Last entry for Ireland: Giant's Causeways and more!

After enjoying a wonderful night’s sleep powered by a tasty Irish meal, we headed out for the coast.  The final destination was the Giant's Causeways, but there were many great sights to see along the way.  First stop was the Carrickfergus castle.  Built in 1177 the castle played an important military role until the early 1900's.    Today the castle is one of the best preserved medieval structures in Ireland....which is quite surprising, given the nasty cold wind that is common along the coast.  Hence the heavy jackets and hats........

Not sure if this guy got the memo: the war is over dude........we're not trying to storm your castle.

Continuing our drive up the coast.....the views were amazing. 

Our next stop was the famous Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge.  This 20 meter rope suspension bridge links the mainland to the tiny Carrick Island and was at one time a vital route for the local salmon fisher’s years ago.   If you look REALLY hard, you may see it in the gap between the rocks on the far right of the picture.  Why didn't we get a close up or even cross the bridge?  Well......a nasty weather front had moved in bringing buckets of rain/snow, the walk out to the bridge was about one hour each way, and most importantly......there is an admission fee (denominated in pounds).

Looking out from the overlook near the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. 

When we arrived to the Giant's Causeways the weather had settled into a revolving calm/massive storming routine that was highlighted by gale force winds.  Excellent weather to explore the Causeways!   So what exactly are the Giant's Causeways and why are they such an attraction?  It is an area right against the water’s edge where roughly 40,000 interlocking basalt columns form a unique series of "stepping stones".  The scientific reason for the unique shapes is a volcanic eruption that took place some 50 to 60 million years ago.  There is, however, a fun and more entertaining reason for the unique "stepping stones".  Legend has it that the Irish warrior Fionn McCool built the causeway to walk to Scotland to fight his Scottish counterpart Benandonner.  Whichever version you choose to believe, the Giant's Causeways make for an impressive sight and worth a visit if you find yourself in Northern Ireland.  

Heading down the path to the Causeways.... 

A close up of the unique structures.

Us standing in front of the Giant's Causeways.

I did mention the gale force winds, right?  Here the girls are doing their best to maintain a vertical stance against the winds.  It was seriously that windy.....

The drive back to Belfast was all about drying off and warming up.  The sightseeing was not over however.  We still had a few more sights on the agenda before we called it done.  The first was the Belfast City Hall.  

Unfortunately the building was closed due to the New Years holiday.....go figure.  No worries, the next stop was going to more than make up for the disappointment: the Belfast Shipyard.  

This shipyard is probably most famous for building the ship Titanic in 1912.  Here we are standing in front of a dry dock near where the ship was built and fitted.  This dry dock was not the original, however, it is big enough to hold the Titantic.....if it had not have sank on its maiden voyage to America anyway. 

This coming April 2012 marks the 100 year anniversary of the Titanic's creation and....sinking.  There are many great events planned for the special occasion, including a new visitor’s center that houses period pieces and one of the original boats that was used to ferry out passengers to the Titanic before it set sail.   

Here is a replica of the bow section of the Titanic built to scale...

...and a drawing to help give perspective to the size of the ship.

And finally, no visit to the Belfast Shipyard be complete without taking a picture of the two massive cranes that have built several large vessels over the years: Samson and Goliath.

And just like that our weekend in Ireland came to a close.  A quick drive back down to the airport and before we knew it we were sitting back home in Germany.  Ireland is a great country and one that we hope we will be able to return to someday.  The Northern coastline and the beautiful countryside is a great destination.....probably even better when visited during the warmer months of the year.  

Belfast, Ireland

On New Year's day we picked up the rental car and headed north to Belfast.  On the way we stopped off at the Monasterboice Monastery to have a look around.  Although the original monastery structures are long gone, you will find three high crosses and round tower that all date back to the 10th century.

The view from the former monastery is impressive.  I should point out that Monasterboice is located right in the middle of nowhere. 

This really cool rock wall surrounds the entire complex.

The drive from Dublin to Belfast is a quick one.....just under two hours.  If you ever have the chance to visit the two cities, I highly suggest renting a car and exploring the country between them.  The rolling green hills make for a very relaxing drive and a great way to spend an afternoon.

When we arrived in Belfast it was easy to see the city was dedicated to various industries, including ship building and repair.  You may recall that the ship Titanic was built in Belfast and the locals are quick to point out that the ship sailed just fine when it left port!

