This morning we left Belfast, but before we left we went for a drive up Shankill Road to get some photos of the murals (we were unable to on the tour yesterday). Being early on an Easter Sunday morning it was very quiet, quite a different story to yesterday when we came though here. We were also able to observe the surrounding housing areas a little easier. Long row housing, many of which were empty, bordered up, and ransacked. Other streets alongside had houses of a similar style but were very well looked after, freshly painted, with flowerpots outside. All in all it looks like quite a poor area and certainly not one we would like to hang around in.
Our destination today was Derry or as it is sometimes called ‘Stroke city’. This is due to the signage in some places that makes an effort to appease both factions of the city by calling it ‘Londonderry/Derry’. Getting to Derry was via a couple of detours. We took the coastal route north from Belfast stopping first at Carrick-A-Rede. This is a fine piece of coastline which for over 350 years has at this spot sported a rope bridge suspended between the mainland a small rock island. The purpose for the bridge for those 350 years was for the salmon fisherman who wanted to claim the best spots to nab the salmon on the sea route to the Atlantic. These days however it is purely a tourist attraction. The bridge is strung 30 metres above the water and is about 20 metres long. Being a major Tourist attraction, after the 1km walk from the carpark to the bridge, there was a 25 minute queue to cross and the same to come back. The weather today wasn’t the best with a light drizzle when we first arrived, which soon cleared to remain grey and overcast. It was an interesting diversion to our trip, however the bridge didn’t live up to the ‘thrill seeking adventure’ that was promised. Although the surrounding area made it worthwhile with high white cliffs and a dramatically rugged coastline.
Our next stop was at the Giants Causeway. After parking the car and a 20 minute walk we arrived at the causeway. When you see them you can understand why it gave the people of old some consternation. It doesn’t seem that these rocks could possibly be a natural creation. A huge of area of rocks made up of thousands of hexagonally shaped columns descending out into the sea. The story goes that the Irish Giant, Finn McCool, built the causeway so that he could cross into Scotland to fight the Scottish giant Benandonner. It was very cool, only spoiled by the hundreds of tourists there crawling all over it so that it looked like an ants nest. However we can’t complain, we were one of them
From here it was a quick trip to the Bushmills Whiskey Distillery. We didn’t go on the tour, although we did buy a bottle of their finest, or at least the finest that we could afford.
DERRY : Legal name - Londonderry : Nick Name - Maiden City (As her walls were never breached during the Siege of Derry, 17th Century) : Also Called - Stroke City (Derry/Londonderry) : County Derry : Northern Ireland : Population 84,000
One of the main 19th century emigration ports to USA. Site of the infamous ‘Bloody Sunday’ 30 January 1972. Supplies the president of the USA with 12 free shirts per year.
Then it was on to Derry. We arrived at our B&B to be greeted with a warm smile, a lovely room, with a big bed … Fantastic. After settling in we went for a walk into town for dinner (10 minute walk). We arrived at a restaurant/bar with an Irish band in full swing. On talking to one of the bar staff we asked him where he was from … Waggawagga. What are the chances. He lives here now with a Derry fiancé … but tonight he seemed determined to talk well into the night.
Walking back home we walked past Aggro Corner and were reminded that this city too has seen its fair share of ‘Troubles’. Tomorrow we will be having a look around before we leave.
No comments:
Post a Comment