Driving the Antrim Coast Road (A2)



Kevin in the Saab rental near Ballygalley.

The Traveling DINKs are not big road warriors. Most times when we travel, we choose to stay near public transit and pedestrian-friendly locations.  But once you leave the boundaries of Belfast, you really need a car to see Northern Ireland properly.  So we picked up a rental at the airport (an aging Saab with over 60K miles on it) and headed towards the A2.

There are two routes to reach County Antrim, which was our destination--you can cut across the middle of Northern Ireland along a true motorway or you can take the curvy road along the coast A2.  We decided to take the scenic route up because we had the whole day and would take the fast, motorway back for the return trip.



Anne near Carrickfergus Castle

 We first stopped at Carrickfergus to visit the Castle there, which was built in 1177.  We were there too early to explore the castle proper, but we did wonder around the town, which was bustling with locals running errands and chatting with neighbors.  One of the interesting things you'll find in Northern Ireland are the loyalist areas have union jack streamers decorating the streets.  We noticed this quite a bit in Carrickfergus.

Waterfall, Glenariff Forest Park.

We hopped back on the A2 and spent the next few hours making our way up the coast, stopping in Ballygalley and attempting to find something to eat in Waterfoot.  Instead, we took the A43 away from the coast and took a lunchtime hike in Glenarrif National Forest.  There are a series of nine valleys known as Glens of Antrim.  Besides being lovely, green valleys, each has a distinct culture and history.  After navigating an unwieldy parking meter (it only took coins and there were several people standing around it rather perplexed), we took hiked along a waterfall trail and took a break enjoying the vistas munching on a mint Aero and some crisps.  After our hike, we took some pictures of the heather, which was just past peak.  We then returned to the A2 and the lovely coastal scenery. 



Fields of purple heather, Northern Ireland.



My favorite stop of the day was Whitepark Bay near Ballycastle and Bushmills. This beach trail flowed through green meados and along rocky shores.  The bright sunshine made the beauty of the location even more intense.  I felt lucky to be there, experience that moment.  It just felt really special--the whole day just had that magical feeling.  When the weather, plans, all work out.  It felt perfect.

Scenic Whitepark Bay, County Antrim.

After wandering along the beach trail, we hopped in the car for our final stop Bushmils Distillery.  Whiskey has been distilled in this area of Northern Ireland since 1608.  So of course we had to buy some Irish  Whiskey from there!



Bushmills Distillery, County Antrim.



The whole day is a happy memory--cruising the A2, driving on the left-hand side of the road through little villages and seaside towns.

 









Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Kevin enjoying a Guinness and the sun, Belfast

After a lovely and nostalgic trip to London, the DINKs were ready to cut their teeth on a new city.  So we took a quick flight to Belfast and spent two lovely days exploring the vibrant city that still has deep scars from years of turmoil, but you feel a positive energy and hope they have turned a corner.  I know I left feeling optimistic (but then again, it was sunny and bright, so having lovely weather makes everything better). 

Where we stayed.  Dukes at Queens is a lovely boutique hotel right in the university district.  I highly recommend this hotel--spacious, updated rooms and the university district with its vibrant cafe and music scene is terrific.

The lovely Palm House, Belfast Botanic Gardens

What we did.  Steps away from our hotel was the Belfast Botanic Gardens with its 18th century Palm House. As soon as we dumped our bags at the hotel, we spent a leisurely afternoon wandering the gardens as well as touring the very informative Ulster Musuem, which rests in the middle of the park space.  Being in the university neighborhood, we had access to the music scene and were just two blocks from The Belfast Empire Music Hall.  Besides exploring the university neighborhood, we decided to do a black cab tour, which takes you to Falls Road and Shankill Road (the Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods that carry murals and stories from "The Troubles").  The tour was emotional and confusing.  As an American used to living among people with many different faiths and convictions, you realize this is beyond a religious feud--that's too simplistic.  But it reminded me how senseless violence can become and how many innocent people get impacted by it. Good lessons to take away from the trip.

