Geo: 54.4821, -8.08822Belleek, Republic of IrelandWe traveled about another 30 minutes south until we stopped at the Belleek Pottery company. We took a personal guided tour of this 150 year old company through all the stages of production. We were able to watch and chat with a few people as they apply their creativity to each handmade piece. Being the weekend, only a handful of workers were there. Normally this place has 80 workers (some have to train 3-4 years before being allowed to produce their work). Unfortunately, pictures were not allowed except in one room. Afterwards we had time in their gift shop/showroom. I bought a few things and had them ship it to America. It was very interesting and although very large in size, it was similar in the process to the little clay ... read more

Geo: 54.9981, -7.30934July 10, 2010Derry/Londonderry, Northern Ireland, UKSlept very well although others were woken up about 2 am due to some men breaking bottles in the parking lot below them. I slept through it. It had rained overnight, but was clearing up after finishing breakfast and boarding the bus at 8:45 a.m. We met with a local tour guide at 9 a.m. in the city centre of Derry/Londonderry. His name was Ronan McMamara. Now you would never know that was his name because although he had a good Irish name, had a lovely Irish dialect, and could speak the Irish language, he looked Asian. His mother was Chinese and his father was Irish. He had a great personality and was very informative about the Irish history. (Later during the tour we passed another tour of Japanese ... read more

Geo: 55.2025, -6.52583Northern IrelandWe got off the ship in Larne, Northern Ireland (still part of theUK) just a bit after noon, and headed for the Giant's Causeway. We passed through the towns of Glenarm (missed taking a picture of their police building. It looked like a prison with a steel wire security fence as tall as the building and steel doors. Due to IRA bombings and attacks in earlier years, these small local police stations became fortresses) , Carnlough, Waterfoot (pretty seaside village), Cushendall (passed the curfew tower which was used to announce curfew times 300 years ago and also passed a bride and father having their picture taken in front of a church that we were in front of during a traffic stop. We waved through the windows while her photographer quickly snapped our picture), ... read more

Geo: 54.9667, -5.01667July 9, 2010Glasgow to Larne, Northern Ireland, UKI slept very well last night, but could use a couple more hours of sleep. I ended up going to bed about 12:30 a.m. still trying to download pictures and blogs. I got a lot done, but still have to do Portree and Glasgow tonight along with Londonderry. After an excellent breakfast (good scrambled eggs!) we left the hotel about 7:45a.m. An hour later we passed through the village of Maybole, Scotland and its ruins of Castle Maybole, Karrick Castle, and then the monastery ruins. The weather didn't hold, so we are back to rain clouds and dreariness and 62º F. We went by the Turnburry golf course and then drove along the Irish Sea until our 15 minute rest stop in Garvin, Scotland at 9 a.m.. ... read more

Geo: 56.101, -4.63872We stopped for a photo op of some waterfalls near Glencoe, an area known for its bloody history of the Campbells massacring the McDonald clan. A few miles down the road we passed a Rowan tree growing out of a very large rock. Then we stopped at Loch Lomond for those of us who signed up for a cruise around the lake. In the rafters near the entrance of the gift shop and restaurant was a nest of baby birds. Many of us took pictures while dodging the aggravated parents that were swooping at us. We passed the actual cave where the famous Scottish Highalnder Rob Roy hid and viewed the landscape from the middle of the lake. We also passed some fishermen who held up a very large salmon that according to the ... read more