The Bank Holiday

So, on Monday there was a bank holiday. None of us international students really knew what that meant, and frankly I don't think the Irish did either. The important thing about this day, and the reason I'm writing about it, is that we didn't have school. How awesome! Instead, the students brought out their finest attire and headed towards the Galway Race track.

As an annual tradition, Galway has an event called the Galway Race Day. These aren't car races, these are horse races. I have been to a horse race before in Minnesota for fun, but this was a whole new level of intensity and it was an Irish tradition!

My roommates and I bought our tickets, yanked some old dresses out of our closet, and headed towards the track on the outskirts of Galway to see what the hype was about. With our ticket we were given a free 5 euro bet ticket with a company called "Ladbrokers", so we decided to give it our best shot and try to beat the odds. When we arrived in the betting ring (while standing in a down pouring rain, of course), we were greeting by hundreds of old Irish men wearing tweed hats and talking the local gossip of the horses, jockeys, and the odds of the race.
My roommates and I simply picked our favorite number and the horse with the cutest name and headed off for the viewing area. Students were everywhere, wearing fine suits and heels that were higher than anything I've ever seen, it hurt my feet to even look at them. Those Irish girls must have great balance. The man at Ladbrokers greeted me with a hurried, "What's your bet today, love?", and I told him my bet in a panic and hoped I sounded like I knew what I was doing.

After a push through the crowd of perfume, beer, and smoke, we found the horses circling the track and warming up. Here's a few differences I noticed:

1. The track was made of grass. I don't know if this is common, but I thought it was interesting. I'm guessing it is easier on the horses' joints and legs to run on grass rather than sand? I grew up with horses, but I'm not a horse whisperer, so don't quote me on that.

2. As part of the running routine was to jump every 50 feet, creating an even more challenging obstacle for the jockeys and heap of horses running at full speed. It was a bit terrifying to watch.

3. It seemed that the general crowd was split into two - the students that were ridiculously dressed to impress, and the older generation that appeared as horse breeders or owners, ignoring the students roaming about aimlessly. 

On Tuesday night my American friends and I joined together to introduce our European lads to the art of carving pumpkins. My German, Netherland, and Belgian friends had never carved a pumpkin before, so it was adorable to teach them how to gut a pumpkin and carve creative faces (they did not particularly enjoy the part where your hands get dirty). I was feeling sentimental about my homeland because carving pumpkins is a huge part of the beauty of fall in Minnesota, so I decided to dedicate my pumpkin. 

D'awwww

We made it into a healthy competition, so the winner of the carving contest is yet to be decided. Winners TBA. 

The results.

Tonight is Halloween in Galway, which is a big deal here because Halloween actually originated in Ireland. Decorations have been hanging on the inside of shop and pub walls for weeks, bringing out the festive spirits in town. I'm sure it will be grand craic. More to come soon! Also, as I write this in the main concourse of the college, I would like to note that at least a half dozen pigeons have approached my feet and are looking for food. There are pigeons, roaming the buildings, yes.

Thanks for reading, as always. 

Linds