Kevin signing the partition, known as "the PeaceWall," Belfast

Where we ate:  Full disclosure...I thought we would mainly be eating potatoes and fish and chips. Believe it or not, we had some terrific fare in Northern Ireland and one memorable meal was Deanes at Queens.  This restaurant, part of the Michael Deane empire in Belfast believes in using local sources and offers traditional, but stylish food.  We also went to the most famous saloon in Belfast, the Crown Bar, for traditional pub fare.  It is a lovely space and if you eat lunch you get to sit in the private booths that line the space. 

Mural from Shankill Road--the unionist section.

I really enjoyed our time in Belfast--sometimes somber, other times beautiful--it's a city that should be on your list.

Visiting Northern Ireland.

The idea to make Northern Ireland part of the UK trip was all Kevin's idea.  We both had visited Dublin, but really, had not seen much more beyond a crazed, day trip to Glendalough.  Plus, we didn't know anyone who had explored Northern Ireland and we figured we wanted to give it a try.  I know--at least my whole lifetime--Belfast has been associated with violence and turmoil.  So of course I was a little nervous.  Looking back, I realize we followed a few simple rules:

Stunning cliffs, near Giant's Causeway, County Antrim.

1. Do not discuss religion and politics.  I think this rule should be followed all the time when traveling, but in a place like Northern Ireland it must be strictly observed.  Stick to pleasantries--weather  (it's a hot topic), sports, tips on the driving on the left, etc.

2.  Do not visit residential neighborhoods in Belfast without an organized tour.  Tensions are still easily on display with a wall cutting through the city, keeping the Catholic and Protestant neighborhoods apart.  We chose a black cab tour to take us through these areas as learning the history from a local and seeing the separation and amazing murals are not to be missed.

3.  Take some time to learn about "The Troubles."  Kevin and I came away realizing we knew so little about the situation. I felt really ignorant.  I was glad we kicked off our time in Belfast with a trip to the Ulster Museum, which breaks down the region's cultural and political history. 

Northern Ireland is a lovely place to visit filled with beautiful countrysides and friendly people.  If you practice common sense, you will be fine and thankful--as we are--that we had a chance to visit.

Bath Redux.



Kevin w/Paddington Bear @ Paddington Station  (yes, that's a Krispy Kreme).



The epicenter of my study abroad experience back in 1999 was Bath in Somerset, located about 90 minutes by train, southwest of London.  For half a summer, I studied British literature in the English countryside.  My classmates and I stayed in one of the famous crescent-shaped row houses, enjoyed a dry, sunny summer that featured a solar eclipse that I took in at the mystic town of Glastonbury, and trips to Dublin, Tintern Abbey in Wales, Stratford and many trips to London.  That summer was fabulous--the quintessential college, study-abroad experience.  But I was curious: what would Bath look like through the lens of an adult, on a daytrip from London?





 Pulteney Bridge that indeed has shops on it.



We boarded an early morning train to Bath.  First off: the tickets are really expensive--I think for the two of us, it worked out to about $150.  I think if  I would have realized it was that pricey to do a daytrip, we may have just stayed over in Bath.  Nonetheless, we both wanted to see it again and the weather promised to be sunny and perfect.  Indeed, the weather cooperated, but being a weekend and lovely weather meant everyone else was in Bath, too.  It was crowded so the first thing we wanted to do was try to find my housing, which is easier said than done.  Bath is a confusing maze of round-abouts and crooked streets.  Even living there, if you had one too many pints, well, let's just say people got lost (a lot) that summer.   We had a general sense of what hilltop the crescent-shaped row house lived on so we aimed for that direction and hoped things would look familiar.  And some things did: I recognized Bath Abbey and the Pulteney Bridge, which like the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, has shops built right on it.  We climbed and climbed past several roundabouts , but missed a critical turn and ended up overshooting the place.  Still, we were able to work our way back and there we stood in front of my old dorms, which were quiet and empty.  Sadly, the space is no longer used for student housing--it appeared to be in the process of being converted back to flats. 



Where I stayed in 1999.



