Giant's Causway

After exploring Bollymoney in Northern Ireland, we headed up even further to Giant's Causeway.  This unique geological structure was a long time checklist on my places to see.  I didn't think it was going to happen on this trip because we weren't really planning on heading this far north, but because of our changes at the last minute, we had time! The parking was kind of funky and thanks to the advice of our host we saved ourselves some serious money like $40-50 by NOT parking at the UNSECO site and just parking at the railway station lower on the hill and walking up.  Our host told us it wasn't illegal and the trail to get to the causeway was open to the public but they built it in a way to make you feel like you have to go in through the visitor's center - price of admission to the center includes parking.  We oped for the local approach and paid for parking at the nearby railway center and they had restrooms for use too (which might not sound like a big deal but when you're road tripping in a foreign country and trying to save money you need to know where the free restrooms are). 

 This sign was pretty great welcoming to the mini train station. but once we were done with our business and had our parking secure, we walked up the hill to find the trailhead for the Giant's Causeway.

 It's not just the black basalt rocks here that are beautiful, it's the whole coast.

 I've always been a sucker for the textures of moss, water, and mineralization.

 Finally, to the naturally occurring hexagon shaped stones.

 We got there mid to afternoon and I think the sunlight might have been the very best possible lighting.

I'm including too many photos of myself here because it's so beautiful and I'm so happy I was here in real life.  Sometimes I think about the things I've accomplished simply by wanting them and it fills me with such gratitude and joy.

 I asked the husband to take one million photos and he totally obliged.

 and then I edited them with my custom presets.

hydroflask and boss dog sticker to keep us hydrated.

Okay, this one he took on his phone and told me it was a good one.

Thank goodness for self timers as well, otherwise we'd never get photos together traveling without kids.

I actually went down after him to the water to touch it and feel it, just to believe it was real.

And finally the most interesting thing I saw, these melted coins eroded from the salt and sea over the years? does it even take years? there were whole columns filled with coins rusting and decaying like this, which I will say rude humans stop destroying nature with your possessions but also so cool that nature is like nah that can't stay here.  Nature is like the mom who tells you no, but you don't listen so she makes you listen.  She is always right and her word is god, watch out if you're not respecting her.