Giant's Causeway and Northern Ireland Tour

Today we began with an attempt at the free hostel breakfast, only to decide quickly that we should just go elsewhere.  The people at the hostel table seemed to be happy enough but we weren't really sure where the food was or what protocols to follow to eat, clean up and share.  We booked a day trip to the Giant's Causeway with Paddywagon Tours and had to meet up at 10:00 near the bus station, so we headed in that direction and had a quick coffee and fruit breakfast at one of the many Cafe Neros.

Our bus tour guide was awesome - he was funny, telling stories (many of which, I'm sure, were just lies or tales to keep us entertained), and getting us efficiently and safely to where we needed to be.  Our tour up to the Giant's Causeway included a quick stop at the Dark Hedges, where beech trees were planted about 250 years ago to line one homestead's lane.  These trees are now used in some parts of the Game of Thrones series, but since I've never seen that show, I'm not sure where exactly this scene is used.  It is a very pretty canopy of trees - unfortunately the trees are beginning to die or break, with speculation being they won't be there in 50 years.

Dark Hedges

Dark Hedges

Next up was a stop at the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge.  Situated past Carrick-a-Rede, a small fishing village on the northern coast of Northern Ireland, the rope bridge was used by fishermen to get over to the adjacent island. Now the bridge is reinforced steel built to look like a rope bridge and used as a tourist trap.  The walk over presented some scenic green hills, with a view of Northern Scotland in the distance (despite the grey skies and foggy weather).

Coast near Carrick-a-Rede

Below the Rope Bridge, about 50 feet, I think

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge

After an hour or so at the bridge, we had a pretty decent lunch at the Fullerton Arms hotel in the town.  We had preordered food on the way to the bridge and the kitchen and wait staff did an exceptional job of getting us fed and on our way in a pretty good time.  The bus driver said we took too long so we were a bit behind schedule for the rest of the day, though.

Scotland in the Distance

Cliffs of Northern Ireland

Seaside Village in Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland Coast

Onto Giant's Causeway, we had about 90 minutes to walk the cliffs and see the amazing hexagonal shaped rock formations.  Two legends abound for this site: one, Finn McCool, the giant in question, built this causeway to get to Scotland; two, geologists believe the formations occurred when the non-existent volcano erupted and the lava cooled as it hit to cold Northern Atlantic water; you figure it out!  I always like the hear the legend, and the more outrageous the better, although I think, because the rocks are perfectly stacked and about the same size and shape, that an ancient civilization must of built the causeway for some reason - to get closer to the fish or help dock their boats.

Cliffs with Red Rock near the Causeway

Stacks of rocks, make up the Causeway

The Causeway (what's left)

Causeway Rocks

After the Causeway, we had a quick opportunity to take a photo of an old Norman (French - Normandy) castle situated on the cliffs of the northern coast.  This castle was called the Dunluce and now sits in ruins, but it does give a pretty good image of how the castle was once built and used.

Dunluce Castle, Northern Ireland

Back in Belfast around 5:30pm, Lee and I found a pub (surprisingly, it's hard to find these where we are in Belfast, which seems to be city centre) called Robinson's.  The Friday after-work crowd was already hard at their pints but we managed to find a table.  The pubs here seem to have different rooms that are all just meant for drinking.  The front part was a bit more upscale, the middle more like a pub I'd expect, and the back had a band already playing.  Upstairs is where we found food later on.  The pub food is getting to us, though - I had Chicken Goujons, which are battered chicken pieces deep-fried, and now I feel sick.  I don't normally eat this as I avoid the 'beige food groups' quite extensively now.  However, I suppose "when in Rome...".  Luckily we walked a fair amount today, uphill, so I hope that helped to burn calories and somehow even out the crappy, horrible, yet divinely tasting deep friend food I just ate!

My Beige Unhealthy Chicken Goujons...

And we are back at this hostel for the night.  Lee vows we'll actually go out tomorrow but since we are both pretty tired by 9pm, I'm not sure!  I do hope to get to Dublin in good time - maybe we can take in the Guiness tour in the late afternoon.  Tomorrow we are off to our final destination, which is both good and bad.  I've enjoyed the trip and I think there are many other great sites to see in Ireland, but I think I'll be happy to be home, in my own bed (plus I do miss Bryan quite a lot!).