Day 13 started out with breakfast once again and then we were off to see Giants Causeway, Bushmills Distillery, and Dunluce Castle.
We got to Giants Causeway quite easily and still quite early and immediately took the route to see the actual rocks rather than the scenic route that finally loops you around to the rocks. After lots of pictures we then went to the wishing chair thing then up the hillside to the ampitheatre area then finally back up the 162 stairs to the top of the hill overlooking it all and back to the visitors center. It was quite a sight. At the visitor center we had lunch and then we were off to Bushmills Distillery.
At Bushmills we had to wait for a tour time so we went to the gift shop first and returned to the main area for the tour once it was time. The tour was just a tour where you see where and how they make the whiskey (note the “e” in whiskey meaning it’s been triple distilled – apparently “whisky” without the “e” means it hasn’t been triple distilled). You walk from building to building with the tour guide while he walks you through the process and it gets beaten into your head that 1) Bushmills is triple distilled, 2) Scottish whisky is only distilled twice and 3) other whisky is only distilled once. I guess they really want you to know this fact since they say it so many times. The tour ends in the “1608 Bar” where you get a complementary drink. Amber got the 400th anniversary one, Kathy got Black Bush, Carol got a hot toddy thing, and I got the Special Reserve (which they don’t sell/distribute/export except for in their gift shop).
After Bushmills we started heading back toward Derry but only after stopping at Dunluce Castle. Part of this castle fell into the sea in 1639 while servants were preparing dinner and 7 of them or so – the servants – fell into the sea with the castle. Walls and the basic floor plan are all that remain of the castle today but it’s still cool to walk around.
We were then back on our way to Derry driving sooooooooooo slow. Northern Ireland uses miles as its distances and miles per hour for speed so it feels like you just crawl along compared to using kilometers and kilometers per hour down in the Republic of Ireland. They also don’t seem to have or use the awesome passing mechanism that the Republic of Ireland has whereby the slow car can drive entirely in the shoulder while others pass in the driving lane and it works even if there are tons of oncoming cars. I absolutely love this setup in the Republic of Ireland and have used it extensively for the past 13 days or so – that is when the roads are actually big/wide enough to implement it – and what’s even better is that the slow cars you pass aren’t all pissy or upset that they’re being passed and they willingly move over to the left to let you pass. This would never work in the US.
Back in Derry we headed out to Badgers again for dinner and it was delicous once again. Amber got her own pint of Smithwicks too and finished it all by herself! As we were leaving we realized we hadn’t gotten a picture of this momentus feat so she’ll have to do it once again for posterity’s sake.
Back at the B&B it was bed time.
Ireland Guinness pint count: 26