Snow and more snow.........

Hello world.  I am up this morning and as I opened the door to let the dogs out, MORE SNOW!  The chihuahuas wouldn't go off the snow covered deck and deposited their morning "yellow frozen trinkets" in the snow piles.   We got about an inch (or a little less) of "flurries" and it keeps coming down.  I like snow normally and my co-worker thinks I am "obsessed with weather".  She is right but I believe it is official that I am old.  I hate driving in this stuff.  That has made me not want Winter.  WHAAAA?  I know.  This from the person that really likes a blizzard.  I used to love being snowed in for two or three days at a time.  But I think that was when I was in Spencer where driving to the grocery store was a walk away or two blocks.  If the store closed because of the weather, then I didn't need it.

This last blizzard here in Des Moines showed me that the metro is a different beast.  Snow removal doesn't happen very quickly here.  My little red car doesn't like it.  I need to purchase some sandbags for the trunk or better yet, a new bigger, heavier vehicle?

Yep!  I scooped that AGAIN!

So headed in to the city later to pick up Kiona and her friend and we are headed to see a movie.  So cross your fingers that I keep it between the snow piles (can't see any of the lines any more).  Popcorn, teens and a theater!  Yea Saturday.  Last one before school starts up again.

Lost and Almost Forgotten

Good morning.....what happened?

In the middle of my travelogue posts about my adventures in Ireland, I had a technology snafu and haven't been back.  So I will finish the travel posts, I have all the pictures organized and downloaded, I just got to get to it.  And now, Christmas is here.

Where the hell does the time go?  I look up from "hammering the giant's toe" *(Angela Shelton reference) and WAA LAW, 27th anniversary of marriage, Christmas is here and the only decorations I have up is a Santa door hanger, a Ceramic Christmas Tree from my Secret Santa at work, and I changed out the outside light bulbs to Green and Red (I think I am going to leave those all year long - brings a bit of mystery to my house).  Oh yeah - and my Willow Tree Nativity set (but that stays out all year).

The only thing I know is that I am getting older, time is fleeting, and big things (like a vacation to Ireland) zaps all my energy.  I can't keep up, so I am setting my expectations for myself lower and keep trudging forward.

So today's goal, get one post done by figuring out the technology issues.........when I wake up from my nap.

Day 5 - Rope Bridge, Causeway and Pubs - OH MY

After a late night last night it was difficult to wake up this morning.  But we headed down to another fabulous breakfast and we waited for our touring company to pick us up to board the bus to the western coast and the ocean.

After picking up our tour companions all over the city, we embarked on the journey.  It was apparent right away that we were going to be hurried along.  The sun comes up about 9:30 am and then sets well before 4:30 in the winter months.  So, the guide had it all timed out and really emphasized that we couldn't be late boarding the bus at many stops because we were "racing daylight".

Our first "stop" was Carrickfergus Castle.  We literally had five minutes to run to the castle and take a picture.  Alas, I was very sad, but knew that we had many more things to see.

We packed back up (with much kudos from our tour guide for being 'on time') and away we were off for our next stop.  While we were driving we came into this little village and the tour guide showed us the ruins of a former castle with a bridge to the original castle that stretched over the river - with it's natural "moat" if you will.

We we are winding through the countryside, I find myself getting car sick.  This never happens.  But this bus driver is used to these winding roads and is taking them very quickly and only slows down when he meets another tour bus or big truck.  I either have to go to sleep or look out the front window.  My morning breakfast was making a desperate plea to revisit us - but I resisted.

As we go along, we have the cliffs and hills of the land to the left and the ocean to the right.

While we are winding through the countryside, I find myself getting car sick.  This never happens.  But this bus driver is used to these winding roads and is taking them very quickly and only slows down when he meets another tour bus or big truck.  I either have to go to sleep or look out the front window.  My morning breakfast was making a desperate plea to revisit us - but I resisted.

In spite of my illness, it is absolutely beautiful and just like a post card.  The hillsides are dotted with sheep and the villages are tiny with stone buildings.  It was just like a travel documentary

In this picture we can see Scotland.  It was 12 miles away but looked close enough to swim, if the ocean wasn’t so cold we would have had instant hypothermia. 

