Donegal – Everything and Nothing
The first thing you notice about Donegal are the colours. The powerful combination of green hills, blue ocean, sandy beaches, and brooding skies means you are always looking at a fantastic mix of contrasting shades. Throw in some meandering sheep and cows, and the occasional brightly painted house, and you’re pretty much walking through a living painting.
There is actually very little agriculture in Donegal. For all its aesthetic, the soil is actually pretty poor and most of the land is devoted to peat and grazing livestock. The roads are not in the best condition (driving on the narrow winding roads is taking your life into your hands – which we did a lot), and the climate is strangely temperamental (you can get an idea from the cloud formations in the pictures below).
We were there for Tom’s friend’s birthday party, and stayed at a very cute B&B right near a beach. We spent most of our time wandering around Donegal to see the sights (waterfalls! the ocean! frolicking lambs!) and breathing in the fresh (and windy) air. Among other things, we ate phenomenal seafood chowder at Nancy’s, played a game of Pitch ‘n’ Putt (yes, I actually played golf), wandered into the Atlantic ocean (I made it up to my knees, but Diana, armed with a wetsuit and went all the way in), and drank Buckfast (a Donegal, um, specialty that tastes like carbonated cherry wine) in the back of a minibus.
Diana says Donegal is her favourite part of Ireland, and I can see why. The stunning terrain and laid-back lifestyle of the area are pretty mesmerizing…. I’d go there again in a heartbeat.
And Speaking of Birthdays…
So here I am, staring down the barrel of my Dirty Thirty. Who could believe it? Though it seems strange to have a birthday in a place that is not home and where I don’t have friends, it seems kind of fitting. I don’t have to go through the anxiety attack that often accompanies 30 – that “Oh my god, what am I doing with my life?” feeling. After all, I’m smack in the middle of that already.
No specific plans for my birthday – in fact, I’m not sure if I will still be in Belfast or back in Dublin. But I’m sure there will be some pre-birthday celebrations in Belfast with my sister. Which reminds me, I need to go catch the bus to Belfast now…
The first thing you notice about Donegal are the colours. The powerful combination of green hills, blue ocean, sandy beaches, and brooding skies means you are always looking at a fantastic mix of contrasting shades. Throw in some meandering sheep and cows, and the occasional brightly painted house, and you’re pretty much walking through a living painting.
There is actually very little agriculture in Donegal. For all its aesthetic, the soil is actually pretty poor and most of the land is devoted to peat and grazing livestock. The roads are not in the best condition (driving on the narrow winding roads is taking your life into your hands – which we did a lot), and the climate is strangely temperamental (you can get an idea from the cloud formations in the pictures below).
We were there for Tom’s friend’s birthday party, and stayed at a very cute B&B right near a beach. We spent most of our time wandering around Donegal to see the sights (waterfalls! the ocean! frolicking lambs!) and breathing in the fresh (and windy) air. Among other things, we ate phenomenal seafood chowder at Nancy’s, played a game of Pitch ‘n’ Putt (yes, I actually played golf), wandered into the Atlantic ocean (I made it up to my knees, but Diana, armed with a wetsuit and went all the way in), and drank Buckfast (a Donegal, um, specialty that tastes like carbonated cherry wine) in the back of a minibus.
Diana says Donegal is her favourite part of Ireland, and I can see why. The stunning terrain and laid-back lifestyle of the area are pretty mesmerizing…. I’d go there again in a heartbeat.
And Speaking of Birthdays…
So here I am, staring down the barrel of my Dirty Thirty. Who could believe it? Though it seems strange to have a birthday in a place that is not home and where I don’t have friends, it seems kind of fitting. I don’t have to go through the anxiety attack that often accompanies 30 – that “Oh my god, what am I doing with my life?” feeling. After all, I’m smack in the middle of that already.
No specific plans for my birthday – in fact, I’m not sure if I will still be in Belfast or back in Dublin. But I’m sure there will be some pre-birthday celebrations in Belfast with my sister. Which reminds me, I need to go catch the bus to Belfast now…
posted by tsunamivalentine at 6:03 AM
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