There’s nothing quite like the sound of an Irish banjo in the morning to make you chipper.

The streets of Galway are a sight to behold, especially on weekday afternoons when the weather is nice. Experiencing the local scene is crucial for studying abroad. It’s a time to get a feel for culture by living it rather than being a tourist and simply learning about it.

A favorite pastime for me and other Galway folk is the St. Nicholas Market, held on the weekends near a church of the same name. The farmer’s market varies in vendors each weekend, with a few constant stalls appearing.

One of these is a cheery gentleman who makes fresh donuts covered in sugar and your choice of cinnamon or cocoa. The best part (aside from eating the donut) is hearing him sing as he works.

An air of friendly cheeriness hangs over the market and I’ve found myself going over to check it out even when the rain pours down. The market also features several other craftspeople creating pottery, paintings and jewelry.

Food is one of the main sellers, but it’s not your typical farmer’s market. I’ve found a man at a little cart making espresso’s and bought a brownie from a baker. But I also see people selling fish and meats like you would see in a grocery store.

Japanese sushi stand, a crepe place, vegan Thai food and a vendor who mostly just sold curry: the variety astounded me.

Even when there’s no market, the streets are far from quiet. Shop Street especially comes alive with local musicians hoping to earn loose change from passing shoppers.

Being a music fan, I was instantly drawn to the musical folk. There were plenty of singers with guitars and people tapping beats on drums, but that wasn’t all.

There are men playing Irish songs on a banjo, a guy dressed in a suit with a Beetles haircut singing covers of pop songs and one drummer who tapped drumsticks across bowls, cups and a teapot. I spotted a trio of musicians playing a cello, accordion and a washboard. A couple times, I noticed younger kids with their guitars and violins.

It seems this is a typical thing to see musicians on Shop Street, so when I see people gathered around a certain group, I know it must be something unique people don’t see very often, like a group of musicians with their banjo and guitar players standing on top of posts, somehow balancing themselves while playing.

I might’ve mentioned this before, but nothing really opens around here before 8 or 9 a.m. It’s in the afternoon when you see the streets come alive and it’s an opportunity you can’t pass up to experience local life.