Day 9 ~ Ulster American Folk Park

Today we trekked out to Ulster American Folk Park in Northern Ireland. Just to answer a few questions I've already had the answers are:

~ there is not a formal border to cross into Northern Ireland
~ there is a definite 'different' feeling to Northern Ireland. A few examples are...the roads are much better, the houses look different, the signs are in miles, the prices are in sterling, there are British flags everywhere!

Okay...getting back to the park. It was a wonderful place to learn about the history of the Irish people. It was interactive and show life in Ireland all the way from a one roomed thatched cottage through the stages of wealth all the way to the Irish immigrating to America. It was incredibly well done. It was a cool day and the park wasn't very busy so we had plenty of space to wander around.
Here we are in front of the one roomed thatched cottage. In many of the homes/buildings there would be a person dressed in the costume of the day doing story-telling or answering questions. After listening to what life might be like for the poorest of the poor I was utterly grateful to be living in modern times.

Nathan got a turn to pump the fire in the metalsmith's building. The man in charge told Nate to pose nicely so 'his sister' could take a picture. Ahhh...Irish blarney...loved it!!!!

They had a bit of a 'working' farm in this set up. Geese, ducks, chickens and the sort. It made it all feel very authentic.

At this house they even had fresh soda bread baking over the fire. 'Your man' was keeping watch so we couldn't sneak a taste. ('Your man' is a generic term for someone you don't know...to us it's like saying 'that guy')

They even had an old school house with slates they kids could practice their lettering on. I could have spent a lot more time in each building but again...the babies needed to keep on the move so they wouldn't get fussy.

They even replicated an old fashioned village street. Truth be told most of their villages still look this way. Each store front held an authentic store, often with a person 'working' in it. We got tickets from the printing press to take us across the sea to America.

Inside the last building is a replicated ship that's huge! I had to over expose this photo since it was very dim in there. You can walk through the ship and on the other side you are in 'America'.

Inside the ship there was a lady explaining what a voyage might be like for a common passenger. Let's just say I probably wouldn't make it. One meal a day, no shower/bathrooms, no privacy, rocking and tossing from the sea, sickness, stench etc.

The kids on the deck of the ship firing away at pirates.

Well, here we are in 'America'. We got to sample some hot, fresh cornbread with apple butter. Yum!

This was the last display. A nice gentleman offered to take a group shot for us. We took MANY more pictures but I simply cannot put them all on here. There is a link at the bottom of this post to the park if you want to see more.

A final shot as we departed with our memories and a few souveniers. Farewell Ulster Park....we had a good time.

A shot of Darryl's car ahead of us in traffic. Just wanted to show how the signs are not bilingual in Northern Ireland.

I took many shots in the moving car through the window. I thought these houses were particularly lovely.

Our sweet babies. Liam and Emma sitting in a tree......

And finally I had to take evidence of our late night feasting. Generally we'd watch TV or a movie after the kids went to bed. Darryl would often jump up at some point, rummage in the kitchen and come back with a tasty snack. Tonight's selection was cheese, crackers, fruit and smoked salmon with cream cheese on Irish bread. Very tasty!

Ulster American Folk Park