Downhill

Was scrolling through some old travel pictures that I've tucked away on my desktop when I came upon these taken at Downhill, N. Ireland, some 2 years ago. I couldn't help but pause to drink in the beautiful sight and was taken back in time, remembering the moment I first set eyes on this vast sandy beach, the clear blue water, huge white foamy waves and thought to myself I've never seen a more lovely beach in my life.

Downhill is a little town of no consequence, made up of a cluster of 5-6 houses right at the foot of a steep cliff and hence it's name. There are no shops, just 1 bus stop and a small rail-bridge where locals drive under to get to the beach. Luckily for us, there is a young couple who fell in love with the place and ran a youth hostel just beside the rail-tracks on the east end of the beach and that's how we came to spend one night at this amazing place.

We were forewarned that we will not be able to get groceries at downhill hence MX and I bought some food before we left the previous town. We thought it would be nice to have a BBQ dinner on the beach, listening to the waves and watching the sun set, hence we also bought one of those disposible charcoal filled aluminium BBQ trays and some seasoned meat. Unfortunately, we forgot that it was summer and not surprisingly, the sun still shows no sign of retreat by 7pm.

We were so desperately hungry by then and we can't wait another 2 hours for the sun to set but it was too hot to sit on the beach, so what do we do?? Haha, true to our national culture, we used an umbrella of course!! *LOL*

MX found a shady spot by the bushes and used his umbrella to block out the sun for me as I cuddled beside him on the beach and cooked. Sitting amongst twigs with the sun blaring from one side and the BBQ giving off heat from the front wasn't exactly comfortable and I was worried about getting sand into the food everytime we moved or when the wind blew. In my haste to start cooking before the flame has settled, the chicken was burnt on all sides and I remembered having to de-carbon them before feeding MX who was still gamely following the movement of the sun with the small umbrella which was pointing almost horizontally by then. Our situation was so parched, amusing, hungry, windy, sandy, uncomfortable, carbon-filled and sore (my back from nothing to lean on and MX's arms I believe) that that few hours on the beach had been forever etched into my mind. =) Ah... what comforts young couples would sacrifice for romance!! *grins* =) I guess finding that moment irresistably charming also means that I was so very much in love. =P But honestly, the whole evening was brilliant and I wouldn't change a single thing.

And this picture below was our view of the sea while we were scrunched up at the back of the beach BBQ-ing.

The sun set at 9pm that day and we had already returned to the hostel and showered by then. So, we caught it together from our hostel window.

It is true that the best moments in life are free.
So are happy memories.