Trip to Northern Ireland - Day 3

On the Saturay of our trip away I had booked to go to the Giant's Causeway in the morning. However, on Friday, the Airbnb owners had told us that there was a huge motorbike race in the area, between Coleraine, Portrush, and Portstewart. So we decided to swap the Giant's Causeway to Sunday, and I'm really glad that they sorted it out via email for me so quickly! Instead we headed to Donegal on Saturday, into the republic. I wanted to show Lee at least a little bit of southern Ireland, even if the bit in question is more north than Northern Ireland! 

We set off past Derry again and got to Buncrana in about an hour and twenty minutes. We drove to a little beach bit and had a walk on there. There was a lovely mural on a youth centre there too! Then we drove to the pier and walked along that, and then headed to Tank & Skinny which I had researched and which had lots of veggie options. We arrived just as they were switching over between brunch and lunch so we had to wait a little bit, but we had such a beautiful view that I couldn't complain! The day had started off misty but it had burnt off and had become a really warm, sunny day. I had a slushy cocktail which was really nice, and then an egg, cheese, hash brown burrito which was gorgeous!

After lunch we drove up to Malin Head, which is the most northerly point of Ireland! We weren't sure what would be there, but there's quite a big car park (and there were a couple of coaches) and "Ireland's most northerly coffee van". We bought coffee and another traybake each and walked on the cliff top. It was pretty cool to see, I'm glad we bothered to go all that way. 

Afterwards we drove back to Ballymena a slightly different way, through Muff. I was wondering if the border between the north and the south would be different after Brexit but I'm glad to say it wasn't - you barely tell that you've moved from one to the other until the signs change and the petrol station signs are in euros. I'm glad people can still move freely between the two. Lee and I will really have to go to the republic again - maybe Dublin or maybe Galway as I loved that so much last time! 

Again there's lots of photos but as you'll see there was so much beauty I couldn't stop taking photos! 

Buncrana - this is not actually the sea, it's a lough that does eventually lead on to the sea

This part was a bit murky but I bet it was lovely and clean a bit further out

Another gorgeous mural!

These people were repainting the sign that said Buncrana

I loved these boats on the harbour

This was where we ate - again there were a few of this chain in the area and I would recommend them!

We were seated right on the front part of the patio (it had a retractable roof, but was only partially open on this day) so this was the view one way

And this was the view the other way! How beautiful! 

I liked this sign inside too 

My passionfruit and lime cocktail

The lighthouse on the end of the pier. There were plenty of people on the beach and even some people swimming too 

On the way to Malin Head - there was barely any traffic 

The coffee van! 

To the right of the most northerly point

The point itself

These words were made in World War Two to inform enemy bombers that they were over Irish land, which was neutral, so they knew not to bomb there

Look how beautiful the surroundings were

Lee standing on the rock

The sign 

And the top of it - the wave shows that it is part of the Wild Atlantic Way 

Driving away from the point

We saw this sign and thought it was so amusing - I've really no idea what it pointed to

Here's what I was wearing - my purple Scarlett and Jo skirt and my My Little Pony t-shirt! 

Trip to Northern Ireland - Day 2

On the Friday of our trip to Northern Ireland we went to Derry. As I said, I had planned a lot of things for us to do, so I had booked for us to go to the Museum of Free Derry first thing. We had breakfast in the Airbnb with some of the stuff that the owners had left, which was really nice, and then set off. It was further to Derry than I had thought, but no worries because we got there just after 11am. The museum is in the Bogside area of the city, in the area known as Free Derry, and it's just near the iconic Free Derry sign. That means it's literally in the middle of a lot of houses! There is a car park but it's not huge. But we parked in it and went into the museum.

It is simultaneously one of the most depressing places I've been and also one of the most uplifting. Depressing because obviously of what the British army and government did to the people of Derry throughout the years, and that includes a lot about what happened on Bloody Sunday and in the thirty eight year fight for justice afterwards. Uplifting because there's a lot about civil rights and civil rights movements, up to and including the current fight for rights for Palestinians. It's a brilliant museum, and packs a lot into its tiny space. I would thoroughly recommend it if you're in the area. 

We then drove around the area to look at some of the very famous murals. The locals are clearly used to people stopping to take photos. We got decent photos I think. We were surprised to see the Che Guevara one, but his dad had Irish ancestry! That was brand new information to me. There was also a lot of anti monarchy stuff, I don't know if these are permanent or whether it's because the coronation had just happened. 

We then went to a place called Quaywest for lunch. It didn't have many veggie choices so I went for cajun salmon which was absolutely beautiful and which I thoroughly enjoyed. I eat fish maybe four times a year and think that's fine! I also had a Black Russian cocktail with a difference as it had a head of Guinness in it. Well, I thought I should try it as I was in Ireland! It was delicious, I really enjoyed it. 

We then went into the city centre and visited the Derry Girls mural. I am a huge fan of the show and really wanted to see it. It's really big! Lee took a photo of me under it where you can see the scale of it, but you'll just have to believe me. We parked in the shopping centre and looked around that for a bit. I got two books in Waterstones, both by Irish authors, which felt appropriate! 

We went to a cafe called Synge and Byrne (we also saw one of these in Belfast) and had coffee and a traybake. Now I didn't know that traybakes are quite so prevalent in Northern Ireland, but everywhere we went had tons of different delicious squares to choose from. I went for a caramel shortbread which had an amazing ratio of caramel to shortbread. Lee had something a bit like tiffin. 

Time was getting on by this point so we went to St Eugene's cathedral. I lit a candle for my dad which would have amused him because it was a Catholic cathedral. It was pretty inside. I then went to the loo at the back which may have been out of bounds but I would like to hope my sins will be forgiven because I did really need the loo. We left Derry and drove back to our base. We had sandwiches for tea and just relaxed again in the evening!

I will let some of my photos from this day speak for themselves; if you don't know the history of Derry and the Bogside do have a google! 

I love this old sign 

This was one of the actual signs carried on Bloody Sunday

The corrugated metal building here is the museum; this mural lives just above it

And this Palestinian flag is also above the museum

I love this one for peace

One of the anti monrachy signs

This iconic sign is something I remember from my previous trips to Derry. Traffic around the area is quite used to people pulling over for photos, we felt

More anti monarchy stuff

And the Che Guavara mural! 

The ten mentioned here are all hunger strikers who died in the early 80s, including Bobby Sands who is the most well known 

Here's Lee in Quaywest

And me!

My amazing cocktail, I'm glad I tried it!

My delicious salmon

Here's the Derry Girls mural! It's on the side of a pub

Delicious traybakes

And here's the cathedral - look how beautiful the sky was, too 

And inside. I'm not sure I've ever been in a Catholic church in the UK, only in France or Spain

I love this

The big front door

And the statue to Our Lady of Lourdes

Here's what I was wearing - my Interrobang Art flamingo skirt and my What Would Dolly Do t-shirt!