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Revitalized Fish
River Lagan's mascot Woke up feeling semi-refreshed. Would've been much better without the 2 hour alarm interlude. Noted that my jeans and bra were still rolled up besides my runners, just in case...
Stepped into the shower, and I'm really not leaving here now. Rain shower head. Ahhhh. After pampering myself a bit, I head down for breaky. A hot Irish breakfast is included, and Black & White Pudding is once again on the menu. Still not going there!
Very windy today, and it's sunny one minute, and rain showers the next. Walked around the main area of town. Belfast city (downtown) is actually quite small. It's a real mix of new and old. Can't say that there is anything distinct about it. Wide streets, and while at first it looks clean, you would be shocked by the amount of litter people drop everywhere and anywhere.
Stopped by St. George's Market. Very much like a mini-Abbotsford flea market. Almost all food. Seems like the place for people to do their weekly shopping, with row after row of fish, sausages, cheese. Too bad I ate so much breakfast, as there is also a lot of hot prepared food, that is smelling
Fish Ceramics
close up of one of the ceramic tiles. Each one is different and tells the history awfully good.
I'm right down at the waterfront, so I walk along the River Lagan, on the new boardwalk. Pretty much no one around. Odd for a water walkway. But then again, there are no shops or cafes around, so other than a healthy walk, what would encourage people down here? I stop to check out this extraordinarily large fish statue. It's covered in ceramic tile, each one a story of Belfast. The fish represents the revitalization of the river. The river was very polluted, so they cleaned it up, and pumped oxygen in it, and voila they now have fish in there again. The shipyard where the Titanic was built is visible down the way. I don't have the energy to walk there (probably only 10-15 minutes), as it's pouring again.
When I get back to what I'll call the city centre (around city hall), I notice the hustle and bustle, while there, is not as frenetic as other cities. It's very quiet, and not rushed at all. I've also noticed that there is not a distinct "irish" look here, as there is in Dublin. As for the accent, it's a combination of Irish, Scottish, British. People
British Surveillance
The tall pink/white apartment roof (to the left) is where Brits had their surveillanc equipment. Battlegrounds just below and to the right of it. are still asking me for directions. Have my handy dandy map ready at hand today, and have come to the rescue for many.
Decide I'm going to splurge and pay £25 to Black Cabs for an hours one on one tour of the Belfast Murals, and to see the war torn neighbourhoods. This isn't a bad way to go, especially when it's pouring like this. And you get to stop for photo ops whenever you want. What I should've checked first was if there was a footbal (soccer) game on (which it was). I think it shortened my tour a bit. I would say that this tour has had the most impact on me, as it was frightening to see how bad things can get, in "civilized" society. There is so much to tell about this area, I'll just bullet it here.
- head towards Falls Rd (the Catholics side)
- see the apartment building where the Brits had their post on the roof for 38 years. The surveillance equipment was brought down only 18 month ago, as a sign of faith
- see first mural (don't know how many in total, but they appear to be endless)
-
Mural 1
Catholic side - they don't discriminate. Obvious how they fell about the US see the Peace Line (fence). This runs many miles - from the moat (which is now a major highway) to the mountains north of town. This fence/wall was put up to keep the Protestants and Catholics from killing each other. There are still 4 or so controlled crossings in this fence, some of which are not open all the time. This is topped with barbed razor wire, or a spiked metal rolls of electric fence top. Apparently no signs that this fence will come down anytime soon.
- murals are put up wherever the "group" wants them to be. On the side of your house, business, fence. You don't have any say.
- each side has many of it's own groups (read gangs).
- every mural tells a story. Either from the past or present. Most are well thought out. Some are just a rememberance of a fallen commorade.
- see a house with a plaque noting the people "killed in action" at the site. The real story - there were 4 of them in the house building a bomb when it went off.
- many homes have their yards "walled" complete with the barbed or electrified wire on top.
Mural2
Catholic side So much for those action type movies where people jump over their neighbours fences and through their houses.
- head towards Shankill Rd, which is the Protestant side.
- see many murals here which are more indicative of the groups. Some of these groups have a Youth side, where they start recruiting at 16.
- many expensive cars, on both sides - Porshes, Lamborghini, Mercedes - what on earth is this all about? The areas don't appear to be wealthy? And would you want to keep a really nice car around when the trouble kicks up?
- and there is still trouble here, and very recent. Sounds like recently it has been about money and drugs. Isn't this sounding more and more like the mafia? Not even sure that when they are killing each other that it's one religious side knocking off the other.
- the downtown area, which really isn't that far away, is considered neutral. Although neutrality doesn't mean you aren't involved. The area still has been bombed, many times.
- remember the metal gates pulled down each night in front of each store front, and the "they really don't want anyone to hang around at night" comment?
Mural3
Catholic side Maybe they could take a lesson from NYC. 10 years later, and they have pretty much taken back the city.
After leaving the area, I was quite troubled by what I had seen. There were many tour buses, and taxis all taking the tourists around. No trouble, and you don't get the feeling that there would be. Yet, trouble is at hand, and probably brewing while you're there. Maybe they want the tourists there to see their stories, or ??? I really wonder - is this fight about Northern Ireland remaining under British rule vs being a part of Ireland, or is it a religious war between Protestants and Catholics, or has it just gone on so long, that no one really knows what it's about anymore? If most of the trouble is now with drugs and money, doesn't that just allows them to keep on the fight?
