The second day of our trip to the country of Northern Ireland was by far one of my favorites. After waking up and having a full Irish breakfast (loving the eggs and steamed (?) tomatoes), we headed out to the bus and drove all along the coast to Derry. I am completely and utterly mesmerized by water, as I've mentioned before, and smiled the whole way as we drove. The bus ride was at least two hours and I was treated to sights of calm bays, herds of sheep and rolling hills. It was quintessential Ireland.
We took two stops along the way to Derry, both dealing with water! The first was a rope bridge that spanned the Irish Sea and took us to a small island! Standing on that island was one of the most serene moments I've had in...forever, maybe? The weather was mild--not cold, however not sunny. The sea breeze wrapped itself around us as we watched the waves crash into the cliffs and span farther than we could imagine. I was at peace, and boy did it feel good.
The next stop was to the Giant's Causeway. The Causeway was formed 50-60 million years ago and includes about 40,000 interlocking basalt columns. It was formed by a volcanic explosion, but legend holds that an Irish warrior built the Causeway to get to Scotland to fight his opponent. I really liked this trip and had fun climbing on the rocks! I may or may not have slipped three times and left the Causeway with soaking feet. It's totally fine though because I love water, and WHY NOT get wet if you're at the sea? Waves were meant to be touched and tasted, and I did both of those things.
Following a delicious lunch and sleep coma on the bus, we arrived at our hotel in Derry. The evening was epic, and included dinner, followed by rousing games of Mafia in a hotel room. Let me tell you, college kids know how to play a good game of Mafia! I was only the doctor once, and never anything else, so at times I was a little bored/peeved that I kept being accused of murder! It wasn't me! I was innocent!
The next day was where the historical/culture content took place. We had a tour with a lovely gentleman who showed us the significant areas of this second largest city in Northern Ireland. Derry was the first planned city in Ireland and was granted a charter by King James I in 1613. The city is still completely enclosed by walls that were built by the Irish to keep out English insurgents, and these walls since continued to serve as a reminder of hostility between Protestants and Catholics. What Derry is most recently known for is Bloody Sunday, an awful day when 13 un-armed Civil Rights protesters and bystanders were killed by the IRA during "The Troubles." Only slightly more than ten years ago did the British Army finally leave Derry, which is an indication of how conflicted this area has really been. In order to commemorate what has happened in Derry and to advocate for peace, there are murals on buildings all throughout "Free Derry," the area where the British Soliders were never allowed to enter. Some of these murals are very disturbing and feature scenes from Bloody Sunday and show IRA members with gas masks, but they also send a message to all who view them. From now on when I hear the term "civil rights" I will no longer immediately think of America in the 1960's, bur rather the struggle of Irish/English discrimination in Northern Ireland will resonate in my mind.
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