Caroline. This is a WWI Battleship and the only survivor
of the Battle of Jutland. Its impeccably maintained and
inexpensive to tour. Aidan and I love battleships, and
we spent most of the afternoon climbing up and down
ladders, into the galley and down to the engine room.
Finally, we returned to our flat-share, enjoyed a home
cooked meal and good night’s sleep. Early to rise, we
ventured forth to meet our tour bus downtown.
I chose a tour that promised cliffs and crashing waves,
castles and rope bridges and a little glimpse into the
world of The Game of Thrones. Our guide was friendly
and entertaining, singing Irish songs as our bus cruised
through a beautiful landscape of rolling meadows dotted
with cows and sheep. Ireland really is as green as they
say. We were even treated to a double rainbow. It was all I
could do to turn my thoughts from leprechauns and pots
of gold. We rode until we reached the Irish Sea.
The bus made one small stop before we arrived at Giant’s
Causeway. Our guide told us the tale of a castle, a lord
and his lady. According to the legend, this lord and lady
were in their chambers, waiting for dinner to be served,
when they heard a mighty crash from below. Rushing
down the stone staircase, they saw that the entire kitchen,
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WINTER GARDEN MAGAZINE
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JANUARY 2019
staff and all, had fallen into the sea.
I want you to see Giant’s Causeway before you die. Everyone,
put this on your bucket list. It is a magnificent collection
of soaring basalt columns, fused, in an interlocking march
to the sea. A “unique rock formation” does very little to
describe it so fortunately for you, there is yet another
legend to explain this phenomenon. According to Irish
and Scottish lore, there were two giants, Fionn, otherwise
known as Finn, and Benandonner, his Scottish rival. Finn
had a score to settle, and built a causeway across the Irish
Sea, so that he could reach Scotland without getting his
feet wet. Once there, he went to Benandonner’s house,
intent on starting a fight. But first, he peeked through the
window. When he saw the massive Benandonner, he raced
home in fear, back over the causeway to his cozy hearth
and sympathetic wife. On and on he wailed, drowning his
sorrows in gallons of good Irish whisky until he passed
out in a drunken stupor. His clever wife then dressed him
in baby clothes and put him in a bassinet. Not much time
passed before Benandonner caught wind of Finn’s visit
and came looking for him. Finn’s wife calmly answered the
door and informed their visitor that her husband wasn’t
home. “But do have a look at our beautiful baby boy”
she said. As soon as the Scottish giant saw the “baby” he
Photography: Tracy Pretorius