Monday, March 21, 2011

Belfast

We were only an hour late leaving Gatwick due to heavy fog, but after getting up at 5:00 a.m. to meet the taxi in front of our cottage at 6:45, we were really sorry we didn't get to sleep that extra hour. We had to pay extra to Ryanair because I hadn't checked in on line and printed out boarding passes. Now, I ask you how does one carry a printer while traveling? I suppose I could have found a business center somewhere, but not in Tonbridge! Next time, I'll just fly with Easy Jet. They have automatic check in machines at the airport that print out your boarding passes and luggage tags. So easy. I'm disgusted with Ryanair - don't fly them. If you do, read the fine print.

But, anyway, we picked up our car at Hertz and got on the road. Stopped by the 5000 year-old burial mound in Bra n'Boine. An amazing construction - 500 years older than the pyramids, and 1000 years older than Stonehenge. Sorry I left the camera in the car tonight, so will post a picture or two tomorrow.

Mr. TomTom got us right to our hotel which is two blocks up from Queens University in Belfast. We walked down the street and searched around a bit, and with the directions of a friendly Irishman who asked me, "Would you be lookin for something, darlin?" We found the great restaurant and brewery "Molly's Yard." It has been written up and marked highly on Trip Advisor where I found the recommendations. The server was wonderful, and the food very good. Bill got the Irish stew with a complimentary glass of chocolate stout. It comes with a foamy head that leaves a mustache ("Got stout?") and is smooth and chocolately. I loved it, and I don't drink beer. I had grilled chicken with bacon and blue cheese on a pesto covered country bread with freshly browned chips. Oh, my. The green salads were wonderful.

So tomorrow we are off to drive the Antrim Coast and stay in Bushmills where we'll visit the Giant's Causeway. It's going to be different moving from hotel to hotel every night - except we have two nights booked in each of Donegal and Galway. Whew. This is when I wish I had left half my clothes at home. I'll be living out of the top of the suitcase so I won't have to unpack. That means the same clothes, wash them out, wear them again kind of traveling. But, no one knows us, and we do bath every night and smell good.

Weather is improving and there are borders of daffodils everywhere. Hope we get some sun tomorrow. You can check out the Giant's Causeway and Carrick a Rede on google.

1 comment:

MJ & Bob said...

Yummm... grilled chicken with bacon and blue cheese on a pesto covered country bread with freshly browned chips... sounds wonderful with a tomato pie in Cashiers!!! Let's re-create it this summer!!!