a group of blind men who reminded him to listen , smell and touch things-all of which we've done today. Limestone is limestone but it's really cool to feel the difference a few hundred years inside vs. out can make to a stone! everyone in town knows Liam and they're thrilled to see him...not in the ugh the tour guide is here way, in the Liam how's your day way. I wish I could remember everything he taught me...like how at St. Nicolas church he explains the story of how "the one that got away" came to be (the angel is sooo darling! ) and how they found Bodkins hand in tact when they unearthed him, just like Bodkin said it would be.  But we've agreed the story of how the beautiful lettering on various things, like the book  of kells  got that way (they would doodle around the letter as they were waiting  for ink from India-that's how doodle came to be a term, too!) is bunk best left for tourists! The story of kings head pub is fun, and what do you know...there's the king's head right there in the pub! Ha! To finish up the tour we head to the Spanish Arches and look at the steps where Columbus came. Derry is where the whole idea/thought/proof/pregnancy? of America began. One more reason to love Ireland:)
Here's another thing I love about Liam, when I tell him that I wish could remember everything  he's told me today, he simply likens it to plastering a wall. Just when I'm feeling dense he says so much of the plaster falls when you're paving a wall, best to concentrate on what made it up there (or in my case, in there) and let the rest of it  be swept away. 

Back to the b &b to work on my travel/place to stay in Derry! I think I've found the perfect spot... so I should venture on out-it's Friday after all! I'm going for the usual-a cup of soup and a pint, except my new pint is the Smithwick/Guinness special;) 
I'm  at Garvey's oh my gosh this is great stew, and piping hot! But it's definitely not a cup it's more like a cauldron! Huge! The game is on and a man down the bar keeps screaming "Liverpool!" after four or five times, he announces to no one that Liverpool is his team! The guy next to me is as surprised as I am, but we also think Liverpool is going to lose-we don't share this with him. I do however share with my bar mate that's its time he proposes! They've been together a year and a half! Now I have to tell him about Sean and Megan-he must be the last person in Ireland  (the world) to not know about it! A group of American girls come in. They want one drink (not each, just one total).  but nothing "too irish"  ?? Now i get it, they  gather around him and the one drink and have the bartender pose...no, not like that, like this, wait , no like that (he's a saint I decide) get the photo and say , "see, now we might just come back!" lucky bar, and bartender, who, it turns out is Bridie's son! Here's where the night turns....five women (initially) come in the bar and whoosh you can tell something is about to happen. The one who reminds me exactly of my aunt Sheila-right down to mischievous twinkle in her eye (her name is actually Detti) doesn't  wait to introduce herself, she just plain announces to me that she and her friends are here to paint the town, I feel confident that someone should warn all of Galway! A man has snuck into the group....this must be your driver? They have a private room and escape to it after offering for me to join them stepping at claddaugh and getting their second round o drinks! I love them! Before I take my next bite of stew, the music starts up....here's the scoop...are you listening Karen? You were definitely with me in spirit!... Bridie teaches them all step dancing and this is their annual trip to Galway to dance and carry on. They're just down the road in Loughrea, but they've smartly taken a bus. They are really great dancers and having a ball! My plan was to go to Tigh Coili to hear Irish music, but I have to go with them, right? Or can I do both? This group isn't slowing down anytime soon for sure! I join them in the private room to get their plan for the night. Do you sing, Megan? Not well. Do you dance, Megan? Not as well as I sing. Surely you can tell a story, Megan? Hmmm...I should preface this with the fact that they've been telling stories to howls of laughter and there are now about 5men and 10 women. When it's my turn,  and I take the floor (with all the dramatics, Megan. I know....we've only just met. They don't realize that's the only way I do things)  I proudly relay Conn's story about the young nun! 
They do a couple more amazing dances and we have fabulous cake. Mary fakes a bad toe and claims she can't do the final shadow dance. No one believes her and she's called up;)  Mary's a great dancer but she still owes me a story about a Yankee-maybe when her toe is better! 
Time for me to go listen to the traditional Irish music I've been craving (where is the tin whistle?) don't worry! I'm going to meet up with the group later. I know the name of the place (or so I thought) and love to ask for directions. I arrive at Ti Coili and it's slowly getting going. One of the nice things about being on your own is that you can away find a spot near the band.  They are awesome! Taking a clue from the guys next to me, i set me iphone up to video them for awhile. Im pretty sure I've just recorded me talking over a band in a dark bar ;( Ashley and Angel are here, two Americans I am just now meeting from Atlanta. A beautiful blonde and brunette, they are just in their twenties and came to Ireland for about a week-well done! We are wondering where all the cute rugby players are-well they were, but now I am too! We talk about our travels-we're kind of doing things in reverse and I tell them that I am off to meet the group for stepping on the Claddagh. They think I'm a little nuts, but we decide we are all kindred spirits and we'll wet up at The Quays around 12:30-1 for some dancing.  Off I go, but not before dropping the girls at The Kings Head Pub and telling the doorman he should really buy them drinks-I hope he did! I start walking toward the  Claddagh Hall. I stop and ask directions...never heard of it-that's okay, earlier someone didn't know about Browne's door and that's been around forever! The next person I ask laughs and wonders if I. Headed to church...nope already been! It was beautiful at the Cathedral. After I walk I've the bridge and down a bit, I see a bus and know I must be close. It's the Galway social club-I was being too literal in the name. There they are! They are fabulous and having a ball! Also dancing I see versions if Cricket Wardein, Kevin McLiney and Irene Wiener all dancing! I love seeing the varying level and skill and interest. And I love that the men are as into it (or more!) as the women.  The party goes on until about 12. We exchange info and I've decided that when I move to Galway (or I may need to move to Loughrea!) I will definitely be taking step classes from Bridie every Thursday at Kinsella's ;)
I'm going to be a little bit late to The Quays, but I'm on my way! It's a fun bar with the band (Turbulent Eddy's) playing in an area that looks like a church. They're awesome! When I think I might be the oldest person out dancing I see the fifty something couple next to me making out. Eww.  Lots of pop music but some originals from the band, too. They definitely have a following! I'm off to bed, either because the pubs have closed or because I'm so sensible-you choose!
Tell me I haven't done every fun thing in one day