The Northern Isles Day 14
The Northern Isles
Day 14 - Wednesday, July 23, 2003 - ms Rotterdam - At Sea & Belfast, N. Ireland
We woke up (6:15) just as the ship entered Belfast Harbor. It is the biggest port since we left Boston. We returned from breakfast to grab our backpacks and go to the Queen’s Lounge to join our tour to the Giant’s Causeway & Antrim Coast.
We waited only a few moments and we were the second group called to leave the ship and go down to the gangway. We were escorted to our bus (motor coach) and were greeted by Brin (the tour guide) and Trevor (the driver).
The moment the door closed and the bus left the dock, Brin began to tell us the history, politics, culture, and stories of Belfast and then Northern Ireland. We found that the main employer is the government, then farming and then shipping. They still grow many potatoes and most meals will have 3 different kinds of potatoes.
Brin also mentioned this is the height of their flower season and contests are held this month between cities to determine which city is the most colorful. As we pass through little towns we see window sills, light posts, and sidewalks decorated with flower pots.
Very few of the typical little Irish huts are left as they were not built well by the poor who lived within. When they got more money they knocked them down and built better homes.
Many also burned down as they had thatched roofs and during periods where the weather was dry a spark from their chimneys would burn. As we drove through the coastal highway there was some construction. Is there any place in the world where there is no road construction?
We went through the little port city of Lorne and saw the remnants of the linen and clothing industry. All of these contracts have now gone to the Far East. As we pass through we can see the Irish Sea to our right through the mist/rain.
Our guide told us that they have had a sunny and dry summer up to now. We went through tiny glens with very isolated villages with little access except to the sea.
They had “ladder farms”, long and thin, with 200 acres that began at the sea and then went up the fields and the mountains. They were completely self sufficient and it was easier for them to travel to Scotland than other areas of Ireland.
The Antrim Coast, an area of outstanding natural beauty, has a well-deserved reputation for being one of the loveliest and most spectacular regions in Europe. We enjoyed stretches of scenic maritime delight as the road clings to the shoreline, passing through exquisite fishing villages and small coastal resorts.
The government is trying to change the image of Northern Ireland and promote more tourism. There are more B & B and many more hotels. As we passed fields upon fields we saw many sheep. The wool from these are used exclusively for carpets. These are very fine, with specialty designs and monograms of hotels, golf clubs and businesses.
We stopped at the Ballycastle Hotel, contracted by Holland America, for coffee, tea and scones. When we arrived there were 4 other buses there so Gennie and I walked around this small community and took some pictures as we had 45 minutes. We then returned to the hotel and went in to the dining room and had a cup of tea and a scone. It was quite good.
We continued up the coast and stopped at an overlook upon an island used by fishermen that is connected to the mainland by a rope bridge. It was very picturesque. As the drizzle came back in, we continued with our trip. Brin continued to talk to us, telling Irish legends along the way.
We arrived at the lunar landscape of the Giant’s Causeway, a World Heritage Site. The sheer strangeness of this place and the bizarre regularity of its basalt columns packed tightly together have made the Giant’s Causeway the subject of numerous legends.
The tops of the columns form stepping stones that lead from the cliff foot and disappear under the sea. Altogether there are 40,000 of these stone columns, mostly hexagonal and the tallest are about 40 feet high. The solidified lava in the cliffs is 90 feet thick in places.
Legend has it that Finn McCool—a love-lorn Irish giant—built the causeway to reach his ladylove, a Scottish giantess. Whatever explanation is preferred, nothing can destroy the magic and strangeness of the Causeway. When we arrived at the Giant’s Causeway, our tour coach parked at the cliff top. The columns are situated at sea level, approximately 3/4 of a mile away.
We walked along the paved pathway, which was steep in parts, leading down to the bottom of the cliffs instead of taking the shuttle-bus. We had an 1.5 hours to explore the cause way. We took the extended nature walk back up above the rocks and up the cliff side and steep stairs.
Further along the Antrim coast, we also stopped to overlook Dunluce Castle—a romantic ruin clinging to a crag almost surrounded by water. We stayed there about 15 minutes and just after we got back on the bus, it began to rain in sheets.
Brin talked to us personally about the functions of the castle and the hazzards of the Irish people in defending their homes and property from the Vikings and other invaders.
At 1:30 we had lunch at the Royal Court Hotel, a very famous hotel and golf course in Portrush. We had a typical local meal of salad, roast beef, carrots, cooked cabbage and mashed and roasted potatoes. We were given a beverage (beer, wine or soft drink). We had a graham cracker pie.
At 3 PM we left the hotel and took the direct route back to Belfast on an inland major highway. We were still able to see prosperous farms, well kept homes with lots of flowers, and rolling pastures with sheep.
Because we made such great time, our driver Trevor, suggested that we could have the rest of the time for a brief city tour. As he drove the huge bus through the narrow streets of downtown Belfast, Brin gave us a continuing travelog of the city.
We got back to the ship at 4:30, just at the ship’s deadline, and there was a long queue to get back on the ship. When we are ready to board, we have to show our ship ID card and have it scanned as well as a government issued photo ID with our picture. We and our bags are processed through a metal detector and then we have free reign of the ship.
Brin was a real promoter for Northern Ireland. She was very knowledgeable and articulate about her country. She may be the best tour guide we have ever had. She spoke to us throughout the whole trip - over 7 hours.
We were also impressed with the level of prosperity we saw here. Traveling through much of Northern Ireland, we saw well kept homes that showed much pride. In the cities people are dressed well and we did not see any significant poverty.
With the amount of food we ate today, Gennie and I will grab a salad at the Lido and forsake the La Fontaine dining room. We will also try to go to bed before 11 PM as we have done since the cruise started. We have another long day tomorrow in Cobh. Ireland.
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