Had a disturbed nights sleep and managed to get about 3 hours shut eye in total. New place, disoriented and new noises. Also that fear of missing the alarm clock set for 5.30am. But todays’ adventure made me forget any fatigue. What a day.

Left the apartment at 6.15 to walk the 1.6km to the tour start point. On the Finn McCool (as in the Causeway Giant) tourbus. First stop was Belfast for only 30 minutes- but no worry as I am coming back on Tuesday. The city already has me hooked. It is spotless and ordered, unlike Dublin which I find quite grimy and chaotic. Will wait for Belfast pic and details with my Tuesday trip. Just had a quick walk around the beautiful  City Hall

I have to have a short rant about our bus driver/guide. I have named him Worsie McKintyre…he thinks he is as funny as Michael McKintyre- but he is worse than Worsie from Vetkoek Paleis. OMFG- have you ever heard a South African Afrikaner with a fake Irish accent? Well, that is Worsie for you. He introduced himself as William – but he did confirm to me that he is Willem. His jokes are inane and lose any semblance of Irish humour with that dull flat fake accent. For example, the Irish swear continuosly – but it sounds good! Fekkin in place of (you say it Mom!)…and when they say bloody and it sounds like bluedy. But when Worsie says ‘bladdy’ – like a good ol’S’Efrikan. It just doesn’t  work. AND HIS JOKES ARE NOT FUNNY!!!!

Okay-…..rant over!

From there we headed north on the Army Coastal Road, so called because it was built by the government to allow the army easy access into Belfast during the Troubles. Our first whistle stop was a Game of Thrones shoot site at the Cushenden Cave where Melisandre gave birth to the monster ‘Shadow Baby’. This North Eastern part of the country is exquisite.

Our next stop was Carrick-a Rede, a point where the land wanders into the sea, just near Rathlin Island. Here a famouse suspend bridge lies. Gail- you may recall my earlier trepidation about this one. I confess I chickened out, mainly because of my heights aversion, reinforced by the wind and drizzle. So I took a long distance pic and opted to go on the agame of Thrones shoot scenes excursion. The first being ine that looked across the bay at Carrick-a-Rede.

From there it was on to Ballintyre Harbour, another GoT shoot site, where Theon came ashore for his homecoming. You can almost imagine the scenes happening. Thank heavens I have watched till halfway through season 4. There are some fanatics on the tour, they can actually describe the scenes, the actors and are fiercely debating the series. I can’t say that I pay that much attention to the scenes. Show me the Rome series and I know my stuff. But I am curious enough to perhaps go back to some episodes and definitely pay close attention in the future. The one setting I did recognise was the Dark Hedge or Kingsroad- now in bloom as opposed to the series. But I understand that it has been a major tourist attraction from long before Game of Thrones- it’s three hundred years old! So perhaps some of you have seen it already.

Our next stop was The Bushmills Whiskey distillery. What’s that I hear????? Strawberries to donkeys???? So how are impressed are you all that this donkey had two shots of whiskey? Tiny tots granted, but I tasted the world famous triple  distilled whiskey and have the pictures to prove it. First one was the Bushmills Original and the second was the Bushmill’s Honey Whiskey. It was smooth, I must say and burned all the way down.

After that was the whole reason for the tour today and another tick off my bucket list. Giants Causeway and it was fantastic. Not withstanding the grim weather, I loved every minute. A steep 15 minute walk to get down to the shoreline. This scenery has to be seen to be understood and awed. No way it can be man made and the geometry defies understanding. Therefore I will go with the legend that it was a causeway created  by the Irish giant called Finn MacCool who was challenged to a fight by the Scottish giant Benandonner. Finn accepted the challenge and built the causeway across the North Channel so that the two giants could meet.  There are two versions of the legend. In one story, Finn defeats Benandonner.

In another, Finn hides from Benandonner when he realises that he is much bigger than Finn.  Finn’s wife, Oonagh, disguises Finn as a baby and tucks him in a cradle. When Benandonner sees the size of the ‘baby’, he assumes  that  Finn, must be a giant among giants. So he retreats back to Scotland in fear, destroying the causeway behind him so that Finn could not follow.

The columns are actually made from basalt (ancient laba flow) and apparently there are identical columns at Fingal’s Cave on the Scottish isle of Staffa.

Walking accross the different columns feels like a giant puzzle- which column to climb onto next? If this is not on your to do list, I would recommend that you consider adding it.

We then hit the highway and got back into Dublin at 8pm. I must say that I am exhausted now. I got a chinese takeaway for dinner, quick and easy and I could eat at home. Not terribly delicious and not in a square box!!! Anyhoo….another load of washing done, quick shower and off to bed.

Considering I was on a bus for the main part of the day I still managed 15 255 steps! At pace!

ONE MORE SLEEP….tomorrow I will sleep in until a decent time and just chill and walk around. Have to leave for the stadium by 5pm ish. The show starts at 7pm and They have announced there is no opening act. I will probably walk to the stadium.

At Cushendun Cave

At Cushendun Cace

Shoreline on North coast

Ballintoy Harbour where Theon landed

Ballintoy Harbour

Here is my Bushmill’s Original

About to sip

Going down the hatch

Job done…

Yech….

At Giants Causeway

Awesome memory

Top of the rock at Giants Causeway

In case you didn’t know

Ode to self at Giants Causeway

Darke Hedge or Kings Road

Me at the Dark Hedge

Panorama at Giants Causeway