Ireland

Day 6Another day of traveling, but this time it was a day worth traveling, as I headed to Ireland. Started the morning on the bus and stopped off to see what inspired the movie Brig’o Doon. It was such a beautiful place. I am sure that the pictures I am taking are not going to even start to show how breath taking this place is. After leaving there the bus stopped at Rabbie Burns’s (a famous author) house. Then the bus traveled down the coast of Scotland where from the bus you could see Ireland. The driver said that in the nine trips he had taken this year, this was the best day he had seen. The weather stayed with us as we took the ferry a crossed from Scotland to Ireland.

Once in Ireland we head to Belfast where our tour guide hopped on and started telling us about the history of Belfast. The things that I learned I never knew, like the fact that there is a wall down the middle of the city so which Catholics live on one side and Protestants on the other. This was because when the United Kingdom first took over the top counties in Ireland half wanted it and half didn’t so there was a war between the two. After that back to the hotel for dinner and then went to see a local Pub. I decided not to stay while the rest of my party is still there about to enjoy the music.

Day 7

Today we headed out first thing in the morning; the bus drove alone to coast of Ireland. The first stop was Mount Stewart House, I have to say the house, was nice, but full of a lot of stuff. Yet the gardens where worth going for, the colors and the way they were laid out were amazing. It was such a nice day to walk the grounds and just enjoy my time in the fresh air.

After leaving the Mount Stewart House the bus headed a crossed the Strangford Lough on ferry. The first stop was the St. Patrick Center where there was a short video on the life of St. Patrick. We then headed to the Down Cathedral. It was a beautiful old church with nothing really special until you walked the grounds. This is where you will find the grave of St. Patrick, which I have to say I learned some interesting fact about him that I didn’t know before I came over here. It was a great sight to see, after that we were back on the bus and back to Belfast for a few hours of shopping before dinner.

Day 8

Today we started by driving north along the Nine Glens of Antrim. The views from the highway where amazing, the first time we stopped for a photo was to see the little rope bridge the fishermen use in the summer to access a small fishier. Next we stopped at a spot that overlooked the sea. It was amazing at how far you could see. Once back on the bus we headed to Giant’s Causeway.

Giant’s Causeway was an amazing sight to see.  I was amazed by the way that the rocks where formed and how they were just coming out of the ground. For those who don’t know the story about Giant’s Causeway it is a story about a giant named Finn McCool, who used to live there with his family. Well he liked to through taunts back and forth between a giant in Scotland. One day the giant from Scotland decided to come across the causeway to pick a fight with Finn. Well Finn’s wife saw the size of the giant and new Finn could not beat him, so she dressed him up a baby so that when the giant got to Ireland he would think Finn was not there. Well when the giant from Scotland finally got to Ireland he took one look at Finn and said, “If that is the size of the baby I don’t want to see the size of the Da” and turned and ran.

After Giant’s Causeway we headed back south on the coast where we were able to stop and take an amazing picture of Dunluce Castle. Then we stopped in a small coastal town, where there was a fair going on. I was able to walk the dock and just enjoy the weather. Sadly I enjoyed it a little to much and ended up sun burn, who would have thought.

Day 9

The day started with a drive south to the Glenveagh Castle. The castle was built after the first owner evicted 220 people from their homes. After he died his wife took over the castle and started giving the landed back to the people, the next two owners where Americans which I found really interesting, the last owner gave the castle to the Irish Government in 1983.

The afternoon was spent heading to Derry (or Londonderry), which is also known as the walled city. We were driven through where Bloody Sunday took place. I was really fascinated to learn that Ireland’s troubles have only recently stopped. Then the tour guide took us to walk the gates of the city. It was amazing to see how this whole city was walled to protect it back in the 1600s. Then so down time in the city and back to the hotel for dinner and relaxing.

Day 10

Today was one of my favorite days on this whole trip. Started the morning out being able to sleep in until 8:00 am, then we where off to Ulster American Folk Park. I have to saw this was one of my favorite places. The park is set up to show how families back then would live. So there where tone of house and villages. The park started by taking you through the museum to show you how the history progressed, after that I headed into the park. It started with a one room house, that families up to sixteen would live in. It then show the different kind house that people would live in. It also had a school, church and a small town. The park then took you into what the ship was like when they sailed a crossed to America, then brought you out into the New World. I was also lucky on the trip and found a four-leaf-clover, and no it was not fake. I took a picture of it. I was quiet excited, hopefully it means good luck for me to come.

After getting into Dublin we head out for out final dinner as a group at the Merry Ploughboy Pub. It was great food and an amazing show. There were real Irish dancers and Folk singers. It was a great way to end the finally dinner. Tomorrow is a relaxed day in Dublin.

