Day Six: Down to the Abbey

Like yesterday, most of today was spent driving. On the way out of Galway we stopped to look at the sea while John told us about a landmass in the sea off the coast of Galway that is believed to have come from Africa when Pangea split. We quickly took some pictures then got back on the road again. After some time driving we stopped to get hot chocolate and stretch our legs before continuing with our journey through Connemara National Park. The sights were incredible - the park had everything from mountains to lakes to leprechaun houses (I'm not joking there was actually a tiny house in the park) within a 5 minute drive. John drove us through the park to our main destination of the day - The Kylemore Abbey. The Kylemore Abbey started out as a castle home for the Henry family in the 1860's. The abbey was then sold to an order of Benedictine sisters in the 1920's who used the castle as a motherhouse and school for girls (sounds familiar right?). The school held its last exams in 2010 before closing its doors to new students. Now the abbey is a museum and still remains the motherhouse for the Benedictine sisters. We took a tour of the castle and visited the small gothic cathedral on the grounds (where the above picture was taken) before visiting the gardens of the property. The garden was huge and housed a multitude of different plants. Had we gone during the right time I'm sure the gardens would have been absolutely breathtaking. The group boarded the bus once more to come back to the hotel and rest before getting dinner and gelato.

It is really interesting to see the history of things. The origins of the landmass in the sea to the castle that changed hands and was used as a home, a motherhouse, and a school all point to a common theme of history. When I say history I don't mean the kind of history you learn in school, I mean the origins and the story behind everything. You can apply that same thinking to many things in this world from politics to family lineage - there is always a story to tell.

The things that I experienced today made me curious about my history and the history of my being. I want to learn more about how I originated where I am today. How did my ancestors get to America? Who were they? How can I reconnect and appreciate my roots?

I'll talk to you tomorrow!

Love,

Rowan