Strawberry Fayre Tea Room, Coleraine, Northern Ireland

It was exciting to discover the Strawberry Fayre Tea Room seemingly in the middle of nowhere in Northern Ireland. After our adventures for the morning, we returned to this tea room to enjoy a late lunch.

With plenty of parking in the back, we ventured inside.

Susanna ordered the soup of the day (carrot zucchini) served alongside an order of egg mayonnaise sandwiches. The egg mayonnaise sandwich consisted of cut up slices of egg, red onion, and mayonnaise on white bread - not quite egg salad, but essentially the same ingredients.

This yummy cheese and pickle toastie (filled with melted cheese and savory chutney) came with a medley of corn and veggie salad.

The large cherry scone was served with butter and jelly, optional whipped cream was an extra charge. And a large pot of  tea.

When we asked about the 'tray bake' listed on the menu, the hostess brought out this array of desserts, and you were able to select the one that you preferred from cakes to cookies.

Our adventures on this day took us to the Giant's Causeway with a guided tour of the geologic and volcanic structures.

And also to the Carrick-a-Rede Rope bridge. Steep steps, short bridge span, and a long hike coupled with beautiful vistas along the causeway coastline made for a fabulous, slightly daring adventure.

An Cupán Tae Café, Dingle, Ireland

This busy little tea café, An Cupán Tae Café, is located in the town of Dingle, Ireland, on the Dingle Peninsula along the Atlantic Coast. After we strolled some of the gift shops in this touristy town, we ended up here for a fine cup of tea, served with milk and sugar, of course.

 

Order from the menu board, or be seated and a waitress will take your order.

Tea and cakes while enjoying the beautiful day in Ireland.

The colorful variety of buildings adds charm to this little seaside community. We stopped in a range of shops, from the typical touristy shop with souvenirs and trinkets to artistic specialty gift shops. Cedar found his souvenir, a hand crafted leather belt that was sized to order.

The donkey is trained to hee haw for a carrot when he hears the clink of the coins in the tin can. His owner produced a carrot from his sack to reward both the donkey and the tourist.

Beautiful Ireland Vistas

There is an unbelievable number of photographs on multiple phones capturing the essence of Ireland as we journeyed around the emerald isle. Simply enjoy the beauty of this foreign land as captured through our adventures.

Afternoon Tea at Titanic Hotel, Belfast, UK

Across the way from the Titanic Museum sits the Titanic Hotel, a boutique hotel, which conveniently offers an Afternoon Tea, a perfect interlude while exploring the museum.

Just the girls for tea today.

The tantalizing array of sandwiches included Cream Cheese and Cucumber on Granary, Oak Smoked Salmon and Dill on Guinness Wheaten, Free Range Egg Mayonnaise and Pea Shoots open face on Sourdough, and Irish Ham and Mustard on Soft White.

The middle tier held scrumptious plain and raisin Scones served with a jar of Devon Cream and a jar of Lemon Curd alongside butter pats and strawberry preserves.

And the selection of sweet treats featured Panna Cotta with Black Cherry and Chocolate Mousse and buttercream topping, Strawberry Meringue with Lemon Verbena, Fresh Fruit Tartlet, Orange Blossom Cupcake with Chocolate Buttercream Topping, and Chocolate and Pistachio Cream Éclair. Such a delicious afternoon tea!

The Titanic Museum Belfast, built in 2012, is located in the city's waterfront Titanic Quarter where the infamous ocean liner was originally built and offers a comprehensive study of what was happening in thriving Belfast at the time with the growing flax industry. It covered the excitement of the times, including the launch. It featured replicas of the living quarters on board. Eventually, as you progress through the exhibits, a somber tone sets the scene for the tragedy. Documentation of the investigation is thoroughly recorded and the eventual discovery of the sunken ship is included in this complete telling of the story.