August 9 - Titanic and Giant's Causeway

We were up and off by 8:30 am this morning. Our first stop was in Belfast, where the Titanic was built. They have an exhibit in a very large building that showed the process of the building of the Titanic. It took us through the whole process, right from the time the keel was laid, until the ship was launched. It took us through what life was like for the workers, the riveting of the plates of steel to the keel and struts, the fitting out of the ship, what the rooms in the various classes were like, where the crew lived, and so on. It was different than the exhibit we saw in Victoria because that was to display the artifacts that had been recovered from the sunken ship. This was about the construction of this giant ship.

Rope Bridge to an Island 

From there, we were off along the northwest coast to visit a site known as the Giant's Causeway. This is an area where the volcanic matter was laid down to create a very rugged coastline and some islands off the coast. Of course, there is a legend about how a giant laid down the huge columns of basalt to create a causeway to the Scottish lands where he messed with another giant's wife. That giant came home, and the one from Ireland barely escaped back across the causeway, being chased by the Scottish giant.

When the Irish giant got to his home, he ran into the house and his mother told him to get into bed. When the Scottish giant came in, he was still looking for the Irish giant. He pulled open the bedroom door, and there was the Irish giant in bed, pretending to be a baby. The Scottish giant saw a picture of the Irish giant on the wall, and it looked just like the baby laying in the bed so he ran away, not wanting to meet the father of this giant baby.

As the Scottish giant ran back to Scotland across the Causeway, his heavy steps caused the Causeway columns to collapse, leaving a couple islands in a line across the Irish Sea.

Cement Fence Post

Peace Bridge

From there, it was on to Londonderry / Derry. It is called this because the Protestants are supporters of England, and want it named after London. However, the Catholics want nothing to do with England, and only want it called Derry. It depends who you talk to what it is called.After checking in to the hotel, we went on a walking tour of Derry and the Peach Bridge. This is a walking bridge spanning the river, joining the old part of town with the British fort on the other side. It is an attempt to heal the rift between the religions after the "troubles".

Leaving the Restaurant

After that, it was on to an award-winning restaurant, Tiberquay, for an optional dinner that night. Then, it was back to the hotel and off to bed. Tomorrow, we have a couple tours in and around Londonderry.