Alison: Today, we were blessed again with amazing weather. We started our morning with a traditional Irish breakfast at Windmere House. An Irish breakfast consists of two slices of ham (which they call bacon), two links of sausage, an egg (either fried or poached), and a tomato (either roasted or raw). YUM! After breakfast we made a reservation for a black taxi tour of Belfast. By the time we were finished packing up, the taxi was waiting for us. Our tour took us around West Belfast, where there was a very violent disagreement between Protestants (British) and Catholics (Irish) over whether North Ireland should be British or Irish. This disagreement, called the Troubles, lasted from 1969 until 2000. We started on the Protestant side where our tour guide walked us around to the different murals on the sides of the buildings and explained what they each meant. The most interesting mural was that of a man in camouflage and a mask with a rifle pointed at the viewer. As you walk all over this neighborhood the rifle is always pointed on you. This is to represent to the people who live in the neighborhood that they are being protected at all times, and to visitors that they are being watched at all times.
This depicts a point in time where a section of the Catholic neighborhood was under a strict curfew by the Belfast government. 
Giant’s Causeway was our final stop of the day. This cluster of hexagonal stone steps is a geological phenomena. The Irish legends and folklore about the place seemed to be as numerous as the stones themselves. We spent some time walking around the causeway and took in the beautiful sight. Some say the stones look like a giant box of cigarettes being offered to God. Since it seems like 99.5% of the population here smokes, this interpretation isn’t surprising. The scenery was gorgeous, in fact it look incredibly similar to the mountains seen in Jurassic Park. We finished our 3 km hike exhausted but satisfied. We made the trip back down the coast to Ballygally, but not before I played rally car driver on the windy roads with an 80 mph speed limit that was almost impossible to maintain!
Following viewing the murals on the Protestant side, we visited the Peace Wall. The Peace Wall completely divides the Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods, and to this day, the gates in the wall are locked up at 7:30 every night. The wall itself contains murals and graffiti. In Belfast, it is not illegal to write graffiti, so by a suggestion from our tour guide, we joined in on the fun.
From here, we crossed through the wall to the Catholic side. In the Catholic neighborhood we saw several monuments to people that had died during the Troubles and ended with some murals on a large wall. The tour was supposed to last an hour, but lasted two. Our tour guide was very generous and only charged us for one hour. He also led us out to the exit we needed to leave Belfast and head up the Antrim Coast.
This depicts a point in time where a section of the Catholic neighborhood was under a strict curfew by the Belfast government.
Jonathan: After a quick stop at our future hotel/castle at Ballygally, we continued our way up the northeastern coast of Ireland to Carrick-a-rede swinging rope bridge. Fishermen originally used this type of bridge to fish the sea below. We started with a brief walk out to the bridge. It is hard to describe the beauty here in Ireland. The climate is cooler than Virginia and some of the plants and wildlife look similar to those at home, but the sheer brilliance of colors, a patchwork of red, yellow, and pink wildflowers on a background of the most intense green carpet of foliage you have ever seen. I wasn’t expecting the ocean to look so similar to that of the Caribbean, intense shades of dark blue and aquamarine.
When we finally made it to the rope bridge, it looked like something out of a storybook. I felt like a six year old running across the rope bridge, excited and exhilarated. On the far side of the bridge was a menagerie of plants and animals as described before, our own little private island in the sea. Who can deny such a magnificent God when sitting on a lush little patch of land amidst the crashing waves. He not only can inspire you with his artwork but He can take your breath away.
When we finally made it to the rope bridge, it looked like something out of a storybook. I felt like a six year old running across the rope bridge, excited and exhilarated. On the far side of the bridge was a menagerie of plants and animals as described before, our own little private island in the sea. Who can deny such a magnificent God when sitting on a lush little patch of land amidst the crashing waves. He not only can inspire you with his artwork but He can take your breath away.
Giant’s Causeway was our final stop of the day. This cluster of hexagonal stone steps is a geological phenomena. The Irish legends and folklore about the place seemed to be as numerous as the stones themselves. We spent some time walking around the causeway and took in the beautiful sight. Some say the stones look like a giant box of cigarettes being offered to God. Since it seems like 99.5% of the population here smokes, this interpretation isn’t surprising. The scenery was gorgeous, in fact it look incredibly similar to the mountains seen in Jurassic Park. We finished our 3 km hike exhausted but satisfied. We made the trip back down the coast to Ballygally, but not before I played rally car driver on the windy roads with an 80 mph speed limit that was almost impossible to maintain!
A & J: Time to sleep in the castle by the sea. Tomorrow will bring more coastline adventures!
This post is actually about Tuesday, June 29th.
ReplyDeleteLove the pictures! So glad to hear you guys are having a blast!
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