Dates: March 19- March 21, 2015
When Mom and I had been to Ireland eight
years ago, we did not venture into Northern Ireland, so this was totally new
territory. Our first stop in Northern Ireland was Belfast. We had read a lot
about how to best get around, and decided on a black cab tour of the city and
murals. I went in with very limited political knowledge and feel like I was
able to gain a lot of information and understanding about the troubles and the
struggles between the Protestants and Catholics in this country. Our tour
guide, Jared, spoke very quickly in his Irish accent, but between the three of
us, we were able to piece the stories together! We saw the murals and peace
wall, and got a better understanding of Belfast’s history. After a delicious
pizza dinner, we headed up to Port Rush to stay with the sibling of someone Mom
met on a cruise in February.
On Friday, we set off for the Causeway
drive. We stopped first at Dunluce castle, taking some time to explore all
around it. We then went to Giant’s Causeway, taking a few hours to walk all
around it. The rock formations were amazing and varied a fair amount around the
site. We then went to Carrick-A-Rede, a rope bridge high above the water. We
decided not to go across, but had great views of the cliffs and islands there.
We completed the coastal route recommended, and then headed into Ballymoney to
check out the Dark Hedges. Once we walked that road, we went on to Londonderry
for the night. Once we arrived, we walked the entire wall of this walled city,
finishing at a great pub for dinner.
We left Northern Ireland on Saturday, but not before some shopping in Strabane!
A note if travelling to Northern Ireland: Northern Ireland readily accepts British pounds as currency, but you may receive money labeled “Bank of Ireland” in return. This money is not accepted in England, so double check the money being given to you if leaving the country with some bills left over!
The Burgess Duo
Comments
Post a Comment