In addition to the city that built the Titanic, Belfast is also known for its years of violent struggles.  Visiting the city today is quite safe.....it is possibly the safest city in all Europe.  But it wasn't always this way.....and the scars from all of the violence are still very visible today.  First, why the conflict?  In the simplest of terms, there has been a long political struggle between the groups Nationalists and Unionists.  The Unionists, who are predominantly of the Protestant religion, want Northern Ireland to remain as a part of the United Kingdom.  The Nationalists, who are predominantly Roman Catholic, wish for Northern Ireland to be politically united with the rest of Ireland and independent from British rule.  Thankfully most of the steady violence has ceased since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

The best way to learn about the history of the political struggle is to take a Black Cab Tour.  The one hour tour will take you all over Belfast showing the historical landmarks while the driver provides a history lesson on the political struggle between the two groups.  Our driver, Paddy, was a true legend.  He has been driving for over 30 years as a cab driver and provided a terrific historical timeline for the city.

First stop: the 18-foot high "Peace Line"....a wall built to separate Nationalists and Unionists neighborhoods.

The political murals that tell the stories from the "Troubles" of the Falls and Shankills road. 

One of many homes that back up to the Peace Line wall.  Note the structure built around the back porch.  It is covered with chain-link fence to help prevent "flying objects" that may occur from "explosions" near or on the wall.  Wow.  I had an electric fence to be mindful of when I was playing as a kid.....another reminder how fortunate we are to grow up in the USA.

A monument dedicated to the victims from the violence over the years.  Note the official Irish flag.  The green represents the native people of Ireland and the Nationalists, the orange represents the United Kingdom and the Unionists, and the white in between represents peace and honesty between the people.  Powerful stuff.

This particular section of the Peace Line wall measures at over 25 feet tall.  The first barriers were built in 1969 after a few tragic clashes.  Interesting that the first barriers were meant to be "temporary"....  The wall stretches approximately 13 miles and includes several gates to cross sides.  The gates are wide open during the day but they do close every evening.

Our cab with the wall in the background.

Looking through one of the closed gates.  This gate is very unique in that there are actually two different gates (the other gate is in the distant background).  The buildings in between the gates are factories and generally places of employment.  With the gates shutting promptly at 6pm each night, there is no "working late"....unless you brought a sleeping bag and some snacks to get you by until the next morning.  

A rainbow in Ireland...priceless.

Us with our legendary cab driver/tour guide: Paddy.

If you have some time, check out an episode from the show ‘No Reservations’.  The host Anthony Bourdain takes the same tour of Belfast with Paddy our cab driver.  It's a great piece!  

No Reservations - Ireland

Next stop.....the Giant's Causeways!

Ireland: Bringing in the New Year

A few months back when our friends invited us to join them on a trip up to Ireland to bring in the New Year, our response was impulsively "sure...sounds like fun!".  After all, starting off the New Year with some Irish luck is generally a good idea, right?

The overall plan was to fly into Dublin, spend a few days seeing the sights while also bringing in the New Year, and then finally head up to Northern Ireland to see Belfast and explore the coastline.

Stepping off the plane we were immediately reminded that visiting Ireland in the winter requires some serious warm clothing and a heavy wool jacket to fight off the strong wind and occasional rain.  The weather was no matter however.....nothing was going to deter a few kids from Montana and Seattle from discovering Ireland.

The first day was all about wandering around Dublin and enjoying the sights, like the river Liffey that runs through the heart of Dublin.  Interesting fact about the river: approximately 60% of the flow is abstracted for drinking water.  

Of course when you come across a soccer store in Ireland, you HAVE to stop and look around....although the cup of coffee from Starbucks is optional.   

It didn't take us long to find the infamous area known as Temple Bar.  Better known as "Dublin's cultural quarter", the area is filled with narrow cobbled stone streets and reflects a medieval theme.  During the day you can easily walk through the streets and enjoy window shopping the many boutique shops.  If you stay for the evening however, you will find the area transforms from a sleepy neighborhood to a lively attraction for those looking for some fun. 

Some pictures of the Temple Bar area

The well-known Temple Bar

The next stop for our self-guided walking tour was the Dublin Castle.  This castle dates back to 1230 where King John of England ordered a fortification with strong walls and deep ditches be constructed to protect the city from invasions while also providing security for the King's treasure.

In the background you see the Record Tower, the only original tower that remains from the castle.

Of course if you visit Dublin, you should venture out to the world-famous St. James Gate Brewery where they brew Guinness beer.  The brewery was founded in 1759 and became the largest brewery in Ireland in 1838 and later, the largest in the world in 1914.  Today the brewery is the world's largest brewer for stout beer.

