As I've stated in previous posts, the hike through Giant's Causeway is quite stunning. The end of the hike led to a suspension bridge, but due to the strong winds it was closed. We didn't learn of this till we go to the end, but there was a silver lining. As we approached the bridge area, the clouds parted just a bit and a rainbow slipped through. I kid you not, I couldn't write this stuff. It was such a great moment at the end of a long trek, and one that I won't soon forget.
The walk to Giant's Causeway was absolutely breathtaking despite the weather not cooperating. The weather wasn't the best and it was one of the coldest days during our trip. Some people would describe it as miserable, cold and rainy, but it added to the grandeur of the scenery. Surprisingly, you can trek all over the basalt columns. There were some guards looking about, but people could climb as high as they wanted. Since we weren't really wearing hiking shoes, we decided to stay in the safer and less slippery areas. Didn't want to trip and fall into the tumultuous ocean.
Despite the weather being terrible and the holiday season, there were still a lot of tourists. I didn't love the amount of people, but Game of Thrones is filmed in the Belfast, so there were a lot of tours geared towards lovers of the series. I love the show as well, but we went for a tour specifically focusing on the Causeway, which I think is the smart way to go. So if you ever make it there, skip the Game of Thrones tours and focus on the good stuff!
Let’s go back to 2006. Markus and I have been married for about a year and we’re about to have our second wedding. With this set of nuptials, we had an opportunity to travel abroad for a second honeymoon. Both Markus and I knew that we wanted to go to Europe, specifically the U.K. The first place that jumped to both our minds was the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland. Back then, we were poor twenty-somethings with really low paying jobs and barely any vacation days. With these restrictions, we both decided to go to London for six days. Hoping that one day we would make a month long trip to Ireland, Northern Ireland and the Giant’s Causeway.
So that brings us to Christmas 2016 or we lovingly called it Happy Britmas 2016. Markus and I decided to spend Christmas and New Year’s with our friends, James and Ari in the U.K. Since Markus and I spent time in the U.K. two times before, we wanted to do something a little different and head somewhere none of us had been and that ended up being Belfast. Thankfully, Ari was able to find a day tour that took us north to a few other touristy spots. The real draw for Markus and I was Giant’s Causeway, since we didn’t get a chance to go in 2006. It only took us ten years, but we finally made it! I took so many photos, so this is just part one. As always, there will be much more!
Back when Markus and I visited Edinburgh in 2012, we passed by the New College, but had no idea how beautiful it was on the inside. Our dear friend Ryan, who we know from Fort Lauderdale, ended up continuing his education at New College. On our whirlwind first day in Edinburgh with them, we stopped by to check it out. Ryan said that it was one of the most photographed places in the city. I didn't believe him, but decided we needed to check it out. When we arrived, no one was there and it was perfect. After about fifteen minutes and a few photos later, people were trickling in. I was quite surprised because I didn't think it was that popular. I was definitely happy to be proven wrong.
When Markus and I visited Edinburgh 2012, we loved it so much and we knew that we would be back. Our dear friends James and Ari, moved from Birmingham to Edinburgh and that was the perfect reason to see them. Two of our other dear friends, Ryan and Lo, also lived in Edinburgh, so it was a wonderful two for one. We spent a few days with Ry and Lo in New Town and visited all their favorite places.
Our first day, Markus and I wanted to relax a bit, so we didn't really have anything planned. Ryan was our tour guide for the day. Together, we decided to walk around and stop anywhere that looked interesting. We spent a majority of the morning in New Town and Old Town. We stopped for eats at some delicious places and shopped in a few second hand shops. There were some things that I remembered about the city but there were so many new things to see. Since we had a lot more time, we really had a chance to soak it in and do whatever we wanted. Thank goodness we had a great tour guide showing us all the great spots!