Perhaps because of the sagging economy, the place looked like it had not been a construction site for a while.  We walked around a bit and then headed down the mossy stairs towards the boss stop.  Kevin pointed out some blackberry brambles and we both remembered gathering them for cornflakes.  We popped a few in our mouths to complete the nostalgic flashback.  I was disappointed that this beautiful old space was not being used by study-abroad students.  My summer in Bath was lovely and magical--and I think living in that kind of space added to the experience. 



The lovely Royal Crescent.



Crowds near the Pump Room.



We headed back to the city center, ready for lunch.  On the way and now that we had our bearings, we stopped by the Royal Crescent--the most famous of these unique structures in Bath.  The green, sprawling lawn was filled with people, enjoying the sunny day.  We took a break from our walk and enjoyed the space, too.  Although we were both enjoying the walk and we were close to the Botanical Gardens, we turned again towards the city center in search of a lunchtime meal.  Determined to avoid the crush of visitors, we happily stumbled upon the Wild Cafe, tucked away in a little alley.  Using locally-sourced ingredients, Kevin had a cheddar and chutney sandwich and I had a lovely baby green salad with goat cheese and figs.  We then took a deep breath and plunged into the crowds near the Abbey.  Downtown Bath is a stunning place, but if you hate crowds--do not go there on a weekend!  It takes on a carnival vibe.  After tracking down some other favorite haunts--the Pump Room, Sally Lunn's--we headed across the bridge and wandered along the River Avon.  We watched a girls'cricket match for a while and then made our way back to the train station.  Honestly, we left earlier than we planned.  I think if I could have done this over, we would have tried to stay a night and have an evening in Bath to ourselves. But I just am not sure I could really capture the magic of being a student, studying abroad.  I'm not that person anymore.





Petersham's Nursery in Richmond and the Kew Gardens.

Back in 1999, I visited the Kew Gardens, but Kevin a plant lover, had never been so we definitely wanted to take a daytrip out there (it's quite a distance from the center of London).  I then discovered a unique restaurant one stop down in Richmond--a city I had never seen--and figured we would have the perfect daytrip.

Anne in front of the giant lillies, Water Lily House, Kew Gardens

Kew Gardens:  We arrived as soon as it opened since we had lunch reservations in Richmond.  It's a good 45-minute subway ride from central London. Kew Gardens is quite close to the Tube station--you stroll a few blocks, past a quaint shopping square and a row of residential homes and arrive at the Victorian gate.  Kew Gardens is a mishmash of botanist laboratories, historic conservatories, themed gardens and--of course-- a palace.  If you like plants, it's a must-see sort of destination.  There are several Victorian-era green houses filled with exotic and rare plants.  The oldest potted plant in the world is at the Kew--dating from the 1600s.  The day was cool and the DINKs enjoyed going visiting the very humid Palm House as it reminded them of their climate at home in DC!  The Kew Gardens is a perfect place to explore a bit then lounge about and have a picnic lunch, but we had plans for the meal and scooted  back to the Tube.



Richmond:  This city located along the Thames, is a posh London suburb filled with parks, a quaint downtown, and the famous Richmond palace, built by Henry the VII.  I wish we could have lingered a bit in the shops, but we had to make our way outside of Richmond to the little cafe and garden center known as Petersham's Nursery.



Kevin @ Petersham's Nursery for our shabby chic, gourmet lunch.



Petersham's Nursery:  I had first read about this restaurant in a food review.  Dubbed the "Chez Panisse" of the UK, Petersham's Nursery, prides itself on using local incredients, but the really charming thing about the places is location--an operating gaden center!  The floor is packed dirt and the staff walk around in wellies.  Other than the very slow service (seriously, they may have been growing some of the vegetables while we waited), I loved this experience.  The environment was just lovely.  The food was incredible:  warm chick pea, swiss chard and ricotta salad, braised endive, perfectly seared trout.  Yes, it may have been the most expensive lunch I have ever had, but for me, an experience like that is why I live and why I travel. 

Kevin on the scenic, quaint, oh-so-British footpath to Petersham's Nursery.

One of the best parts of Petersham's is walking from the Richmond Tube Station.  It's not close--almost a 25 minute walk.  We walked through the city center to reach the cafe, but on the way back, we chose to walk along a towpath by the Thames.  We passed meadows and old estates, lovely parks and cafes.  Richmond is worth a daytrip and if you are a foodie and like to splurge, so is Petersham's Nursery.

