The 'Game of Thrones' Lives in Northern Ireland!

My trip to Northern Ireland was something I'd been planning for a while. And the landscape was amazing! While I will be the first to admit that I have never seen a single episode of the Game of Thrones, I had heard all about it from my kids. And so when the small tour bus I was on stopped at the "Dark Hedges" I was thrilled to see the entryway the Stewart Family planted in the 18th century to impress anyone headed toward their home. There are 150 beech trees, looking just as eerie as any "King's Road" could ever possibly look. The light on the trees just looks like something in a movie. I took pictures just because it was so impressive, but it's hard to get a photo there without people in it. The tour buses are a constant.  

And a few stops later we found ourselves in a tiny town called Carnlough. They proudly post pictures of the HBO series and boast the role Northern Ireland plays in it's authenticity. In fact the small harbor in the town was used as a landing in the series called Braavos. And they have photos of the depiction in the series in the harbor so you can compare them to real life in a harbor that is used to this day.

But there's no doubt that my favorite was the small store across the street from the harbor. It is like an Irish 7-11. And when I walked in they had homemade ice cream for sale. And in the mix was a type called "Game of Cones". So of course I had to try it.

Really? Who wouldn't try this?

When I got back on the bus and most people had coffee for the next segment of the trip. I proudly said," Hey, in case you want it they have "Game of Cones" ice cream!", laughing and showing the cone in my hand. Not a single person on the bus even smiled. I think that's why I usually avoid tours. But c'mon, that's funny in any culture! Their loss. It was fabulous!