2nd Day in Ireland: The Northern Irish Shore

The following photos actually come before the last post.  I got my order mixed up.  This is what we saw on our way up to the Giant's Causeway.

 We learned these were Belted Galloways or so the man walking behind us informed us.  He was from New Zealand and was traveling across Europe by working varous jobs.  One of them was as a dairy hand.

We finally checked into our hostel, crashed for several hours, then arose to eat some fish and chips at a shop down the street.  We then returned to our hostel and to bed to arise early and get on a bus to Northern Ireland.

 Coast of Northern Ireland

I can see why the Irish have a  rich history of  myth and folklore.  Truly Ireland is a fairy land.

 

My husband, Josh, took most of these photos since I left my camera at home.  He likes birds, so they get their fair share of shots in these photos.

Josh with the scenery.

We had to cross a rope bridge to get to this breathtaking place.

 

This is only the first couple of days.  We haven't even started the main part of our trip which was biking down the Rhine River in Germany.

Hopefully the rest of my photo tour will be in order.

St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin Ireland

St. Patrick's Cathedral

It felt like the second day but it was only still morning.  Morning can be very long when it starts at midnight your time.

After Trinity College we toured the Dublin Museum of art.  Got to see some Vermeers (yay!).  I hope to see all 34 paintings attributed to Vermeer before I die so now I'm a little closer.

After that we walked to St. Patrick's Cathedral.  On the way there we stopped at a store where I bought a hoodie (it's cold in Ireland in July!) and then walked over to a Thai restaurant run by a friendly Irishman who knew the double art of engaging his patrons with delightful conversation while serving them scrumptious Thai food.  Very, very, nice experience.

From there we walked several blocks to St. Patrick's Cathedral.  I must admit that after seeing the Italian duomos, Notre Dame in Paris and Gaudi's Art Deco Cathedral in Barcelona last summer, St. Patrick's isn't the most impressive church in the world.  But it was nice as far as big stone structures go and I was glad to see the grave of Johnathon Swift.

And I do love Celtic Art.  I think it would be an awesome experience to go to church in a Cathedral each week.  Those were the days when every minute detail of design was calculated to bring the worshiper closer to a sense of the presence of God and to instill a respect for their  worship environment.

So much intricate detail surrounded by so much space.  It gives one a sense of intimacy and spaciousness at the same time.

Johnathon Swift's grave.  Yes, he's buried in the wall.  And he wrote his own epitaph in Latin.  Here it is below in English

Jonathan Swift

1667-1745

'Here is laid the body of
Jonathan Swift, Doctor of Divinity,
Dean of this cathedral Church,
Where fierce indignation can no longer
Rend his heart.
Go, traveller, and imitate if you can
This earnest and dedicated
Champion of Liberty'

2nd Day in Ireland: The Giant's Causeway

This is a continuation of a photo diary of Josh's and my honeymoon last summer.

The Giant's Causeway is a mysterious collection of probably millions of narrow, cylindrical stone structures that span across the Irish Sea between Ireland and Scotland.  

The causeway was created when the Irish giant, Finn McCool, threw the rocks into the sea to create a bridge to Scotland because he wanted to fight a Scottish giant, Benandonner.

Giant's Causeway

Geologists, however, who are an unimaginative lot, insist that the basalt structures are from the remains of volcano.  

Personally I'm sticking to the Finn McCool story.  I don't see how the rocks could look so man (or giant) made but be naturally constructed.

The Pipe Organ

The Boot of Finn McCool's Grandmother who rescued him from drowning.  (His father threw Finn into the moat for being "too puny" for a giant.)

These cylindrical rocks continue into the water and reach all the way to the shore of Scotland.

Duncastle, near the Giant's Causeway.  Duncastle is thought to be the inspiration for C.S. Lewis' Cair Paravel in his Narnia Chronicles

This is only part of the second day.  Next post will be about our time in Belfast.