Returning to Richmond after lunch by way of the towpath along the Thames River.









Our London visit

Classic London Scene, near Covet Gardens.

For people who know me, they know I am an anglophile.  I love Jane Austen.  I love Jane Austen-inspired movies.  I love the old English manors, the English gardens, and the charming accent.  But I love London the most.  It's an efficient, clean, old, lively city. I love the Tube, the Museums, the string of parks.  I had not visited London since 2002, so I was eager to see it again and ensure I was not romanticizing it.  I can say: I was not disappointed.

Where we stayed:  Near Russell Square on the first leg at the Harlingford Hotel.  Situated on a quiet square, it was clean and in the heart of the university district.  I remember a fine breakfast of eggs and smoked salmon, too.

When we swept through the city on the way back home, we picked a different section of London (we do try to do that when we have to stay in a city twice).  Because it was just one night, we went a bit more upscale, choosing the The Beaufort Hotel  in Knightsbridge, steps away from Harrod's and an easy walk to the V&A Museum.  This hotel was soft and sumptuous, tucked away on a dead-end street--stylish London was at our fingertips, but I didn't hear it!

The lovely sunken gardens at Kensington Palace.

Where we ate:  Being foodies, traveling for me is always about exploring the local restaurant scene.  The first night, I wanted to try the Spanish tapas place Saltyard on Goodge Street, but alas, we didn't make a reservation and they were booked.  We found a great little Greek Taverna close buy and satiated our tapas craving with Greek mezzes.  Because this was part nostalgia, we had to go to Sofra Mayfair--this little Turkish place has been part of my London eating trips since the beginning.  It's cozy and tucked away--oh and the food is fabulous.  On our final night, we walked all the way to Notting Hill to take in a final Indian meal at Malabar.  We feasted on chutneys and chaat--oh how I love Indian food!

What we did:  I'm going to do a whole post about our daytrips to Bath and Richmond/The Kew Gardens, but in London proper, we did our typical wanderings--exploring Covet Gardens, Goodge Street, Soho/Chinatown (where we had the most disappointing Chinese meal--ever!) and the University districts.  Kevin had not been to the British Museum so of course we went there.  We both had not seen the Victoria & Albert Museum so we took that one in, too.  Both museums have world-class collections.  I love how the British Museum is topical-- a room full of currencies, followed by a room full of clocks, followed by a room full of mummies!  We took in several parks and visited my favorite garden: the http://www.hrp.org.uk/KensingtonPalace/stories/sunkengardens.aspx on the final night.  A fitting way to wrap up the trip!

The UK Trip, 2010



Kevin taking a break from a revisit of the Royal Mile, Edinburgh

 You know in life when you feel like you may have come full circle? The arc has been completed, you've passed go and collected $200.  Back where you started--did you ever leave?



For me, that's how our trip to London, Belfast, Northern Ireland, & Glasgow/Edinburgh felt this past summer.  It was nostalgic, it was familiar--there were lots of old haunts to check up on.  You see, the UK is where the DINKs really started.  Summer of 1999.  A study abroad trip to Bath takes me to Europe for the summer.  Kevin comes over for the last chunk of the summer and we explore Scotland together.  I think when you travel with someone you really learn a lot about the relationship--and by extension, yourself.  That summer eleven plus years ago cemented a few things for us, one of which is we have similar travel styles: up early, exploring one or two sites, time for breaks and naps and leisurely meals. We both like to be organized--reservations made in advance please.  Why waste time on those details and take away from the experience?

Summer 1999 lodgings (now a construction site for new flats).

But I was interested to see the UK through an "adult lens"--no longer restricted by a student bank account.  Was it different?  Yes.  Better?  In some ways.  I did discover that the boy and girl who wandered about the UK 11 years ago are all grown-up now (I can't even remember who I was/what I was thinking back then), but we still love to travel together.  Some things never change.



The Northern Neck and Tangier Island

A watermen's shack, Tangier Island, Virginia.

