Driving around Northern Ireland

Today was a driving day--just checking out the scenery in Northern Ireland for the most part, except for a snafu with our hotel reservations in Glasgow the final two nights. Fortunately, we got that sorted out and got booked in a different hotel. What a fun start to the day learning that news. Fortunately, we had internet and cell phone to help get it worked out while we ventured around the country.

Once again, I'm tired after a long day of driving, so here are a few highlights:

Went back to Dunluce Castle. It wasn't raining but was rather chilly. We took a number of photos there. The castle is built right on the edge of the cliff, so you have to wonder how many people fell off the edge over time.

Then, we drove along the coast and ventured to a spot were tall trees come together over the road. I spotted it on Google maps using the photo overlay. Some call it the Dark Hedges; I don't know if that's an official name. We got a couple of photos, but didn't travel all the way through as a wedding party was getting their pictures taken there. We didn't want to disturb that, of course.

We took a mid-day break in Ballymoney and ate at a small pub called Molly's. A cup of soup sure hit the spot. It's a very cute town.

Then, back in the car we went--driving through the Antrim Hills, past Slemish Mountain, then along the coast from Glenarm to Larne before heading to our hotel in Templepatrick, which I booked thinking it would be near the airport, but then we ended up flying out of the Belfast City Airport instead of Belfast International and couldn't change the reservation. So, we have a 10 mile drive to the airport in the morning. Fortunately, it's Sunday so there shouldn't be much traffic as we cross through Belfast (or at least the northern end of Belfast). Hopefully, I didn't just jinx us by typing that thought.

That's about it.

Tomorrow, we fly to Glasgow then drive to the Scotland countryside where we'll stay for a couple of days.

It finally rained in Ireland

5 days into our trip, and we finally saw rain today. In fact, it rained all day, often heavily.

We started the day with breakfast in the hotel restaurant. It sure was hard to get out of bed this morning. The room is so cozy, and I'm fighting a cold. I guess yesterday's exhaustion was a little more than exhaustion. By the time I went to bed last night, I was completely stuffed up and sneezing, and my ears were burning. Of course, Scott made me take my temperature at least 4 times to confirm I didn't have a fever. I didn't. I'm feeling a bit better today thanks to Mucinex.

After breakfast, we went to Giant's Causeway and hiked around a bit. The formations are incredible. There's plenty of folklore to go with the strange shapes rising from the ground, but geologists have noted that it's the result of a volcanic eruption from the 4th millenium BC. These polygonal columns of layered basalt are the only World Heritage Site in Ireland.

After exploring Giant's Causeway for a couple of hours, we headed toward Dunluce Castle, but went the wrong way. We stumbled upon the small ruins of Dunseverick Castle instead. And just across the road, I finally got a prized picture of a sheep. :-) I can't post it until we get home though. We can only upload Scott's photos while on the trip.

We then turned around and headed to Dunluce Castle, but when we got there it was pouring rain. We stopped in at Wee Cottage for coffee, tea, soup and a cake to bide our time while the rain died down, but the rain never died down. We didn't want to pay to tour the castle ruins in the rain, so we took a couple of quick photos and vowed to return tomorrow morning if it was less rainy.

Instead, we spent the rainy day inside at Old Bushmill's Distillery, another whiskey making facility. The tour was much different than the one at Jameson because it's an operating distillery. At the conclusion of the tour, we got the obligatory tasting. Scott opted for a Black Bush; I took a special whiskey made for the company's 400 year anniversary that crystalized the barley by heating it to a higher temperature than usual (I believe it was the Bushmills 1608). Boy, was it strong! I preferred the Jameson, but then again mine was mixed with cranberry juice there.

We walked around the very small town a bit and just rested until it was time for dinner tonight. This time, we made it down to the restaurant for a nice meal.

Tomorrow, we explore the countryside a bit more and stay in a hotel nearer the airport in preparation for our flight to Scotland on Sunday.