A Stop in Slash City and Hitting Up High Places
Trip Start
Aug 28, 2011
1
51
63
Trip End
Jun 30, 2012
Derry, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
After Belfast, we made our way farther north and we were told about an opportunity to cross the Carrick a Rede rope bridge. Our fearless tour guide, Fitzy, said he needed a head count of how many people wanted to cross and didn't give us time to actually look at the bridge. Reader, I am not fond of heights, but my Dad's voice was ringing in my head. "Whitney," he said before I left for Germany, "if you get the choice to do something or not...do it." I raised my hand for the head count and paid 4 pounds, 50 pence without having seen the bridge. In my mind was a picture of an rickety, old rope bridge with thin planks and ample space between each plank, to naturally allow the intrepid traveler to fall to a watery and rocky grave (my vivid imagination did NOT help the situation).
After a hike to the bridge, I thankfully saw there was no space between the planks and ventured out. As I discovered, the bridge did move a bit, but I made it safely to the other side, heart pumping and a fresh sea breeze doing quite a number on my hair. The adrenaline rush afterwards was unexpected and it seemed I had a burst of energy as I climbed the hill to take in some breath-taking views. Please enjoy a video recording I made, and don't tell me I don't take care of you, reader!
After the Carrick a Rede bridge, we headed off to The Giant's Causeway. There are two explanations of how it was formed - the myth and the scientific explanation. The myth goes something like this: Ireland's friendly giant (not green in color) Finn McCool built the causeway to walk to Scotland to fight Scotland's not-so-friendly giant, Bernandonner. When Finn saw Bernandonner, he saw how big Bernandonner was, got cold feet, and ran back home. Before Bernandonner arrived, Finn's wife dressed him up as a baby. Bernandonner finally showed up, saw the baby, and Finn's wife said "That's Finn McCool's little boy." Bernandonner freaked out, imagining how big Finn must be to have a baby of that size, got cold feet and ran back home.
The actual explanation involves no giants. Discoverireland.net explains that it all started 65 million years ago, when lava of molten basalt rose through a chalk bed, cracked, and then cooled to form the columns of the causeway. The cooling likely resulted from contact with water, forming four-, six-, and eight-sided columns. Today, the Causeway is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and rightly so. Walking around the Causeway was not only calming (being so close to the water), but also felt like navigating a giant puzzle, followed by a quick game of kin...erm...queen of the hill.
But time waits for no traveler and we had to beat feet to our next destination, Derry, or Londonderry, or Slash City, depending on whom you ask. The earliest reference to Derry dates back to the 6th Century and was the home of Irish Catholics. Things started getting tense when the city was rocked by attacks during the Tutor came to Ireland, set on conquest. The situation didn't improve when English Protestants showed up and took land to create plantations. Not only did they take land, they also re-named the area Londonderry, in appreciation of the support from England. Not to step on any toes, journalists identify the city as Derry Slash Londonderry, earning the nickname "Slash City." The Troubles were also rough for Derry/Londonderry, which was the site of many riots, as well as Bloody Sunday.
Given the history of the city, I found myself in a tense situation that evening in a pub. An old man asked me where I was from, then told me "I’m really drunk," then asked if I was a republican. I thought he meant republican as in Irish Catholics who want Ireland to unite with Northern Ireland again. I nervously replied, “Sorry, I don’t know enough about the situation and I’m not political.” Not willing to engage in a political conversation, I thought that was the most diplomatic answer I could come up with…but he kept asking if I was a republican. Suddenly I realized he was asking if I was a republican or democrat. I quickly responded, “IvotedforObamainthelastelection,butidon’tknowwhoiwillvoteforthistime…Good evening” and quickly rushed off to join the group from my tour.
Aside from the drunk man in the pub, I found the people of Derry/Londonderry to be very friendly. Since the troubles, the city hasn’t exactly been tourist spot number 1. One woman saw our tour group from across the street, yelled “Yooo-hooo” and proceeded to wave. And wave. And wave. Clearly, folks here aren’t used to tourists, but perhaps that will change in the future. This little city was named a UK City of Culture for 2013. It is a charming city with friendly, curious locals. And while Will Shakespeare posed the question “What’s in a name,” I would still encourage you to be careful which name you use in Derry…or Londonderry…
Food Files
Large Fry Breakfast - Behold, the artery-clogging plate of sausage, egg, ...
Chicken BBQ Melt and Vitamine G - A chicken melt and getting my dose of Guinness
Highs and Lows
Highs - Successfully battling a fear of heights at the Carrick a Rede bridge and feeling like a mountain goat at the Giant's Causeway
Lows - The panic of trying not to stick my foot in my mouth with the drunken man at the pub
Lebe lang und erfolgreich,
Whitney
