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Were to being with this blog, after 15 days of Ireland and 1700 words that have been lost before my blog was published. I find myself redoing my blog as it just deleted and went into cyber space and its lost forever.
Arriving in Northern Ireland, Belfast. Picking up our hire car we drove into the city via Crumlin Road. Crumlin and Shankhill roads the centre of the "troubles" in Belfast as you travel down Crumlin Rd you notice the tall walls with wire running the top and the Murals which are painted on the ends of house of streets. Paintings of what has happened in history of Belfast and Crumbling Jail which is now a museum, and the actual real jail which is at the rear.We decide that we will check out the city centre. We find a vibrant city very trendy shops which are in the once historic buildings now converted with the facade still glorious Victorian buildings. Young men are dressed in a typical blue suit and tan shoes, the dress sense hasn't changed for years the Irish love the blue suits with the Tan shoes and very handsome too, sporting the man scape beards. And the
ladies also very beautiful colleens. We visit the Titanic docks were the great ship was built and were the Belfast coined the fraise "It was fine when it left here" great exhibitionIrish.Linen the best in the world used to be made in Belfast and a lot of the mills have closed and have been renovated into luxury apartments. However Linen is beginning to be woven again and sold to the European fashion houses.The night life was amazing The Crack was real good, the crack being the vibe of the pub or the bar, it is the chat the stories and the music. So when your asked did you enjoy the crack this is what they mean.We certainly slept in while we were in Ireland as the music doesn't start in the pubs till gone 9.30 10 pm and we are usually tuck up by then, so we had to sleep in so as we could stay up till the wee hours 1-2 am. omg As I mentioned earlier about Crumlin and Shankhill Roads we walked the length of Shankhill were the so called "troubles"centred. I remember watching the news as a child and a teenager and for years tried to
understand it all. And after studying even now I still am confused, still your going around in circles religion, ethnic sovereign rights it's all b..l s..t if you ask me people getting killed for what. And everyone fighting for different causes. Belfast seem to be moving forward and though when you walk the Shankhill road your stopping at plaques that commemorate the fallen, the victims the slain. Older people approach you and to tell you stories, their stories and are curious about why you come and visit. I myself, I came from Australia much easier than being British born. Even though I have Belfast blood running through my veins and catholic at that.We did meet some lovely characters in Belfast, warm and friendly. I have one bit of advise to give you all,visit Belfast and northern Ireland I loved it. Beautiful country side as we discover as we travel on to Ballycastle and around the coast to The Giants Causeway fantastic, and to Portrush harbour were we ate lunch and listened to Gallic music it was so beautiful still and tranquil. A lot of places have been made famous of late as The Game of Thrones as has filmed in
Northern Ireland beautiful scape of The Dark Hedges too was also in one of the scenes. Arriving in Londonderry, Derry as every one calls it, again the evidence of the "Troubles" are evident and felt by those who visit, feeling slightly uncomfortable after a incident. Watching from our car, some men outside a bar giving chat to some police. Then a armoured police land cruiser screeches around the corner police jump out and open the back of the cruiser and out jump 3 police officers with three sub machine guns. Exit two Australian leaving tyre marks on the road so quick I nearly S..t myself I was so scared.That night we walked right into a Orangemen's pub, once again I was Australian so everyone was fine and warmed to us we chatted and the crack was great until a guitar was taken from the wall, no doubt a fallen comrade, and a song was sung.I swear their wasn't a dry eye in the place and the guitar was hung once again. We left and wished well for our travels the next day we left for the Republic of Ireland. But I wound not have missed it at all. Traveling down
the Wild Atlantic Way through to Donegul, Galway taking In the beautiful Cliffs of Maher stunning and breath taking cliffs that fall down into the ocean. To the beautiful port town to Kinvarra. Spanish Point and Doonbeg, Kilbaha. We loved the coastal peninsula of Dingle one of the days we had spent their was raining, and Dingle has at least 30 pubs we visited at least 11 and for purely medicinal purposes sampled quite a considerable amount of Jamison, Lime and Dry. As you can imagine needed quite a few Panadol the next day, and the cold got worse.The Dingle coast is so wild and we saw such beautiful wildlife Seals and Puffins and ate the most tasty seafood and shell fish.On the road again we traveled to Killarney, Bantry Bay and the Ring of Kerry again just lovely country. By this time I was not felling the best and got the flu whilst in Cork so didn't see much.Waterford to see how the magnificent glass is blown and created and on to Enniscorthy were Glen had some family tree members to find. We found a elderly lady who, we were told knew all about graves and who were buried
were.when Glen showed her the names she looked quite destained and said well " ya won't find those names in the catholic cemetery" you'll have to go to the Protestant church yard the one up the road you'll be sure to find those in that one. We laughed so much, but we didn't find them.On to Dublin we stayed next to the Aviva stadium for those who don't know this is the place, were the Wallaby's beat the Irish at Rugby. Dublin was great we walked the streets and learned all its history and at night sang and sampled the night life I was so exhausted drinking and singing. Met some lovely new friends,people from all over the world, although it was sad to see a lot of homeless along with addicts living on the streets of Dublin.Leaving Dublin we headed to Carlingford were the Coolie mountains and the Mourne Mountain sweep down to the sea. We stayed at a farm cottage and vegged out relaxing, washing and watching movies. No drinking or late nights we were totally burned out, how could could anyone live in Ireland. It was no easy feet doing Ireland in 15 days.The Irish love their
Gin neat and drink plenty of it, they love horses and love to bet on them. We traveled back into Northern Ireland and said goodbye to Belfast and flew to Charles DeGaul Airport, Paris, France. I am deflated, as writing these blogs are not the easiest. Writing does not come naturally to me, just chatting. So when it disappeared seventeen hundred words puff and it was gone. So everyone I hope this blogs finds you all well and happy. I miss you all but we are having fun and enjoying the education. Till next time take care.
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