"You know why it is so green in Ireland?..." (NI: Day 2)

"...because it rains all the time." - Irish Woman to David at the top of Slemish Mtn

The Gorgeous Green Island

To say that Ireland is green would be an understatement. This island is so many shades of green that is it impossible to describe with words. We started the morning with a traditional Irish breakfast - tea, coffee, fried eggs, sausage, bacon (actually similar to our "ham" cuts), grilled mushrooms, soda bread, toast, baked beans, oh yeah orange juice - so very hearty indeed. Today was Cori's first day at the Michelin plant so David spent the day sightseeing. He toured the city of Ballymena (where we are staying) and also a few surrounding villages - Gracehill and Broughshane. He was able to sample some local beers at a little pub named The Thatch Inn. It actually is true to its name because it is the only building in town with a thatched roof. Broughshane probably has some of the most beautiful flower arrangements we have ever seen. I am sure the rain helps, but maybe the ladies are slipping the plants some Guinness too?!?!? David also was able to enjoy some of the hiking/walking spots - Slemish Mountain and the Buttermilk Bridge Trail along the Maine River. He enjoyed the view from Slemish so much that he decided to do it again with Cori when she got off work.

The Thatch Inn

Flower Power!

Slemish Mountain is really what we would consider a hill (only 1500 ft above sea level), but the hike up to the top was a very strenuous one and the hike down was very slippery - roundtrip about 1.2 miles. The car ride to Slemish is winding, narrow, and surrounded by plots of grasslands with sheep and cows. Slemish Mountain is important to the locals because according to history St. Patrick in his younger years was actually held as a slave for 6 years in this area. He escaped but later returned to devote the remainder of his life to bring Christianity to the Irish. On our hike down we met a local man who says he makes the trek up Slemish Mtn everyday. He was going up the mountain as we were about half way down, then by the time we were 3/4 of the way down he passed us on his way down. Apparently he knows the best routes. Later when we were walking in town, we heard a honk and turned around to see our hiker friend drive by and wave. People here are sooooo friendly and caring. David was given a tuna and corn sandwich by some friendly ladies after his first hike up and back the mountain.

Irish Sheep

The views from the top of Slemish Mountain

We were pretty tired after the hike and went in search of some good food and drinks. We found both and have retired to our room at the Adair Arms. We are still a little jet-lagged from the trip and hope to get some sleep before the weekend. We have some fun things planned and are looking forward to seeing more of this beautiful place.

Cheerio from Northern Ireland!!

Ballymena, Northern Ireland - Day 1

Hey! 3 flights & 1 crazy car ride later, we have made it to Ballymena, Northern Ireland. It was quite an experience driving on the other side of the road & car and trying to figure out all of the street signs! The countryside is beautiful and very green! On the flight into Belfast, we were even greeted by a huge beautiful rainbow, although we are still looking for the pot of gold! O well, we will settle for a Guinness, a good meal, and some sleep in a nice bed!

hmmmm...when in doubt follow the car in front of you.

Check back to read all about our adventures on the Green Isle.

Charleston Chew

Cori’s Mom, Connie, came to visit us in South Carolina for a week. We spent the first few days showing her around Greenville and she even got to watch one of our kickball games. We travelled to Charleston, SC for the weekend and had a great time touring the city and local beaches. We went on a carriage ride through historic Charleston and saw some of the old buildings and learned about some of Charleston’s history. We were also able to see two lighthouses (Morris Island, Sullivan’s Island) and spent some time swimming and playing in the Atlantic Ocean. We also ate a lot of great seafood and were able to enjoy each other’s company.

Morris Island Lighthouse

Sadly, Cara’s stay with us has ended and she and Connie made the 24+ hour drive back to South Dakota. We really enjoyed having Cara around and got to do many exciting and memorable things during her 10 weeks in SC.

3 Amigos!!

We are actually writing this blog entry as we are sitting in the airport in London, waiting for our flight to Belfast, Northern Ireland (NI). Cori has responsibilities at the Michelin tire plant in Ballymena, NI which is about a 30 minute drive from Belfast. We plan to also do some sight-seeing in NI and Ireland. This will be our first time driving in the United Kingdom – on the other side of the road & other side of the car! Hopefully we are able to acclimate ourselves and don’t have too many problems getting around. Keep checking back as we will try to update the blog throughout our trip. Cheers from the UK!!

Tents & Mansions

Last weekend we took a camping trip to Oconee County and Sumter National Forest in the Northwest corner of SC. We were a few miles from the NC and GA borders. The first night it poured rain all night. We were able to set up the tent, fix a quick meal, and start a little fire before the heavens opened up on us. So we retired to the tent earlier than we had originally intended. The next day was filled with hiking in the beautiful Sumter National Forest searching for waterfalls. We found two gorgeous falls during our trip - King Creek Falls & Blue Hole Falls. It was pretty hot that day so we took some time to play in the water and cool off!

King Creek Falls

Blue Hole Falls

Tired dogs after a day of hiking

Cara's boyfriend ( & now fiance) joined us in Greenville for the 4th of July weekend. Thursday night we went to a Greenville Drive baseball game and showed him around downtown. On Saturday we took a trip to Asheville, NC and visited the Biltmore House. The Biltmore House is the largest single family dwelling in the United States - 175, 000 square feet, 250 rooms, 99 bedrooms, 42 bathrooms, indoor swimming pool & bowling alley, library, observatory...you get the picture! It was built in the early 1900s by the Vanderbuilt Family when most people didn't have indoor plumbing or electricity, the Biltmore House and both and much more! Needless to say, the house and estate grounds were immaculate and it was a very memorable experience! The 8,000 acre grounds also include many beautiful gardens, ponds, walking trails, a farm, and a winery so it was definitely a busy day to see it all! After such a busy day, we took Sunday to just relax at the pool, barbeque, and watch fireworks with some neighbors. As we celebrate this 4th of July, we want to thank all of our friends and family who have served or are still serving in the military and help us maintain our independence in this great country! God Bless you All!

The newly engaged couple! Congrats Matt & Cara!

View from one of the Biltmore House's balconies

Matt, Cara, David, & Cori in front of the largest house in America

We have also found out last week that David got a job as an Industrial Engineer with Michelin and will be starting in August. He will be working at a different plant than Cori and his plant will be supplying the rubber products used in the tire making process. We have been very blessed and appreciate everybody's prayers and support. David is still working to finish his PhD but the opportunity for a position at such a great company was something that he couldn't pass up.