Giant Footsteps

After a two week, ahem, sabbatical? from this blog, I have some stories for you. And I promise not to end this one in a corny Death Cab lyric. Okay, let's go!

Our first weekend in Northern Ireland, the International Office sponsored a tour of the coast for all us foreigners. We went to the Giant's Causeway, the Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge, and DunLuce Castle. Here is the story of the Giant's Causeway if you care for folk lore: http://www.thenorthernirelandguide.co.uk/giants-causeway-and-legend-finn-mccool

This was really a beautiful sight that I would compare to some of the canyon lands in the western part of the U.S. Thousands of hexagon shaped stones form stair steps out into the blustery Atlantic. They are framed by dramatic moss covered cliffs creating a little cove. The night before the trip, a bunch of internationals went out to The Anchor, our now favorite pub for gathering. An Irish guy scoffed when we told him where we were to go the next day. He said we would just waste our time marveling at these little funny shaped rocks, and we would look back at all the pictures of said little funny shaped rocks and wonder why the hell we even went. Then he had another pint.

The rope bridge was an adventure. The castle was pretty broken.

Claire comes next week! It will be so nice to see a friend I have known longer than three weeks. I'm not particularly homesick, but I am certainly missing North Carolina in the fall. I know the leaves are slipping from the trees and settling in fiery crimson and gold blankets on the ground. I also think about my friendys back in Orange, Person, and Wake County and the ones that are scattered across the globe.

Last weekend I went to Liverpool and Manchester on a solo trip. Liverpool has a lot of flavor, but the latter was tasteless, in my opinion. I emerged from the trip feeling extremely independent and secure in my abilities to survive in a strange city with little quid in my pocket. The genuine goodness of humanity at heart keeps surprising me at times when I need it. The kindness of strangers guided me home in Sydney last summer and found me again in Liverpool when I was in a bind.