Thursday, April 14, 2022 - Day 15 - The Giants Causeway and Belfast

 We had originally planned to go to Belfast on Thursday (today) and go to the Titanic Museum and then to Bert's Jazz club that night, then drive the Causeway coastal scenic route up to the Giants Causeway the next day, Friday, and then drive home. However, looking at the weather forecast (something we now do obsessively every day and sometimes multiple times a day) we realized it was going to rain all day at the Causeway. Change of plans then, go to the Giants Causeway today and then drive the scenic coastal route all the way to Belfast. So, we ate breakfast, packed and loaded up the car, got gas, cleaned the bugs off the windshield from the previous day, and headed off. By then it was already 9:30. It should have taken us about 2 1/2 hours to get to the Giants Causeway, it took about four hours. First, the GPS on my phone had me get off of the motorway too early and we ended up driving back country roads until we could get back on the motorway. And then the inevitable pit stop to use the facilities after drinking so much morning coffee. While there we had a pastry and more coffee. I asked Don to take a picture of this motorway laundry in the parking lot, I'm sure that people in their camper vans (RV's to us people in the USA) appreciate being able to do it all in one stop: get gas, use the facilities, eat a meal, and do the laundry.

Then, I took the wrong exit and we ended up driving on back country roads again. Once we were in the town of Bushmills, just a few miles from the Causeway, we decided to stop for lunch. That took at least 45 minutes and it was a mediocre lunch indeed. A small place called Lorna's Kitchen, I had a side salad and the soup of the day, potato and leek, and Don had a chicken wrap. His wrap wasn't bad but my potato leek soup tasted more of old potatoes and nothing of leeks and needed copious amounts of salt and pepper. The salad consisted of greens, a small bit of carrot salad, canned corn, and canned pineapple.Wouldn't recommend.

When we came out of Lorna's it was raining! But it was supposed to stop in about an hour and the Bushmills old distillery offered tours and was just minutes away. So we drove there. But! When we got there the distillery was closed to tours at the moment because of Covid-19. On to the Giants Causeway then. 

Rain

When we got to the entrance of the parking lot for the Giants Causeway there was a line of cars waiting to get in. It took us at least 20 minutes to get up to the parking lot attendant who then asked us if we had pre-booked? No? Then leave the parking lot and go up the road a bit and park in the other parking lot. So sorry. I do think there could have been a sign posted at the entrance telling people that before they waited in line for so long. I noticed more than one driver fuming as they had to turn around and go to the other parking lot farther up the road. It was 5 pounds to park in a spot that was so small I was worried about getting out of the car. Then we had to walk up a path to even get back to the entrance to the Causeway, about 10 minutes away.

We finally make it to the entrance to the Causeway and this is what greets us - a very long downhill walk, and this isn't even all of it. It's at least a mile to get to the rocks.

At least it had stopped raining although it was windy and cold.

In the next picture you see me contemplating taking a walk on the rocks. I am always aware of the risks of falling.

Still thinking about it and moving in closer to the rocks.

Oh what the heck, might as well go for it. I'm actually higher up than it seems in this picture.

We would have liked to hike some of the trails that are at the top of the hill by the entrance for the views, but realizing we didn't have a lot of time, and still wanting to drive some of the Causeway coastal route we started the long walk back, uphill and against the wind.

 Back in the car we drove some of the coastal route and then headed straight for Belfast since we were running late.

Whitepoint Bay

This was one heck of a steep uphill curve!

Portaneevey

"Spanning time"

No longer on the coastal route and heading straight to Belfast.

We reached our hotel with no problem, it was only a few turns off of the motorway. Even though we didn't ask for it we got a river view room at the AC Marriott.

The oddly shaped building almost in the middle of the picture is the Titanic museum.
 

That's the river Lagan and the Quay walk.

We unpacked, got cleaned up, and put on our stepping out clothes. We had just enough time to have drinks and snacks at the hotel bar.

A Hennesey sidecar for me and a Jawbox gin (local Irish gin) and tonic for Don.

The drummer checking things out before the show.

 

We had an amazing dinner and really good cocktails, Bert's Jazz Club is known for their cocktail list.

The above is just on the food menu, they had a whole book of cocktails. Don had the El Diablo.

I had the Champs Elysees

My lovely and tasty drink:

The food:

The roasted and sun dried tomatoes were fantastic in this salad.
 

Spinach and goat cheese souffle on a bed of fresh greens and vegetables for Don.

Pan fried hake, breaded and fried halloumi cheese puffs, baked parsnip, saffron cream, and a berry reduction for me.

Coconut panna cotta with rum infused pineapple and meringue cookies, Don and I shared.

Good food, good drinks, good music. A perfect end to the day.