The self-guided tour is informative, although you miss out on seeing the true behind the scenes action. After all, I doubt this wonderful looking waterfall is actually used in the production of their beer........

I couldn't agree more. 

The tour involves walking around seven floors where the entire structure is shaped in the form of a pint of Guinness.  The tour covers everything from the basic ingredients to the different advertising themes used over the years.  The tour concludes by visiting the Gravity Bar located on the top floor and offers some great panoramic views of Dublin.

After our visit we set out to explore more of Dublin before we prepared to bring in the new year.  All throughout Dublin you will find some great structures such as this church.......

NYE Dublin = New Year's Eve Dublin....oh yeah! 

The Clarence Hotel owned by U2's Bono located just outside of the Temple Bar area.  Nope....we didn't stay there.  The rooms are just slightly on the expensive side.  

Crossing back over the river Liffey as the evening sets in.

Just have to love the festive decorations during the Holidays.

Next stop......Belfast!

England

Over the Thanksgiving break we headed up north to England....Derby, England to be exact.  The purpose of the trip was to attend a 3-day conference.  The thought of spending some quality time in the suburbs of England was exciting.  That is until we arrived.  Derby, for all it's charm, is much like a typical US city.  Huge shopping mall in the middle of town, plenty of traffic, and some great places to see and visit........but not worthy for taking pictures.  I think everyone is familiar with shopping malls, regardless of location.  Not to say we had a bad time in Derby...quite the opposite.  We enjoyed a fantastic meal each night and really enjoyed walking around the city exploring.  There was a great visit out to the world headquarters for Denby, the pottery and dinning set maker (yes, that is the official dinning set in the Shull house).  

The good stuff, and picture-worthy, occurred on our ride back to the airport.  We heard of taking the train stop in Edale and exploring this little village that is nestled in the heart of England's Peak District National Park.  

Immediately after we departed the train we headed out to the only local inn and restaurant in the village (that we could see): the Rambler Inn.  What a cool spot!  The views from the inn:

During our short visit we took a quick trip around the village to see some of the local sights.  Love these hand-built rock walls that were all over the fields and sides of the road.

Unfortunately we had only but about an hour to spare, so we quickly finished our meal and boarded the train back to the airport.  During our short time in Edale we discovered that this place is prime for spending a weekend walking in the fields between villages.  How cool is that?!?  You start off in one village with a general sense of direction, walk through the fields and forests, find another village, get something to eat, and continue on until you are tired and then you simply stay over that night.  Safe to say that there are plans brewing right now for our return to the magic village of Edale this coming spring....

University of Montana vs Montana State viewing party

One of the most anticipated college football games of  the year for us is the in-state rivalry between the Montana Grizzlies and the Montana State Bobcats.  This year marked the 111th meeting that has been referred to as "The Brawl of the Wild".  Each year the game is broadcast all over the country and world for that matter, via satellite and internet.  There are several "viewing parties" held throughout the states where hundreds of Griz and Bobcat fans gather to watch the game.  It is ALWAYS a great time.  When we moved to Germany in the winter of 2010 we thought our days of attending these viewing parties would be on hold until we returned to the states.  That was until we met the coordinator at a nearby base here in Germany.  We couldn't pass up an opportunity to watch the game with fellow Griz fans!  So after a phone call to the alumni office at Montana requesting a "box of goodies" to help decorate the home where we planed to view the game, we made our way down south for the big game.

Going into the game, Montana State was ranked #1 in the nation in the FCS (Football Championship Series) with only one loss.  The Montana Grizzlies, on the other hand, were ranked #7 with 2 losses during the regular season.  The game would determine the Big Sky Champion while also the winner would receive at automatic playoff spot.  Needless to say it was a big game.

Decorations are critical for such events.

The host of the party used the event to "upgrade" his television to a beautiful 60-inch. 

No shortage of food for this game......

Equal opportunity cupcakes.

Opening ceremony.

Watching the big game.

It is true that Grizzly and Bobcat fans can get along......

There was an agreement made prior to the game: the losing team would have to eat the cupcake from the other school.  The Griz won, so........

All the party-going fans. 

It was an incredibly great time watching the game with fellow Griz alum/fans.....perhaps because the Griz won the game 36-10.  And now onto the playoffs.  Along with the automatic birth to the playoffs, the Grizzlies received a 1st round bye.  So the first playoff game with be this coming Saturday, December 3rd when they take on Central Arkansas in Missoula, MT.  Yeah....you know we'll be glued to our laptop watching the game.  It would be even better if I could somehow get some more cupcakes made for the event....those things were mighty tasty.