To toast the end of graduate school, the DINKs took a small getaway to the Northern Neck of Virginia.  About 3 hours from DC, the Northern Neck is a spit of land that juts out between the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay.  Several islands that rest in the Bay are accessible by ferry along the Northern Neck.  The islands and the Northern Neck have long histories when compared to other parts of the United States.  Old plantations--including Robert E. Lee's birthplace, Stratford Hall Plantation (constructed in 1738!). The Captain and Explorer John Smith visited Tangier Island.  The tiny island community has attracted the attention of linguists because its people speak a unique English Restoration era dialect of American English. Each of the original surnames and several of the present surnames on the island originated in the United Kingdom, predominantly from Scotland.  The DINKs were fascinated to visit one of these islands (others include Smith Island and Tilghman Island). 

Roadsign sinking into the marshland, Tangier Island, Virginia.

We took a ferry from Reedville on a clear and hot July morning--choosing to take daytrip, but stay on the mainland.  I have to say, we were sort of disappointed.  The island was compact and walkable, but there really wasn't much to see.  For a place that has had people on it since the 1600s, I guess I expected more.  It's just a small fishing community.  I don't regret the trip, but I was ready to get on the ferry at 2:30 and I am glad we stayed in Reedville on the mainland.  We chose the B&B, The Gables, built in the early 20th century by a wealthy fishermen (the area is famous for menhaden--a type of little fish that is used in everything).  We had a room in an annex  (the homes old carriage house), steps away from the Bay.  After the daytrip to Tangier, we spent the late afternoon sitting on the lawn, watching the water and a family of osprey.  The next morning, we wandered around the quiet streets of Reedville, impressed that all the houses had lovely water views and water access, then spent an interesting hour exploring the Reedville Fishermen's Museum and learned all there is to know about menhaden.  We then slowly made our way back to DC, stopping at Oak Crest Vineyard in King George.  And then stopped for crabcakes right along the Bay.  Overall, the weekend was a nice blend of nature, history and relaxation.  It reminded us that Virginia has a lot of interesting things to offer and a rich history!

The DINKs 2010 travels.

Since I killed http://www.thetravelingdinks.com/ last spring, we had the chance to take a few weekend trips and one major trip to Europe.  I'll break down each of these trips in a few posts, but here is a quick breakdown:

1.  End of July.  I graduated. Joy.  To celebrate, we took a fun little trip to Reedville, VA and Tangier Island off the Northern Neck.

2.  End of August.  The annual trip to the AMEE conference.  This year it was held in Glasgow, Scotland so we took some time to visit the British Isles.  This was the a bit of a nostalgic tour for us since the UK was our first big international trip when we were college kids.  We spent time in London, took daytrips to Richmond and Bath, then flew to Belfast and rented a car and tooled around County Antrim in Northern Ireland; finally we went to Glasgow and took daytrips to Edinburgh and the Trossachs.

3.  November.  A long weekend to our favorite cabin in the VA countryside.  The weather was unseasonably warm and we had a lovely, peaceful time.

4.   December.  A long weekend some place warm is always a welcome treat when the weather cools in DC.  We escaped to Miami, staying at the campy chic The Standard on the Bay side of South Beach.  We had some memorable meals--one at Indomania (Indonesian fare) and a return visit to the always special Wish.  We did get stuck an extra day in South Beach because of weather troubles elsewhere, but there are worse places to find yourself stuck!

The Traveling DINKs are back!



The DINKs (Anne & Kevin) in 2005  taking in the sites of Symi, Greece (where they will be again in 2011).

Happy New Year!  Life always has a glossy, fresh feel in January.  Resolutions are made.  Then promptly broken.  Still, I want to give blogging another try.  As some of you may remember/know, I had a blog: http://thetravelingdinks.com/ during graduate school last year.  It was truly a class assignment and managing it--posting nearly daily--became tiring.  So after the class ended, I blew up the site.  Now that graduate school is done and I've had some space and time, I think it's time to give this a try again. This time, it will be more relaxed.  If I have nothing to report on the travel front, I may not post for weeks and weeks.  But with so many travels on the horizon--Asia, Europe--I just couldn't let 2011 go by without giving this travel blog another try.

So enjoy!