Traveling through the countryside, we slowly passed by three caves.  These were just right along side the road and looks like many people have investigated them over the many years of their existence.

Our next stop was the rope bridge.  The history of this bridge is that the salmon fishermen would cross this rope – wasn’t a bridge in the beginning – with all their gear in order to get to the shore to harvest their nets.  Over the years, the nature preserve have reconstructed the bridge and many visitors flock to the bridge to cross it and see the ocean.  Again, a very cold day, but well worth freezing.

It was a bit of a walk to the actual bridge and it was a bit windy but well worth the time it took us to get there. 

As I am crossing the bridge, I stopped to take pictures and dropped my glove.  YIKES……it took all my strength and bravery to stoop down and pick up the glove.  I am not sure why I just didn’t leave my $1.50 glove on the netting between me and the gorge but that would have felt like littering, so I picked it up.

This is what we walked across

Looking back after walking over the bridge, you can see why they would need one.  It is impossible to scale down the cliff walls without a complete Army repelling set. 

Walking back toward the gift shop and tour bus, we could see even more amazing beauty – the green of the grass and the stone walls.

Our next stop was at Bushmill’s Distillery.  This was established in 1608 when they got their first license to distribute.  The place smelled like fermented barley and was very old.  We had no time for a tour (again trying to ‘race the daylight’) but we grabbed a quick lunch and did some shopping.

I think we ALL need "still" rooms - however not for drinking......just for being "still".

Next to last stop was another castle.  This one was quite bigger than the first one; however we could not get any closer than this to it.  Because we were still in that race with daylight, we had 3 minutes to take pictures from the roadway.  This castle was not occupied at all and many of hundreds of years ago, part of it fell into the ocean.

The grass even in the winter is so incredibly green, it is no wonder it is called the Emerald Isle.  And I learned something new when I was watching the weather.  In my geography challenged brain, I always though the Ireland was East of Great Britain and the UK.  I was wrong; Ireland is west of the UK.  Another thing I have learned on this educational trip.

The next and last stop was the Causeway.  This is a gigantic formation of rocks that were created from a volcanic eruption.  They created in these amazing hexagon shapes and were long vertical tubes of rock.

After taking the coach back to the hotel, the ride was better this time because we took the “motorway” instead of the curvy roads. 

We then ventured out to the pubs once again to find some live traditional Irish music.  But…..we waited, and waited, and waited for the musicians to begin.

]When there was no one setting up while we were waiting, we decided to go to a different place.  The boys were very upset with us……but we persisted and went to a different place and WaaaaLaaaa…….we found some music and some very friendly dance partners. 

I don't think it is important that any one see pictures of that.  So until tomorrow.

Day 4 - Titanic and Bus Tour of the City

Started the day out with a great breakfast at the hotel.  Again, Wade’s Irish Sausages  - although he explained that they are not native to Ireland, because England has them too – must just be a UK thing – but the breakfast was good and we began our adventure.

You realize how far north you are when it is 9:00 am and the sun is barely up.  We began walking to the Titanic Belfast.  The hotel desk clerk said that it is just a “piece over that way” – HAHA!  Not really, in Iowa terms it is about 3 miles.  

We began our walk and saw some amazing things along the way and while waiting for the museum to open.

Saw this building and thought - isn't that cool?

Then realized it was a Pub and definitely knew it was cool!  Wish it was open at 10:00 am!
Don't they realize I am on vacation?

Not superman Curtis?  Just faking it since he knew I was taking a picture -- Nice sport Joan!

Joan and I just had this discussion yesterday because I told her that the crowds when we were traveling were not because of Thanksgiving because they don't have Thanksgiving.  Then we saw this sculpture which is in celebration of their Thanksgiving.  So.....I was wrong.  I just thought it was a pilgrim thing, but I learned something new.  I am sure that is one of many things I will learn this week.

Overlooking the river leading to the sea

Our walking path was along the river (BRRR.....) and we saw many boats and shipping cranes.

H & W Shipping company's original building - the designers and builders of the Titanic

Any way, what is the Titanic Belfast?  Well the first question – Who knew the Titanic was built in Belfast?  I didn’t until today.  So the “Titanic Belfast” is a museum dedicated to all information about the ship from its conception until that fateful date with an iceberg. 

