Belfast Ireland

Wednesday, September 5 We departed the U.S. for Belfast, Northern Ireland from Seattle, WA, and Portland Oregon. We met up with the east coast group in Newark, NJ. We are now 14 leaving from Newark on an overnight plane ride to Belfast.

Thursday, September 6 We arrived in Belfast, very tired and in need of sleep. We met our Program Director Denis at the airport, and we transferred to the Europa hotel in the heart of Belfast. Denis told us that our hotel is the most bombed hotel in Europe!! Very comforting.

We could not get into our rooms until 2:00 p.m., so we walked around the city, exchanged money to English pounds, and then went to the Crown Bar, one of the oldest bars in Belfast (1849) for food and Irish beer. Belfast is a robust northern metropolis of nearly half a million people. This scenic city is situated between the waters of Belfast Lough, the Belfast Hills, and the forested slopes of Cave Hill. Belfast was the catalyst of the industrial revolution in Ulster, and specialized in the development of industries like linen, rope-making, and shipbuilding, with the world's largest dry dock. The city's Victorian heritage can be seen in the stately buildings of this area and at Belfast's Grand Opera House.

Carolyn and Nancy under hanging plants

After getting into our rooms, we relaxed for a couple of hours and then gathered around 5:00 for a Welcome Drink, following by briefing and a short get-acquainted with the area around the hotel. We are all tired and look forward to a long sleep. Many of the group went out for dinner at the pub, and Rose went to the “Cheap and Cheerful” for a Subway sandwich.

Friday, September 7, Belfast/City tour After a fabulous breakfast, we visited the Belfast Museum and particularly the part about the Trouble in Belfast. We stopped for a latte and then picked up our step-on guide, Ken. We visited Belfast's compact center in Donegall Square, which is dominated by the elaborate City Hall. We drove through West Belfast's Protestant neighborhood of Shankill Road and the Catholic neighborhood of Falls Road, where large, vivid murals painted on the sides of buildings express the feelings that still run deep on both sides. Though the names of these areas were much in the news during "the Troubles," the gate in the Peace Wall between them now stands open.

Mike, Richie, Steve at Pub

After being dropped back at the hotel, we visited the oldest pub in Belfast – 1630 – called White’s pub. We had Guinness Steak Pie and wonderful coleslaw – very creamy. And of course Smithwicks beer. After that we wandered into a TK Maxx (don’t know what the “K” stands for) and Rose found a blue willow cup that was made in Ireland!! We left the boys and shopped our way back to the hotel. Out of English pounds!!

Bob and Jim outside of Pub

Learned that TIPS stands for To Insure Proper Service, and in Ireland you don’t tip unless you have good service. Ish ka ba” means Irish Whiskey, and if you are Here for a Great Craic or Might Craic, you are here for a good time. Our bus driver Jerry is called a “steerologist”. In Northern Ireland, they are on the English system or measurement and in the Irish Republic, they are on the metric system. Although we had Liner (lunch and dinner), we will eat light, as we are on the road in the morning. Bags out at 7:00 and out and gone (AIS—which means ass in seat) by 8:30 a.m.


LEFT TO RIGHT Millie, Richie, Eleanor, Steve, Mike, Bob, Luci, Rose, Jim, Nancy, Carolyn, Roy, Gary, Vicki

East Coast and West Coast Gang