Day 11Today was a relaxed day. It started with a tour of Dublin, then to Kilmainham Gaol. It was really interesting to see how the jail was set up back then. It reminds me of some of the small older jails from back in the States, after that we where off to Guinness where the group broke into the area of the city they wanted to see. I explore the museum to see the steps it takes to make beer. I then met up with a few other people and was taught how to pour the prefect pint. I ended the day with walking the streets of Dublin and having dinner in a pub with a few of my friends from the tour.

Scotland

Day 1
Well I arrived and was able to get here the time I planned. I have to say it was a close call when I got to Dublin. I did not plan well since I didn’t really realize what I had to get done, but in the two hour window I left myself I was able to get my one bag to the baggage hold, get to my tour desk and pick up everything there and still get back to check into my flight with about an hour to spare. The whole time I was thinking to myself I am so glad that this airport isn’t as big as O’Hare, got to Scotland at about 11:00 am and to the Hotel at about half hour later. I spent most the day sleeping since I had been up most the night before in the airport. I have to say I am glad I decided to come in a day early just to be able to regroup and catch up on my sleep. Didn’t do anything else really exciting had dinner in the hotel. I did come to find out that my phone does not work over here, which stinks, but oh well. I also am trying to find internet connection that I don’t have to pay for. I will see if that happens, I can hope.

Day 2
Well I was up at 4:30am wide awake, I looked at my clock from back home and realized why back in AD it would have been 7:30 just is sleeping in for me. Anyways tour starts today at 1:00 pm then I will be on the go for the next 11 days. I was going to go and walk the city this morning, but I woke up sore and tired so I am just going to hang out until the tour is ready to leave. It will give me a chance to get a little more sleep since I am excepting it to be a late night since there is a welcome party tonight.

Just getting back from the first tour in Glasgow, it took us around to see the main hot spots of the town and then to the Glasgow Museum of Art. It was really a neat thing to see, the town reminds me a lot of Chicago the way its streets are set up. I have made a group of friends already, which I figured I would. Funny thing is that I am the youngest person on the tour by 20 years. Oh well means more time to explore and to relax on the bus. Off to welcome drinks and dinner.

Welcome drinks were great there is about 24 of us on the tour, which makes it a small group, but still enough to meet and chat. After drinks we all headed into the dining room. It was a great dinner, tomorrow we are off to Loch Ness, I can’t wait.

Day 3So today I left Glasgow and headed for Loch Ness, it was a long drive but I had a great time on the way. The first stop was to stretch and take a photo op. I choose not to get out since it was raining and foggy. Once back on the road the weather started to get better. It started to clear up and improve with just a little cloud cover and then finally some sun. The next top was at the waterfall and then Three Sisters Mountains. They were amazing to see, I don’t think my picture did justice for the sight of them. After that we headed on we passed through a small town where Harry Potter was filmed. I was lucky enough to see the Hogwarts Express and see some of the place the movie was filmed. Finally arrived at Loch Ness where I took a tour of the Loch.  I took some great pictures, some with Nessy, but sadly not the real one. Now I am at my hotel and heading to the traditional dinner and then get to enjoy some Scottish music and dancing.

Day 4 Another long day of traveling, luckily it is really our last for traveling. We headed out of the Highlands and back to the city of Edinburgh. The first stop on the way down from the Highlands was the Blair Castle. I was taken on a guided tour through the castle. I wish I would have been able to take pictures inside the castle it was so interesting to see the different types of architecture that was in the one building. After leaving the class the bus headed to a small town called Pitlochry where it stopped for lunch. I decided to save money and just got a bag of chips and a pop. Then headed to the Blair Athol Distillery, where they took us on a complete tour of how they made their whiskey (I however did not try any).

Just got back from the Night walk in Edinburgh, it was so neat to learn the history of the place and some of the haunts. The tour guide told so many stories about the town that it is hard to believe. He told us the story about the man who invited the gallows and showed us where he live, he also informed us that he was the first person to use his invention and that from his real life story Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde was created. I wish I could remember all of the stories that he told us there were so many and it was just so interesting to hear. I also got to see the coffee shop where JK Rowling sat and wrote her first Harry Potter Book.

Day 5

Well today was an actually quite day, it started with a tour of Edinburgh, just the basic stories of how the town came to be and where famous people came from. After that there was a tour of the Edinburgh Castle. I was amazed at how big the place was. It was like being in a town onto itself. After the tour of the castle it was free time in Edinburgh. I ended up just walking around with a few others that are on the tour with me. It was great fun; I also was able to get me a Celtic Puzzle Ring.