This place was amazing.  The building alone looks like a ship. 

You can imagine that we tried to recreate this live, but didn't want to get arrested.

 It was multi-level and was very interactive with video, audio, exhibits, etc.

At one point, you rode in a car and it was a simulated display of what it would have been like during the construction of the ship.  Very cool. 

Chandelier in the middle of the musuem

A recreation of a first class stateroom with a cool hologram of passenger and porter

The whole experience ended with a large screen (IMAXish) of the discovery of the wreckage and then a glass floor looking down into what looks like the sea floor where it lies.

After about 2 ½ hours there, we hopped aboard an open-air tour bus and began touring the city with a tour guide, etc.  I usually enjoy these particularly when you have a tour guide that interjects their local spin and she did.  Another aspect I didn’t think about when we jumped aboard was the fact that it is winter in Belfast right now.  I could have stayed down below where there was heat, however, the photographer in me decided to brave the wind chill and get some good pictures that didn’t look like they were through a dirty window.  And BOY did I!

I LOVE (and a bit obsessed with) church architecture.  And Belfast delivers.

One of our stops on the tour was at Parliament.  This is a very impressive building.  And you will notice the flag poles at the top that are empty.  Northern Ireland does not have a unified flag so until they come up with one, the flag poles stay empty.  A bit of symbolism there.

This stop was very historical and the space was beautiful.

One of the most moving parts for me was when we drove into the part of town that you can tell has had bomb blasts, houses blown up and is blocked off by a wall that separates the nationalist from the loyalist.  It hit me as we are driving by and I am snapping 100s of pictures that we are entering a post-war ravaged community.  People died behind those doors; children lost parents and mothers lost sons.  The wall that separates the two has been there longer than the Berlin wall stood.

Bombed out government building across the street from the prison that held dissidents

Boarded up windows and burns all over the building in contrast to the amazing architecture that was present

There are murals painted on walls all over this part of the city that commemorate those that have died and the sacrifices that others have made for their cause.  As well as the wall that divided the two parts of the city.  It was pretty humbling.  

First of the murals in tribute to those that have died.

The gates that close in the evening and on the weekends separating the two

This reminded me of pictures of the Berlin wall that separated East and West Germany.  The paintings went on and on and on............

The tour guide did a great job explaining that they have had an extended time of peace, however there are still wounds and lots of negotiation to do and the wall is still there along with gates and barbed wire. 
And you can tell because there is a Union Jack flying in the middle of a Catholic neighborhood - so old thoughts prevail, but I met many young people that say it isn't a problem any more and they are working hard to get along.

We are so incredibly lucky to live in the United States and we take it for granted.  By the Grace of God go I!

After the amazing bus tour, I was FROZEN SOLID…….couldn’t feel my fingers and we were hungry.  Stopped at a pub for some lunch and a LARGE IRISH COFFEE!  Now, I have had what was a knock off many times in the states, but THIS ONE!  YUMMO! 

After hanging out at the pub for a couple hours, Wade and Curtis ventured back to the hotel and Joanie and I headed for shopping.  Found a couple places, but of course most of my time was at a bookstore and made a purchase there. 

They are having a Christmas Carnival (glorified Farmer’s Market) on the City Hall Square.  Lots of food and wares that it was a bit overwhelming – however I think we may have found our space for food tomorrow night. 

Any way the City Hall inside is amazing and we were able to take a few pictures of their LIVE Christmas tree.

Now back to the hotel for a quick rest before we head out to another Pub and hopefully some live music.

We found some pub food and a couple beers at Fibber McGees.

Joan and Curtis making sure we know where we are

Creative clover in the Guinness foam

Guinness steak and Pie with Chips - one of our favorite meals

We then headed to the oldest pub in Northern Ireland The Crown Liquor Saloon.  The decor was amazing and they had real gas lamps inside and lit.

This was the door to our pub booth

Working gas lamp inside the pub.  It would take quite a lot to light them each night I would think

Couldn't figure out what this was for - the bartender explained that back in the day, you would strike your match across this plate to light it.  Saved the wood and tables

Outside our booth "protecting" us

All in all a GREAT day in Belfast.  On to tomorrow -- a long day touring the country side via bus.  Can't Wait!