This is the
last day of August and we are scheduled to visit Belfast.
We are
booked with Odyssey Tours organized by Jim of Cruise Critic. We were in line
and finally the line began to move. It was just then that I discovered I didn’t
have my cruise card where I normally keep it. You cannot leave the ship until
they have scanned your card so I had to leave my place in line and head back to
the stateroom. Fortunately the line up was on the same floor. Ken and I found
my card in my jacket pocket where I had left it the night before.
Soon we
were on the bus. Being late we had to sit at the back and we were packed in
tight to say the least. Our guide was really nice and he was very informed. He
was exactly what I would have imagined one of the little people might have looked like. His name was mike. There were times when we
had absolutely no idea what he was saying his accent was so strong.
Our first
stop was a photo stop to see the castle at Dunluce. It was a beautiful old
structure. Mike told us how during a big storm the back end containing the
kitchen broke away and fell into the sea. It is said you can sometimes hear the
doomed staff screaming.
Next we
headed for the Giant’s Causeway. This is considered one of the wonders of the world . These formations are
said to have been caused by the cooling of volcanic lave after an eruption.
Mike let us
know before we arrived that the visitors center charged 8 pounds fifty per
person to enter. He said basically they are charging that much just to use the
facilities. He showed us a gift shop, a pub and a hotel that we could use at no charge. He also showed
us a good path we could use to see the causeway. The walk was over a mile but
it was beautiful. The sun was shining and there was a cool breeze.
We saw the
Giants Causeway from the top and I bought some postcards that I will scan for
the photobook. I also got a fridge magnet.
We all piled
into the bus and headed for the community of Ballycastle. Here we stopped at
the Century Inn for lunch. The ambiance was wonderful and the food was great
and the prices were not shocking. Or perhaps we are getting accustomed to the
prices.
Before we
boarded the bus we saw a sign advertising a BOOT SALE. They were not selling
boots, they were selling items from the trunk of their car. It was like a
garage sale on wheels.
Our last
major stop was the newly opened Titanic museum. I am not usually a museum fan
but this one is amazing. It is done with visual displays that you stand in the
middle of. Videos are being played so the sounds and the effect of the life and
times come to life. They tell of the history before the ship was built, the effect
while it was being built and the trauma of its loss. There is even a ride where
you travel into the bowels of the ship to witness and hear the sounds of the
rivets being installed.
There are
displays of the different classes of staterooms and it goes on and on.
I loved it
but again there was not enough time. We could have spent the entire day here.
To close
out the day Mike took us on a quick trip through Belfast . We saw the walls and
the murals and the bullet holes. Such a sad time for all concerned. Hopefully
the peace will hold.
Then it was
time to return to the ship. Dinner waits for no man!!
Another
memorable day to be sure.
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