For the 4th of July weekend, we flew out to Ireland.
Something you should know about Ireland is that it is actually two countries on one island.
Northern Ireland is actually part of the United Kingdom, and falls under the leadership of the Queen of England.
Southern Ireland, or the Republic of Ireland, is it's own sovereign country. It gained it's independence and finally became it's own country in 1948.
My blog today is from Northern Ireland, particularly the northern Antrim Coast.
Here you see the sunset in the coastal city of Portrush.
You can also see why they call Ireland the "Emerald Isle" because it's so green!
So Giant's Causeway is a bunch of naturally formed hexagonal prismic columns of basalt that were supposedly built as a roadway from Ireland to Scotland by a giant named Finn MacCool.
Apparently, Finn got in an argument with another giant named Benandonner, who was from Scotland, and they were going to meet in the middle and have a "giant" fight.
Apparently, when Finn MacCool saw Benandonner, he was a lot bigger than he was expecting, so he quickly hid.
He then dressed up like a baby, so that Benandonner would think that if he was the size of his baby, then Finn must be REALLY big.
As the legend goes, Benandonner fell for this incredibly stupid trick, and ran away back to Scotland, destroying the causeway as he went, so that the HUGE Finn MacCool couldn't follow him.
True story.
Some people say it was created when around 50 to 60 million years ago,during the Paleogene Period, Antrim was subject to intense volcanic activity, when highly fluid molten basalt intruded through chalk beds to form an extensive lava plateau which resulted in hexagonal, pillarlike structures when it cooled. But what do they know....they're just scientists.
I think giants dressing up as babies sounds way more plausible than fluid molten basalt.
When we were there we spotted Finn MacCool...
There he was, just standing there on top of the causeway (minus the baby costume.)
So this is a pretty cool place.
And you know what's coming!
Little boy giants jumping over rocks!
It was really cool to climb on the pillars.
Splash!
Another great story I have to tell you is about Dunluce Castle.
A few miles down the road from Giant's Causeway is a castle that is falling into the sea.
It was originally built in the 13th Century.
As the story goes, one night during dinner the kitchen suddenly broke off and fell into the sea.
I'm sure it was rather distressing for Lord MacDonnell and his wife.
Not only did they lose all their kitchen staff, but it was probably rather embarrassing to explain to their dinner guests that there would be no dessert.
Apparently, after that Lady MacDonnell refused to live at the castle any more.
But that's just a local legend.
I have my own theory.
I think the giants ate it.
Another place we visited on the Antrim Coast was Carrick-a-Rede Bridge.
We saw these funny cows. I call them Oreo cows.
First you walk along a cliff-side path until you get to a bridge.
And then you cross it.
Just don't look down.
I told you not to look down!
Anyways, you get there to this little island cliff and you hang out. Just don't get too close to the edge.
I told you not to get too close to the edge!
Stay tuned for the Republic of Ireland!
