Horse racing in Ireland has a storied history dating back 110 BC, according to some written records. Horse racing as we know it today was started by those lovely British in the late 17th century, why else would the races be measured in an arcane length measurement like a furlong (1/8 of a mile). In…

In mid-April, Kelley, Sandy (her mom), and I had the opportunity to explore the charms of Amsterdam. Kelley was traveling with Sandy earlier in the week in Paris, another amazing European capital! After walking hundreds of thousands of steps through the Parisian streets they hopped on a train to Amsterdam where I met them on…

Over the last year we have been on a fair number of hikes throughout Ireland. Hiking is a bit different in Ireland than California, as there are rarely proper trails and as is customary in Ireland you frequently experience all of the seasons in one day (or one hour for that matter): sunshine, rain, hail,…

Iceland has exploded in the last decade as a major tourist destination as people “discovered” the breathtaking scenery of this small island in the North Atlantic. The locals have done a good job making it affordable to travel to Iceland with comically cheap flights ($200 round trip from LAX) but once your boots are on…

Back in February, Kelley and I took a weekend trip to the south coast of Ireland, visiting Cork, Kinsale, Cobh, and an unexpected visit to the infamous Blarney castle. Our main objective in Cork was to see the English Market, which has been operating since the 17th century. It was closing time when we arrived,…

I had a quick mid-week work trip to Copenhagen and Kelley was able to tag along. We did not have a lot of time to explore the city but I am not sure we could have tolerated much more time there due to the polar vortex that caused crushingly cold temperatures (~-15C with a wicked…

Kelley and I wanted to go somewhere Christmas-ie in December and what better place (we thought) than Rome and the Vatican. Well… it turns out there was probably more Christmas spirit in Galway than Rome but it was still a great trip. You cannot go wrong with Italian wine, food, and a dash of chaos…

At the end of November I had a work trip to Paris and the timing worked out such that Kelley was able to come. The temperatures in Paris were brisk clocking in around 32°F but it was a wonderful opportunity for Kelley and I to explore the city in a different season without a specific…

Fall and Winter have been a bit dark and dreary here in Galway but we’re trying to make the most of it!  Thankfully Galway is so stinking cute, we can’t help ourselves but get out and enjoy the weather woes together! One of the biggest events of the year was the Macnas Halloween Parade. Macnas…

We have been collecting rainbow photos for a while and I think we have finally accumulated enough to have a blog post. According to local Irish sources (an 8 year-old Kelley babysits), there is a inverse relationship between the size of the country and the size of the rainbow. I am not sure of the…

After a week in Galway, Kelley, my parents, and I flew to Edinburgh, Scotland. It has been the historical, cultural, and political heart of Scotland since the 12th century. To get acquainted with the city we took a walking tour along the Royal Mile, which is the central artery of the old city. Our tour…

In early October, my parents crossed the pond for a 2 week trip to the United Kingdom and Ireland. Kelley and I met them in London since despite being so close we had not been there yet. When doing some research on accommodations and museums, I was flabbergasted by the cost of everything in London….