Belfast!

Alright, back on track - sorry for the delay! I was without the internet while in Ireland, but our time was so short there that I probably wouldn't have had time to blog anyways.

Can I just say that I LOVE Ireland? The pictures don't lie- it really is super green there. And the people are so sweet and jolly! I thought I would like it, sure, but I didn't expect to fall in love with the place and never want to leave! And it was so nice to see and smell the ocean. We were so very blessed with great whether for the majority of our stay.

We went on a little tour around the city after we dropped our bags off at the hotel - a Hilton Hotel at that, which was an upgrade times ten compared to the place we've been staying in in London. It was soooo wonderful.

Our room in the Hilton! Cute Mary was my roommate/bed buddy.

zee bathroom

Thought the elevator ceiling was neat

Back to the tour...On the tour I learned that Belfast was where the Titanic was birthed - who knew?! We went to the harbor where it last sat before its departure, which was pretty cool actually.

Where it last sat.. the engineering aspect of this space was amazing. It could hold one hundred million gallons that could be emptied in 100 minutes. I think it holds the world record, or at least use to.

Next year will be its 100th anniversary

Since Belfast isn't really known for it's architecture and design, we learned more about its history.

We learned about Ireland's political issues, called 'The Troubles,' which, as you probably know, has been going on for years and years. In Belfast, there's a peace wall that separates two neighborhoods called the Peace Wall. This wall separates those who are for being part of the UK and those who aren't. Graffiti and art cover the wall, mostly by tourists expressing their love and hope for Ireland. So, as sad as it is that a wall was put up to separate people of different opinions, it is also neat to see how other people care.

Only a very small portion- it was about as long as three blocks

 

We all wanted to go to a pub, of course, so after getting lost a few times, we finally found ourselves a good place to eat - though I think it was more of a restaurant. Anyhow, it was still a very fun atmosphere. I chose to have a more traditional meal of potatoes and sausages. Yumm!

Very appetizing presentation for my empty stomach!