Religion and Revolution

Sorry I haven't been updating lately. It's been particularly hectic the past few days. I've left Belfast and (London)Derry, meaning I am officially out of the United Kingdom and back into the Republic of Ireland! Woooo

Currently, we're in Killybegs, a small fishing town on the Northwestern portion of the Emerald Isle. This is the Ireland that I imagined: the small town with rolling hills and rough terrain. It's quite scenic (and smells like fish...you get used to after a while...I'm sure it's good for your lungs or something like that...).

So, what have I been up to? Glad you asked!

We stayed in the town of (London)Derry for a night. The town has an interesting story, with it being a walled city. It's completely surrounded on four sides by stone walls, used as protection from invaders. It was also the site of Bloody Sunday, one of the most politically-charged incidents during The Troubles. Parts of "Free Derry" are decorated with murals, depicting a story of strife and struggle. It was moving and definitely required a moment for reflection.

Before that, we visited Deluce Castle and The Giant's Causeway. Both were incredibly scenic, straight-up postcard status. The sights and sounds were amazing, nothing that a Discovery Channel special could capture. Giant's Causeway was crazy. There's a bunch of basalt deposits that form themselves into hexogonical shapes; they're staggered enough that you could scale them easily and put yourself right against the crashing waves. It was terribly windy and wet, as I nearly keeled over a few times. But the views were well worth it. Just crazy pretty...


The last day we stayed in Belfast was pretty amazing, too. We caught a live show with some rock bands for 50pence (about $1). They were pretty good bands though we haven't found any of their music online (they were local bands). You can't resist the temptation of good live music! Rock out, man!
Right now, I'm pretty wiped out. There's a good storm whipping up in Killybegs, especially since we're right on the coastline. I don't mind staying in for a night!

There's a whole lot more I didn't cover. I'll see if I can get to it at a later date. But for right now, I need some sleep!