Antrim Coast and Giant's CausewayThis may be my favorite day of the trip so far, and that's saying a lot! It was supposed to rain all day, but it was really nice again. The luck of the Irish appears to be with us! Dara and Pascal got us to Giant's Causeway before any other coaches arrived, so we had the breathtaking views nearly to ourselves which was awesome! We headed directly down to the fascinating basalt columns. We'd never seen anything like it. We followed up our stop here with a walk up the Red trail for great views overlooking the water. The overlooks were amazing.
Old Bushmills DistilleryWe toured the famous Old Bushmills Whiskey Distillery. It was fascinating to hear and see the process. A lot of work goes into a bottle of whiskey! It was interesting to see the bottling process; they washed every bottom with old whiskey before filling them! We had a nice lunch in the distillery, and we received a free taste test as well as a sample bottle to take home. Pam and I also got to experience our first hot toddy (whiskey with sugar and cloves) which we both liked.
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A Bridge, a Castle and Dark Hedges
Our next stop was the Carrick-a-Rede rope footbridge. The bridge was built where local fishermen used to toss a rope to get across a deep drop between land and a small island. People would come just to watch them do it, so they eventually built a bridge. This allowed us to make the trip in safety and experience the great views on the other side. As if on cue, the skies cleared, and the rain stopped just as we crossed the bridge and began again just as we boarded the bus. Perfect timing!
Dunluce Castle was really cool. It was raining when we arrived, but when we finished watching the 10 minutes intro video, it quickly cleared and was beautiful again. While Ireland has a rainy climate, the weather changes so quickly that it seems most days are graced with at least some sun. Today was no different, and we took in some stunning views from the ruins.
Dara made a late addition to our itinerary, and we headed to the Dark Hedges. This row of beachwood trees was planted 200 years ago to be an impressive entrance to a residence. It truly is impressive and has been featured in films, and most recently, in The Game of Thrones series. This was a really unique place to visit, and we were all glad we stopped.
Dunluce Castle was really cool. It was raining when we arrived, but when we finished watching the 10 minutes intro video, it quickly cleared and was beautiful again. While Ireland has a rainy climate, the weather changes so quickly that it seems most days are graced with at least some sun. Today was no different, and we took in some stunning views from the ruins.
Dara made a late addition to our itinerary, and we headed to the Dark Hedges. This row of beachwood trees was planted 200 years ago to be an impressive entrance to a residence. It truly is impressive and has been featured in films, and most recently, in The Game of Thrones series. This was a really unique place to visit, and we were all glad we stopped.
People and Culture
A Toast to New FriendsIt's amazing how fast our group has bonded and how easy it has been to spend time together on our trip. 'Sláinte!
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A Toast to My WifeThis has been an amazing trip, and I am so grateful to be able to spend it with the love of my life. 'Sláinte!
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A Toast to Our GuideDara is such a gentleman that he literally gave a tour member the sweater off his back with it started raining. 'Sláinte!
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Places and Sights
Giant's CausewayThe Giant's Causeway is a combination of unique (basalt columns) and spectacular. You can't beat that!
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Dunluce CastleDunluce Castle is an impressive structure perched on the coastline. It was fun to imagine this place at its peak of activity.
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Carrick-a-Rede Rope BridgeWhile a little unnerving to cross, the Carrick-a-Rede rope footbridge rewarded us with awesome views on the other side!
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The Arts
The Art of DistillingThe distilling process of Old Bushmills Whiskey is considered an art form by people all around the world.
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Nature's MasterpieceThe unique basalt columns of Giant's Causeway are an artful masterpiece created by Mother Nature! Awesome!
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In the MoviesThe Dark Hedges was a truly interesting stop. The haunting trees have recently been features in The Game of Thrones. Cool!
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