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Got up this morning at 7:30. Had breakfast, talked to a family from Spain.
Left around 9:00 am with the intention of going to Giant's Causeway and the cemetery on Boa Island.
Headed into town and my GPS decided to stop. I thought that the fuse in the car blew again. I plugged my charger in and it works but still cannot get the GPS to start. I am panicking and went and got a USB cord that fits the darn thing and plugged my USB charger in but still nothing. During all this I saw the sign to Belleek, Ireland which is the home to Belleek Pottery and China. I wanted to go there so since there were signs I decided to go there. 30 mins later I got there. I was pretty impressed on my way there on the narrow roads there were police officers stopping cars to advise to drive slower because there was more oil on the road due to rain. I also found I was traveling in miles not kilometers.
Got to Belleek and tried the GPS once more and it worked!!! Have no idea what it's problem was. Went in and bought a few Yule gifts.
Then headed to Giant's Causeway and at this point it said I would be there around 3:00. Figured ok! On my way on the windy narrow roads and rain. I happened to get to Boa Island! Found Caldragh Graveyard. Below is the wikapedia description.
The main feature of Boa Island is the Caldragh Cemetery near Pettigo. Little is known about this cemetery, but it's been dated to the early Irish Christian period (400-800AD). Tucked in an enclosure of trees, this cemetery contains little more than stone markers for those buried here.
What makes this graveyard remarkable are two hand carved anthropomorphic stone statues called the Boa Island Figure and the Lustymore Island Figure.
It definitely was old and pretty amazing. Just part of a farm at the end of a dirt road.
Finally got back on the road to Giant's Causeway. After lots of rain, roadwork detours I got there just before 4:00 and the gift shop closed at 4:00 so made it just in time. They don't close the park just the bus that drives you down and back up. I walked. Not sure how longboat was but I know I walked a couple miles and a lot of it was uphill. This trip has gotten me in better shape I did not have to stop as much.
See the description below of Giant's Causeway.
The Giant's Causeway (known as Clochán an Aifir or Clochán na bhFómharach in Irish[1] and tha Giant's Causey in Ulster-Scots)[2] is an area of about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns, the result of an ancient volcanic eruption. It is located in County Antrim on the northeast coast of Northern Ireland, about three miles (4.8 km) northeast of the town of Bushmills. It was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986, and a National Nature Reserve in 1987 by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland. In a 2005 poll of Radio Times readers, the Giant's Causeway was named as the fourth greatest natural wonder in the United Kingdom.[3] The tops of the columns form stepping stones that lead from the cliff foot and disappear under the sea. Most of the columns are hexagonal, although there are also some with four, five, seven and eight sides. The tallest are about 12 metres (39 ft) high, and the solidified lava in the cliffs is 28 metres thick in places.
The Giant's Causeway is today owned and managed by the National Trust and it is the most popular tourist attraction in Northern Ireland.
I climbed the stones to the top and then realized I was not so smart. It has been raining and I am wearing my boots which have no traction anymore! I had to come back down and it was scary! Took me a while to get down. With my luck of falling down hills I was terrified! I got down finally in one piece and vowed I was not climbing anymore stones! I did decide I has to take the path up to this really cool formation that reminds me of a giants face with long jagged teeth. Really reminded me of a landscape I would see in World of Warcraft. It was getting pretty dark but my pictures were turning out great thanks to my friend Michael at work who helped me understand ISO settings. Making then really high, like 800 made it look like it was nice and light but in fact it was getting dark. I wanted to make it too the foot but it was just getting too dark.
Took me a while to walk back. I was panting when I got to the car. Not only was the hill super steep, Gail force wings kept trying to blow me down. It was 5:30 pm and totally dark and GPS said I would get back to the B&B by 8:00. So driving back on super narrow country roads in sideways rain pretty harrowing! I was so glad to make it back at 8:30!
Tomorrow I head to my last B&B and I plan to visit Belfast. I have had a wonderful trip but I miss home and am looking forward to kissing and hugging my hubby and kids!
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