Ireland

So off we went to Ireland and back to small scale. It was really a great quick trip and caught up with lots of family. Here is a taste of it. We were in the small town of Buncrana. Which is in Eire. Where Nana is from and where she grew up. We were last there over 10 years ago.

This is fort Dunree. It is on Lough Swilly, the deepest Lough in Europe and where several members of Nana's family severed, including her Father, Tommy.

The Fort is perched onto of this outcrop of rock. Which is quite impressive in itself

The views of the cliffs across the lough are breathtaking

Too much to see all at once. Look at the sky, it's like three seasons and guess what, it was!

there is even a shore!

and tilted rocks from the time Ireland was in it mountain building phase!

This was the accommodation for the Fort, back in the day

They even had a whale skeleton, well the bones at least at the Fort

Some people felt the need to climb the mountain behind the fort, it was wet. I didn't feel that need in the least.

The roads are quite impressive in this part of Ireland and this was us on an adventure

This is the Gap of  Momore, as you crest the hill you literally feel like you're falling off the earth. Not sure if the car will tip backwards or forwards as you go over

To the most amazing views

mind the sheep

They don't mind you!

The coastline is just gorgous

Seems like a pass time here is knock the heads of bird statues on gate posts.....I saw this more than once

But they did have nice bunting in places

I thought that this sign was quite sweet for road workings. I like his bent knee!

There was even murals in Buncrana! It's a small town and claims 17 pubs in the short strip of town (well it seemed like it was 17) and they were frequented! 

but it is a truly beautiful part of the world and around the lough Buncrana has the most amazing scenery. It's known as Amazing Grace country and for good reason

Fabulous knitting for this tree outside a church

Over the road this angel seemed to be luminescent. The light after the rain was amazing

Great church yards and Celtic crosses

thistles...

The view down the road from where Nana spent some of her younger years and the stone jug...that's the building. Think someone paint balled it....

and this is what the stone jug looks at

the shore line is teaming with birds

what a view

the bridge is a favorite place to walk to

lots of herons

I just loved the contrast of the lough shore and the mountain behind and look how green that grass is

patchwork fields in the back ground

Lovely mombreshia (bet that's spelt wrong!)

The sweep from the bridge to the lough

The river was high

and the water was the colour of amber and I think this too gets salmon...

The house over the bridge....I think it's actually called a castle.

Back to that lough view

Some familiar plants along the way

weather is a feature in Ireland

most definately

as is a sense of community and I loved this sign that was in a shop window.

The streets of Derry

and the bridge we passed under, a double decker, on our way to Dublin

Saw this in the country side

more lush greens

Think it might rain

they would be storm clouds

just so much to see as we sped along

so many wind farms

and this amazing bridge

that is the view out of the hotel window and the clouds and storm that passed on the night before we went back to the US

waiting for the plane and home....long long summer...... and we still have august to go...

More on Iceland...

I understand that you may already be sick of Iceland but there were more photos that I took. So bear with me.

We decided to head away from the maddening crowd and as we went along, there was a tunnel.....a long one. It was not what we were expecting and the light at the end of this tunnel was welcomed! It felt like we had journeyed to the center of the earth!

we popped out the other side to the most amazing landscape

far gentler

this place was literally on it's own nothing for miles around it

but such a beautiful place

Mountains were still impressive

waterfalls

that lovely grass

At these water falls troll fossa they were looking for jumping salmon but like northern lights, they were illusive

as we commented at the time, that's a lot of jumping those salmon do!

glaciers in the distance

an old volcano

and a vista of basalt

The cliff was really something and the fact that it looks like nothing in the distance as the scale is so huge there. Close up it was really impressive. Obliviously not as good as Giants Causeway...but well it was good!

The boys decided that climbing up an unsafe cliff was the thing to do!

me, not so much....I loved that it broke off in hexagonal shapes!!

So funny

But as Isaac strategies across the vast plane that he's now towering above, Louie shows what the deal really is!

And more random painting

sculpture in the near by town. When I say near by I mean at least half an hours drive from the basalt cliffs

The road bridge we crossed to get to the town and then the basalt cliffs

As we looked back at the mountains and I had this nice picture of Isaac, I thought wow those white gouges are glaciers! Truly an amazing landscape and this little town by the sea was right in it, coastal and glaciers in the distance...

Back near our apartment there were paintings on the buildings. I've no idea who they are...but I liked them

setting sun over Reykjavik 

and onto another adventure...this time

an ice cave 

It was in the Perlan Building that was surprisingly amazing. It was a water tank and observation/exhibition space and yes it has an ice cave in it!!!! It was man made but it definitely gave you the general idea

Usual suspects

In the cafe of the Perlan (where there is 360 degree view of the surrounds...)I thought oh look there's licorice ice cream. I remembered that I had tried it in Denmark and thought I liked it. Well as it turned out I don't! That would be a ripple version ie higher ratio of vanilla and actually this is disgusting! Just saying...

Isaac looking fab in the cafe

Luckily there were other things to eat at the cafe and this didn't last long

the views from The Perlan made Reykjavik more the place I had imagined I would see. You just don't get this perspective close to it. It's so cramp and higgly

as for the concrete church. Now I get it, the sun shines off it and it radiant

Just one of the panoramas 

Another adventure day and Damian took us on this road. It turned into a switch back on dirt road and no sides!!!!

also came across road shoring up Icelandic style.That means no warning....and the road blocked by heavy plant and then you have to shimmy around the back of the digger, that is wobbling about! as he throws massive boulders into the lake!

Then the road does that!

but we passed a nice hill on the route and isn't that lovely and did I mention this is in an absolutely deserted place!

we were off to see sulfur springs

they really were smelly and of course vast

but look at the earth all stained from the multitude

 of chemicals

mud pools that were amazingly hot!

I have included this picture as on the ridge of the far left hill top, those specs are people!!!! when I say huge I really mean it

I'm thinking this might have some chemicals in it. But the colors are amazing

back to the city and we pass through lava fields

and beautiful coastal views

this is the Perlan as the sun sets over the city and the dome is back lit. I hope you have enjoyed this last trip to Iceland. Next stop Ireland