Long day Northern Ireland

We docked in Belfast and left the ship at 11 am.  Our bus/tour company was waiting outside "Belfast City Tours". A lively band was playing as we stepped off the ship.  I guess the people of Belfast were happy to see us!

Robin and Alan of our Cruise Critic roll call arranged this tour for 50 people and it was highly recommended on travel sites.  Nigel was our tour guide and kept us entertained with his knowledge and humor.  The bus driver was amazing -- got us into some tight places I thought we would never get out of but he handled it like a pro! 

Nigel talking to our group in front of Dunluce Castle

The shore next to Dunluce Castle.

The drive to the North Antrium coast took about an hour and we drove through beautiful agricultural countryside.  Never seen so many sheep and cows grazing along the way!  Agriculture is the main industry in Northern Ireland and we lots of evidence of that.  Throughout the day, Nigel continued to give us lessons in history, beginning back in the 1200's.  By the time we were back at the ship, we were up to date on all the issues and events that made the country what it is today.

We went to Giant's Causeway -- amazing!  There is folklore associated with the Causeway (involving giants) which makes it all the more interesting! We walked all the way to the end and back--the walk down was not too bad but the walk back was killer!  Of course Al had to walk all over the rocks and take pictures.  I found some beautiful woven Irish scarves for some special people back home in the National Trust gift shop :-)

We had a late lunch at the Smuggler's Inn.   I had a beef Guinness pie and Al had a burger.  Of course, "chips" were served with everything.  We saw quite a few Irish potato fields during our visit to the North Antrium Coast.  Nice relaxing place to eat before heading out for the rest of our tour.

We did a quick stop at the Bushmill Distillery and a little sampling.  The difference in Irish Whiskey (according to Nigel) is that it is distilled 3 times.  Scotch whisky is distilled 2 times and in the US only once.  I won't even tell you what he referred to our whiskey as....(something akin to swill) but the Bushmills was really smooth.  Mama, don't worry -- I only drank a thimble full :-)

We stopped at the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge.  If you look closely in the center of the picture between thetwo clifts, you will see a rope bridge.  Al and a few other brave members of our group walked ar=cross it.  Al said the bridge was not so bad but you had to walk almost straight down the side of the clift on steps to get to the bridge.  It was quite cold and windy too!

This picture in for Brant.  It is the home course of the guy who won the US Open fromNorthern Ireland.  You know me....can't remember his name.  Not a very good picture because I had to take it from the bus but wanted you to see it.

 

Nigle continued with the History of the Northern Irish people -- the good, the not so good and the ugly -- as we rode back along the North Antrium Coast to Belfast.  Before boarding the ship we took a quick drive around Belfast city.  Bill Clinton is loved in Ireland because the people feel he really cared about Ireland and he was instrumental in getting the IRA to put down their weapons after the treaty was signed. .  George Bush -- not so much.  We saw the Peace Wall between the Catholic side and the Protestant side. There are still gates that are closed at night between the two areas.  As Nigel said, the people are living in peace but they will never forget the terrible things that happened -- and remembering will help ensure that history is not repeated.

We saw lots of graffitti along the walls in parts of the city.  This is a memorial to Bobby Sands (the IRA's former Officer Commanding) who died on May 5th in the prison hospital on the sixty-sixth day of his hunger strike, prompting rioting in nationalist areas of Northern Ireland.

Tomorrow...Edinburgh and the Diamond Jubilee Royal Military Tattoo!