Giant’s Causeway

Yesterday, we drove to the giants causeway. It was a stunning and beautiful area on the coast. Our day was sunny and hot, and although they claimed it was one of the windiest areas of Ireland, the day was calm.

A ruined seaside castle.


The view from the top.

The sea edge was dotted with these huge rocks. It is a very mythical place where the locals retell folklore stories of a huge giant living there.

There are thousands of these rock-pillar formations. They were formed by volcanic rock millions of years ago, and the way it hardened formed into hexagons.

They are natural paving stones.

This was said to be the giant’s boot.

The view from high above...it was quite a climb!


Couldn’t resist!

Out and about in Belfast

We started the morning with a tour of the city.

This was Queens University Belfast.

A statue of Galileo, students rub the statue for good luck prior to their exams.

Next, onto the “peace wall” in west Belfast, built back in the early 70s to separate the unionists (Protestant) and nationalists ( Catholics). At a volatile time in history, they might “visit” their neighbours to inflict damage, by throwing rocks, setting fires and throwing Molotov cocktails, etc. These high walls were put in place to separate factions and are now the site of many murals, some peaceful, some not. They encourage visitors to write words of  peace and harmony.

The wall was at least 30 feet high! Some gates are still closed at night and they have been up longer than the Berlin Wall. 

Next onto the beautiful north Ireland parliament.

All the lampposts are a gift from the Canadian government therefore they are decorated with a moose.

Next, we went to the Titanic museum. The titanic was built here in Belfast. 

These are the cranes used by the Harland and Wolffe company, the builders.

The museum itself, designed to look like an iceberg and the height was the height of the hull of the Titanic.

 

The actual launch...March of 1911.

A replica lifeboat.

...and the sun shone!

We made our way from Sligo to Belfast in Northern Ireland today. This is a soft border but once the UK exits theEuropean  union, that may change as we essentially went from the republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland, UK. There is a lot of tension here historically based on religion and power (and who the power belongs to).

We had a quick stop at a rock circle believed to be 5000 years old.

We stopped for a tour of Derry (also referred as Londonderry). This was the site of great unrest in the 60s and 70s, including “Bloody Sunday “. 

It is also famous for its intact city wall which was completed  in 1618!

We took a tour around the top of the wall.

After the “troubles” of the 60s and 70s, they have since built a peace bridge within the city.

Making our way north

This morning began very wet again. Our first stop was the Connemara marble factory. It is locally quarried in this beautiful area. Due to the rain, we certainly could get the full effect of its beauty, nor could we take photos through the bus window,

Some of the different coloured marble.

Next, we were off to a sheep farm. Many farmers graze the mountainside collectively with 100s of sheep, so they spray paint their wool so that they know what sheep belongs to whom. This farmer had 2 of her dogs show us how they work.

Enjoying some lamb stew at the sheep farm.

The lovely Irish countryside, rugged, wet, but lovely nonetheless!
We stopped for a quick break on our way to Sligo at a pretty little town called Westport.