Day 7: Dublin

Christ Church

Guiness Storehouse

Lunch at Third Space with Stephanie, a missionary in Dublin 

Day 6: Dark Hedges

Today was slower paced and more of a breather as we made our way "home" to Dromara from the North coast. On the way back, we pulled over to witness the Dark Hedges, also known as the King's Highway in "Game of Thrones." We've never seen the show, but after visiting all my of these sites, perhaps we should check it out. The Dark Hedges definitely satisfied Madison's fettish with trees.

Banofee for dessert by a hot coal fire. This is the Irish version of banana pudding...biscuit and butter crust, caramel sauce, sliced banana, fresh whipped cream, and chocolate flake. Lovely.

Day 5: Service with Speed and a Smile

Dunluce castle again. The interior.

Now entering Giant's Causeway.

14,000 columns of petrified lava.

Groupon deal. Authentic Irish food served by an Alaskan hippie hitchhiking her way to Scotland. Scene 1: Joy has just managed to get Oliver out of the car and into the pram (stroller). He is getting hangry (as are the rest of us who have just climbed a steep mountain). The wind is a-blowin' and the rain is starting to fall. We are met at the door by a young ginger who asks us to please wait (outside) 10 minutes while they mop the floor. So we wander around the rather tight car park (parking lot) singing and entertaining Oliver (and ourselves) while trying not to blow away. Scene 2: We return to the door only to be asked to wait 10 more minutes while the floor dries. "We don't want any customers fallin'." Scene 3: We are finally granted entry into the brilliant cafeteria. The only ones there, and we quickly figured out why. Ginger dude has to leave (after abruptly advising me to get the chicken pie...most likely because it meant all he had to do was throw it in the microwave), so we are left with Alaskan hippie girl who has only been in the country for 3 weeks and is staying/working at a hostel down the street. When Ryan and I scoot our table next to Gareth and Joy, we learn that ginger dude and Alaskan hippie girl didn't bother to move the table when they mopped. We are served up rather cold steak and Guiness pie (chicken for me), mash (mashed potatoes), and veg (carrots and parsnips). Alaskan hippie girl, who has just been accepted to the Alaskan state trooper academy, tries to console fussy Oliver with a rather awkward, hand-waving "A-booga-booga" that frightened even me. It didn't help. I could go on. What an experience. We all had a good laugh (and are still cracking up about it). Certainly some good memories to bring home.

Mom, you really do belong here.

We replaced our dissatisfying lunch with ice cream from Morelli's in Port Stewart.

Day 4: Castles, Cliffs, Coasts, and more

Ulster fry at Joy's Gran's. Dear love her that precious woman with a heapful of gumption.

Sausage, bacon, egg, potato bread, soda bread...the traditional Ulster fry. 

Love Gran.

Ryan introduced Gran to the selfie stick. She was rather impressed. She already has a Facebook account and a knitting forum website. I think she'll go for the selfie stick next.

Carrickfergus castle

Picnic on the Coastal Causeway on our way up the North coast.

The polar bear.

Dunluce castle.

We got to Dunluce Castle a bit late but we got to walk around and take a few pictures. 

Madison thought this was hilarious. Careful! Elderly people! 

Next stop on the Emerald Isle was Ballintoy Harbour which is featured on the show Game of Thrones. It's known on the show as Pyke Harbour. 

Day 3: Made in Belfast

Please excuse the gap in entries. We took a short jaunt up to the North coast for a few days and were without Internet access. We are now back at home base at Gareth and Joy's in Dromara, so allow me to catch you up quickly before we scurry down to Dublin for the next two days.

We spent our third day (second day actually in Ireland) in downtown Belfast beginning with St. George's market.

Shout out to Richard and all of our fire brigade friends.

Did you know that the Titanic was built in Belfast? Great museum.

The very slipway at Thompson's dock where the Titanic was constructed.

C.S. Lewis' memorial.

St. Mark's Church of Ireland where C.S. Lewis went to church as a child.

Oliver loves to read with daddy.

Ireland wins the Six Nations rugby championship!

Day 2: Arriving to Dromara...the middle of nowhere...just the way we like it.

            Waking up over Ireland on the plane.

       I (Madison) was so excited to be in Ireland I...

      ...completely forgot about cabin pressure. 

Cue Contigo water bottle EXPLODING everywhere...

just before landing and meeting up with our lovely Irish hosts. 

Luckily the flowing fire hydrant remained contained to my lap 

(and shirt and sweater and jacket and book bag), and no other 

passengers were harmed. The Irishman, Ammon, sitting next to me

(who strategically let out a single cough every 25 to 66 seconds for 

the +6 hour flight) was amused and, of course, let out a...single chuckle.

So we arrived safely and sailed through Irish "customs", if it can even be properly called that. No declarations of your bringings, just an address of your destination. And where is ours you ask?Dromara, Northern Ireland to stay with Irish friends, Gareth and Joy and baby Oliver Bell. When we revealed our destination to some Irish engineers before boarding the plane in Philly, their comment was (cue Irish accent), "Dromara?! That's in the middle 'a nowhere!" 

Yes, the middle of nowhere. Just the way we like it. A quaint village. Irish countryside. Green rolling hills. Pastures of sheep and dairy cows. Cobblestone streets. It really is the way I pictured it. There is still a little chill to the air leftover from winter, but the farmers are readying the fields for Spring, and the smell of dewy grass, moist soil, wooly sheep (and other sheep products) fills your senses as soon as you step outside. It's a bit unpleasant at first (hence "other sheep products") but is starting to become more familiar and strangely endearing. Shemama, I can't help but think of you often as I take in the landscapes. More images of the countryside to come.

First stop (after grabbing a chai latte at the rather posh petro station and catching a nap at the Bells): Dundrum castle

        The Mountains of Mourne

       

    TD, this one is for you. Perhaps if we find a golden ticket we could bring you back a lifetime supply.

    

    Chocolate-covered honeycomb, yes please. 

I am loving all the sweet shops here, and the fact that our dear hosts, Gareth and Joy, do too. Sweet tooths unite! In a matter of 5 minutes and a block's walk down a narrow street in Newcastle, we managed to 1) grab a loaf of fruit soda (bread, not a fizzy drink) at the Cookie Jar bakery; 2) claim a few candies from a sweet shop next door (very Charlie and the Chocolate Factory minus the rolling ladder with wheels); and 3) top it off with some ice cream and coffee from a cafe by the sea.

     Driving around the Mountains of Mourne.

The stone fences amaze me. No mortar. No wires. Just stones strategically placed in a delicate balance.

A belated birthday celebration for Ryan with an Irish donut cake filled with cream and strawberry jam. Did I mention that Joy is a CLASS baker?!