Ballintoy

We just got back from staying overnight in Ballintoy. Just the drive there was amazing. Everything is so green and there are fields and fields of sheep. Then, the most amazing cliffs you have ever seen, all dropping off into the ocean as far as the eye can see. It is just hills and cliffs and green and sheep and OCEAN! and it is breathtaking. We walked out to a point where a church was on a pier and watched the sunset and I took tons of pictures that I will post more soon. We drove into Ballycastle and had fish and chips for dinner and came back to our quaint little hostel and slept in wooden bunkbeds with a group of Italians..yes, strangers. But I slept better than I have in heavenly beds at the Westin, as I snuggled in my sleeping bag and looked out the little sky light and was awakened by the baa of the field of sheep nearby.

This morning I had breakfast on the go...instant coffee left by strangers at the hostel and an apple pancake I ate with my hands as I waited on the gang by the car. We then went to this amazing rope bridge and crossed over and took pictures along the cliffs. There were big sailboats out in the ocean and I wanted to be on one...but then I decided to be grateful for the fact that I was standing in Northern Ireland, looking over the ocean, viewing Scotland from a distance and could feel the cool grass between my toes and counted my blessings. We went to a little oceanside cafe for lunch and I had vegetable soup with Wheaten (bread) and then the best desert, Irish Cream Lumpty Dumpty...to die for.

We are now back at Georgina's having tea and planning our camping trip on the beach tonight. She just got back from the bakery with fresh bread for our sandwiches for our trip tonight.

I will post pictures ASAP. It may be late tomorrow night before I get back to my house in Ballymoney. I am not sure what I am doing on Sunday, but will be leaving early Monday for Belfast, then flying to Amsterdam. I don't know details yet, but a friend from Holy Given has offered to let me stay in a community home with her friends in Amsterdam. On Wednesday morning they go out to the Red Light District and pray for and minister to the women there. The thoughts of doing that intimidate me a whole lot, but how amazing would that be? I would really like to have the opportunity to do that. So I may go to Zutphen on Monday and stay until Wednesday morning and then take the train into Amsterdam, lug bags across the street from Central Station to this "community" house and go out with the group to minister and then meet up with a friend of Monique's to see Amsterdam some on Thursday, or perhaps just strike off by myself. Then my flight leaves Friday morning, still praying for first class favor.

More soon...I really got some amazing photos.