Heyyy Yawlll

Sunday, June 27, 2010
6:00 p.m.

Kelly, Eryn and I took a day trip of our own to Youghal (pronounced “Yawl”) today. We took our time getting ready since we didn’t want to pass up an opportunity of sleeping in so we didn’t catch the bus into Youghal until 11:40. We saw something we hadn’t seen since we’ve been here when we approached the end of our 50-minute ride: the ocean! Well technically, it was the Celtic Sea. We decided to explore Youghal because of its reputation as a beautiful coastal town; we heard it had a scenic beach and a similar quaintness to the town of Cobh. Since I loved Cobh so much, it wasn’t hard to make the decision to travel to Youghal. We got off at the stop nearest the beach so we could walk on the sand before walking into town. My expectations of this city were not only met, they were exceeded.

Anticipation built as we approached the beach. After getting off the bus, we could see the water in the distance, but a large, stone barrier was blocking our view of the entire beach. When we were close enough to the barrier, I peeked over to see flat, glistening tan sand and pure, blue water. To the right, there were families taking walks up and down the sand, a young boy building sandcastles and climbing on rocks when his father wasn’t looking, dogs roaming free, even a few girls playing in the water. To the left, there were rocks, piles of seashells, boulders and caves. The girls and I decided to explore the left side of the beach since it seemed more adventurous. When we rounded the corner, a vast green hill came into sight. High at the top we saw herds of cattle and homes that appeared as tiny specs. There was a small, white lighthouse near the top of the road and stairs that seemed to lead to it. After climbing those intensely steep stairs, we were surprised to find a piece of wood blocking us from getting to the road. I thought I could climb my way over so I removed my backpack, tugged my way up a rocky ledge, and jumped over the wooden barrier to the other side. Kelly and Eryn decided not to take the jump but instead take the longer way around. So, I had one of them throw me my backpack and then waited for them.

We weren’t sure how long the walk into the main town would take. I heard some say it was a mile, some say it was closer to two miles. Either way, we made our way toward town and arrived in around 20-25 minutes. By that time, we were starving. We stopped at a small restaurant connected to a hotel. They were advertising breakfast served all day however I decided on the fish and chips. Commonly, most fish and chips come with peas. When my peas came out, they looked like a watery pile of green mush. And that’s exactly what they tasted like. As a pea fan, I was pretty disappointed with the side dish. I have to say that was my first disappointment when it comes to food. Eryn and I splurged on a dessert after our meals, splitting an Irish doughnut. The doughnut was a pastry shaped exactly like a hot dog. The breaded part split open to feature cream and a strawberry lining down the middle. It tasted just as good as it looked.

With our meals finished, we walked down the narrow streets of the town. Many shops were closed because it was Sunday yet I wasn’t disappointed. I was happier just to take in the stunning views around me. I was surprised to find that the water was as blue, if not bluer, than the ocean water back home on the east coast. We spent a few hours walking downtown before deciding to catch the bus back to Cork. While waiting at the bus stop, a black dog peeped his head under a fence across the street. I couldn’t resist the photo-op so I went over to take a picture of him. It was a short day trip, but it was certainly worth it. Who would have thought that I’d be experiencing warm, sunny beaches while in Ireland? I would go back in a heartbeat.