It was interesting to hear how many people said they were neutral. I would say that it might be true on the surface, but you get the distinct feeling that there are some really strong feelings behind the facade. I really think it means, I'm not taking sides and would
Mural4
Catholic Side - the far left mural is about the hunger strike where many died. you just quit the fighting and try to get along.
The other freaky thing I learned was a bit of family history. I told the cab driver that my great-grandfather who lived outside of Belfast, was an Orangeman, and could he explain what that would've meant during that time period. He gave me the oddest look, and said, "they're really just like the Klu Klux Klan". I sputtered, and felt a wave of shock come over me. A family member was part of a group that was like the KKK. Oh the shame of it! He obviously saw my distress, and added, "When they started, it was just a group of people trying to protect their own. There family and neighbours were being killed, and they felt they needed to do something. Where it went, well..." The soccer game was now in full force, and apparently my tour was now up.
To shake this heavy thought process off, I decided it was time to do some drinking. Who cares that it's only 4:00 in the afternoon. Across the street from the hotel is a famous pub called the Crown. For £6, you can take a 2.5 hour pub
Mural5
Catholic side crawl through some of the oldest pubs in Belfast, and it starts at the Crown, and ends at the Crown. 30 second walk there, and probably only a 5 minute stagger back, when all is said and done!
This tour was well worth it. The woman who led it was very knowledgable, and while there is absolutely no reason why you couldn't wander around to each of these places yourself, it's interesting to hear some of the stories behind this places. Hard not to have quite a few tales when you're 400 years old.
The Crown is the most interesting of them all. Ceramic tile outside, beautifully restored inside, with elaborate ceiling and all the original woodwork. What made this place unique was that you really don't see anyone (other than those right at the bar) when you come in. The entire place consists of many little rooms (wall height about 5' tall), complete with door and the funkiest little gargoyle type wood statuettes on the top of them. In the old days, people would come in, and they wouldn't want anyone to know they were there, so they could come in the front door, quickly get into
Mural6
Protestant Side. Talk about the KKK... Note this is the side of someone's house & fence. Wonder what they think about that? a booth along with their cronies, shut the door, when they wanted a drink they pushed a buzzer which lit up their booth # on a sign (indicating to bartender to bring you some drinks), and when they were done they got up and went out the back door. And no one is the wiser. Wouldn't you have liked to have been a fly on the wall in some of those booths!!!!
We don't spend a lot of time at any of the pubs (enough to suck back a drink quickly though), as you are covering a lot of ground in between all these places. Most you wouldn't even know about, as you come to them off a side street, then another, and another, and so on. The reason for this was that since there weren't really streets or sidewalks, people just got to places using a pathway through their neighbours yards, which became a right of way, and then "the way". Each was unique, mostly small, and all full. Some even had the soccer game playing. Of course it rained on and off, but we were on a mission.
All this walking did nothing to even sustain
Mural7
Protestant side - fallen comrade a buzz, so after the tour, I figure I should continue my sightseeing. I headed down the road from the hotel to the University grounds where the Botanic Gardens are. They are open to dusk, but someone forgot to mention that some gates were locked earlier, and the one thing I really wanted to see, the Palm House, had closed at 5. Oh well, it's a beautiful location, so well worth the walk around. Not many people as it's once again pouring. I finally decide to stop under a big tree, and look up local restaurants in my What's On book, and wait out this last rain storm. Unfortunately, the rain doesn't deter everyone. A man (a bit wild looking), who is riding a bike, with what looks like all his worldly belongings in plastic bags hanging off the handle bars, stops to chat. I figured he was looking for money, but it turns out that he's just interested in where I'm from. I really don't want to pursue any conversation with him, but almost 15 minutes later, I finally get to make the break (what's wrong with us Canadians not wanting to hurt anyone's feelings?). Upon my departure, he
Mural8
Protestant side. hands me a sheet of paper that he has been madly writing on while we (he) have been talking. He tells me has Aspergers (sp?) which explains how he appeared to be so knowledgeable about a diverse amount of things, even knowing what page and line was worth looking at. Since I have no idea about any of this, I can only assume he knew what he was talking about. He listed out physics, mathematics, health, and god only knows what else, all with author, page #s, and specific notes. He also included his name (Cyril Lindsay) and address, asking me to send him a postcard from Canada. While he did kind of freak me out, he did give me a lot of interesting local history, especially about many famous people who came from the area (CS Lewis). It was shocking how many peoples names I knew, and I had no idea they had come from Northern Ireland. I guess for them to suceed, they needed to move on, and that's exactly what most of them did.
On the way home I stopped at one of the recommended italian restaurants called Zio. Can't say it was anything other than
Mural9
Protestant side - old old history is important too ok. I walked back to the hotel, and decided I would watch tv for about an hour (internet cafes are hard to come by around here, and when you did find one, it closed at 6 pm, thus this is why I'm writing this long after I'm back in London) and then head back to one of the pubs where they were playing traditional music. Well, my quick break ended up being the sleep of the dead, as I was out for the count. Oh well, there's always tomorrow night.
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Reymos
How about the present good side of Belfast?
It seems that you only visited the pubs and the past - as represented by the murals in your photos. How about the good things happening in the city -once a troubled ground? How about the new development happening along Laganside, The Titanic Quarter, Custom House Square, Queen's Uni area? Im temporarily residing in Belfast for almost two years, and for me this a good place for tourists. Not comparable to Dublin, but people here more nicer, who greet you along the road. Unless you want a polluted, noisy, traffic and bad people around, then Belfast is not in the list. Rey