After our visit to the Giants Causeway, we started to make our way down towards Dublin. The road trip was packed with activities, and that didn't leave us too much time to linger. As much as we have loved train travel, we enjoyed driving through the countryside and seeing some places off the beaten path. We drove a few hours and stopped for the night in the town of Omagh. The kids weren't too sure about anyplace called a "Bed and Breakfast", but quickly discovered that a big homemade breakfast and comfy room was pretty cool.
Arandale House
Having a history teacher for a dad brings a certain element to family vacations. I'm always on the hunt for places that are fun and educational if I can find them. We found just such a place at the Ulster Folk Park. The Ulster Folk Park is an open-air museum which focuses on the Irish experience of the 19th century and the immigrants who made their way to America. Authentic buildings, people dressed in character, and hands-on activities made for a fun afternoon. There was even an exhibit on the Titanic, as the anniversary of the sinking was a few weeks away.
Special display about the rescue procedures on the Titanic
Reproduction of the cabins on the Titanic (3rd class, often times nicer than where the passengers had been living)
Typical single-floor dwelling of 19th-century Irish
Downtown area with local merchants
The Forge
Halfway through the park you go on a ship similar to the one taken by immigrants to America. You get to see what conditions were like on the ships, and then you "arrive" to see what life was like for some in their new country. (I know, still not Legoland)
A step down from the Titanic
The actual Mellon House. Thomas Mellon left Ireland and founded Mellon Bank in the United States.
After leaving the Ulster Folk Park, we drove down the motorway to the town of Armagh. Tracey, the wife of my exchange partner Bryan, has close friends who run a restaurant there and we wanted to stop by and say hello. We had a delicious lunch at the award-winning Uluru Bistro and really enjoyed the visit.
Before we move along to the Republic of Ireland, we wanted to share a band we discovered from Northern Ireland. They're called the Lowly Knights and we really like them. If you're a music fan, check out these videos:
Devotion- The Lowly Knights
You can tell a man by how he lifts his hands- The Lowly Knights
Scenery as we make our way to Dublin
The tightness of our schedule meant that we didn't have much time in Dublin, only one day in fact. We stayed in the downtown area and took a morning walk along the waterfront and meandered through the Temple Bar district. I had walked through the Temple Bar area the previous night on my own and had fun listening to music and people-watching. Tracey had given us some recommendations for places to visit, so we put on our exploring shoes and found some amazing hot chocolate at Butler's and sticky buns at Bewley's.
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