This past week has been one of the best and busiest weeks in my time here. On Friday, I was given the day off from work to celebrate the 4th of July which was very exciting because I have not yet had a day off! I went downtown to grab coffee and lunch, then ended up walking all the way to the beach and eventually back to UCD. That night we celebrated the 4th, of course representing the USA in our red, white, and blue attire.
Saturday we had an early morning to depart for Belfast. Our first stop was the Titanic museum which was super engaging and interesting to learn about all aspects of the ship and the tragedy that occurred. We then had a taxi tour during which we learned a lot about the political division in Northern Ireland which is something I previously knew nothing about. After a little downtime at the hotel, my roommates and I had a delicious dinner, then explored downtown Belfast and had a super fun night! On Sunday we began the day at the Carrick-a-rede Rope Bridge. The cliffs and water were absolutely stunning, and we enjoyed exploring the surrounding area. We then went to the Giant’s Causeway which was so unique and beautiful. Our tour guide told us lots of history about the formation of the terrain and the site’s significance. We chose to hike home along the top of the cliff which had incredible views! We enjoyed a delicious lunch at The Ponderosa which is the highest restaurant in Ireland, and finally, went to the Glenshane Country Farm which was probably my favorite activity of the weekend. The sheepdogs were incredibly well trained and I loved learning about life on the farm, including that of the shepherd! The highlight for me was holding the baby sheep which were so little and sweet. We finished off the day at an authentic Irish pub which had a great atmosphere and fun music! Sunday we spent the day exploring Derry with a walking tour and visiting the Museum of Free Derry to learn more about the city’s history.
I truly had an amazing time exploring Northern Ireland this weekend! While I’m officially exhausted, I learned so much history and made great memories. It’s hard to believe we are over halfway through our trip! I am excited for my adventures this upcoming week and can’t wait for all that is ahead.
I really enjoyed reading your blog post Campbell and it was so fun to spend the weekend with you in Northern Ireland! That was really thoughtful of your boss to give you the day off for the 4th of July and I think that shows the appreciation and respect they have for you and American culture even while we are abroad. Sounds like you filled your day off with lots of fun adventures!