Westport, ho!

[I wrote this on Friday, but the internet cafe crapped out on me as I hit "send."]

I've spent a week in Westport doing a hiking trip with my family (+ Peter), and I think we should move here! The first night, a guy who we thought was drunk (but turned out to just be crazy) told us to go to a certain pub where he was singing. We actually went, and what started out as two old guys playing the accordian turned into a magical, transport-you-back-in-time Irish "session". Besides the musicians, people sang solos a capella (and they were all amazing,) did set dancing, and said recitations (poems that they had written to make fun of each other.) They shushed all the talking whenever a singer wanted to start, and the whole place joined in on the chorus. The cool thing was that we were the only Americans there. One of the accordianists was sitting right next to us and explained stuff. We were in the back room (complete with exposed beams, fireplace, Guinness ads) and right beyond the door was a regular pub with nothing happening- just people and pints. But in our room was Irish heaven.