Luck of the Irish, Part Two

After a wonderful evening in Belfast, we woke up to sunshine! Such a treat in the overcast lands of Ireland. We were very excited about the day ahead, and it proved to be my favorite day that we spent in Ireland.

Nial Foster

When Brigitta and I were in undergraduate school at UT, we met an Irish foreign exchange student named Nial Foster. He is an incredibly kind and smart guy, and we really enjoyed getting to know him while he was studying in Knoxville. He is now working as a sports journalist for the BBC in Belfast. I am so incredibly proud of him and his many accomplishments!

Nial picked Brigid, Brigitta and me up in Belfast and drove us in his adorable Mini Coupe to the Northern Irish Coast for a day full of viewing some of the most beautiful sights God has ever created.

Northern Irish Coast

Nial and I ordered Fish & Chips

Once arriving to the coast and being awed into silence by the gorgeous blue sea contrasting against the dense green rolling hills, we settled into a cozy restaurant for lunch. The restaurant was on the water and was full of tourists and fishermen. Even though I'm a vegetarian, I had to try an traditional Irish meal -- Fish and Chips! It was so delicious. They served the two large pieces of golden-fried fish with chips (or French fries) and mushy peas. Nial and Brigid insisted I sprinkle my entree with vinegar and lemon juice rather than dipping it in ketchup. While I liked the lemon juice on the fish, I will definitely never put vinegar on my chips again!

Natural Bridges

Dunluce Castle

After lunch, Nial took us to Dunluce Castle, which is now in ruins. This castle sat on top of a hill overlooking the gorgeous sea and surrounded by naturally-formed bridges. It was easy to understand why someone would want to build their castle at this location!

We walked through the ruins, along with other tourists, and discovered what used to be hidden windows for watching for attacks and ovens in the former kitchen area. It was massive. Even though it is no longer a solid structure, there is still enough of the infrastructure that you can easily imagine what the castle would have looked like in its days of glory.

Nial definitely saved the best for last! After visiting the castle, he took us to The Giant's Causeway, which is one of the seven natural wonders of the world. I can not even begin to describe the beauty of this place.

Giant's Causeway

Top of Basalt Columns

The Giant's Causeway is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns resulting from an ancient volcanic eruption. The tops of the columns form stepping stones that lead from the cliff foot and disappear under the sea. Most of the columns are hexagonal, although there are also some with four, five, seven and eight sides. The tallest are about 12 meters (36 ft) high.

We spent about an hour climbing the basalt columns and taking in the amazing scenery around us. It really was one of those moments I hope never to forget. As we sat there on these perfectly-shaped stones, I tried to memorize
everything around me -- the cool Irish breeze, the sound of the water hitting the shore, the feel of the smooth stones beneath me.

It was such an incredible experience. One that I am so grateful to have shared with such special people. 

Brigid, Brigitta and Me

Tomorrow, I'll conclude my trip in Ireland with a visit to Dublin!