This was in front of a book store, and I just loved the text. Being positive and seeing the good things is a choice, so is negativity and non stop complaining. Unfortunately way too many finns choose the latter, one of the reasons I have no desires in moving back.
Mandatory flower picture
I took a tour from Paddywagon (they are the best) to Giant's Causeway, with several other stops too, and the price was 35 € which I think is reasonable for all day tour. We drove along the coast, which is absolutely beautiful! First stop was Dark Hedges, an avenue of beech trees planted by the Stuart family in the 18th century. You can find other similar ones in the north, but this one is known from Game of Thrones and that is why it is very touristy nowadays.
The next stop was Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge. The weather that day was gorgeous and the visibility was good, you could see Scotland! The tour included the ticket to cross the bridge. It is a bit of a walk to the bridge so wear comfortable shoes :). Luckily I didn't have to wait that long to cross the bridge, sometimes the waiting can be even close to an hour, but I waited just some minutes. I waited more to get back, but even that was just about 10 mins. The scenery is amazing, even if you don't cross the bridge you should go there. If you are afraid of heights, crossing might not be a good idea... the bridge is only about 20 m, and it is 30 m above the rocks below. It was built by salmon fishermen, but it is not used for fishing anymore because not that many salmon left.
The rope bridge is down from here, people are waiting to cross over, and on the other side to cross back.
And finally the main destination, Giant's Causeway! According to Irish legend, a giant named Finn MacCool was challenged to a fight by a Scottish giant Benandonner. Finn accepted and built the causeway so they could meet. Finn went Scotland, saw Benandonner sleeping on the beach, just taking a little nap, snoring a little bit. Finn saw that Benandonner was HUGE and got scared and ran back home to his wife and a little baby boy. Benandonner woke up, went to challenge Finn, who was hiding and dressed as the baby. Finn's wife let Benandonner in, they had some tea and cookies she got from SuperValu (I think our driver might have made up some of this stuff). Then Benandonner saw the "baby", and got scared... If the baby is that big, not to mention freaking ugly, the dad must be three times his size, and ran back to Scotland. The reality is volcanic activity but the legend is so much funnier.
On our way back to Belfast we stopped for a few minutes to take pics of Dunluce Castle, originally built in 13th century. Part of the Dunluce Castle fell into the sea in the 1600's, and some servants died in the tragedy. Since that time, it is believed to be haunted by those servants.
I took a bus to Sligo, which is close to the border in the republic. The weather was not the ideal... This part of Ireland is just gorgeous with lots of green mountains around. I took some pics from the bus.
Sligo is coastal seaport in north-west Ireland with a population about 20 000. It is naturally also situated also on Wild Atlantic Way, which brings many tourists there too. I stayed also there in b&b in a lovely area :). They had breakfast for all the guests in the same table (great idea!), and in the morning I had a nice chat with a French couple.
Yeats building, also the home of Yeats Society. William Butler Yeats was a poet and Nobel laureate who spent his childhood holidays in county Sligo.
Sligo Abbey, officially Dominican Friary of Sligo, built originally 1253 but has been destroyed many times by fire and wars, restored in the 1850s.
And then my new plans :). Since I have been in Ireland for a year (woohoo, I did it!), I have been very restless for months already. I sent some application, and after a few turns and some pondering, I accepted a job offer from Dell as order management specialist in Bratislava. My last day at work here will be the 6th of September, and I am flying to Bratislava on the 9th, and will start in my new job the 16th. Now I am looking for place to live there, and hopefully find something in time. I love that part of Europe, it is easy to travel from there, river Danube flowing through the city and lots of mountains and beautiful nature nearby.
I will still post from here, I will write about every day life in Limerick, and look back for my year here. I have also been thinking about white privilege from travellings point of view, hopefully will get my ideas and thoughts in written form as well.