Belfast

We spent a day in Belfast.  It is a relatively young city for Europe.  People have lived here for a long time, but it didn't really develop until the Industrial Revolution in the earlier part of the 19th century.

We spent the morning being toured around the different parts of Belfast. As PJ put it, The Troubles started in Derry but ended with a vengeance in Belfast.  As in Derry, murals commemorate the struggle.  

This mural depicts Bobby Sands, who was both an IRA member and politician.

At some point, the conflict and violence was so bad that the authorities built what they called a peace wall.

What it really was, and still is, is a 10 foot wall that separates the Catholic/Nationalist neighborhoods from the Protestant/Unionist neighborhoods.

PJ also took us through the Protestant/ Unionist part of town. They have their own murals and their own messages.

There is a different feel to the Protestant/Unionist murals. A little more angry. Greater use of violent symbols, like guns.

One thing I noticed was that the Protestant/Unionist part of town has not experienced the same level of rebuilding as the Catholic/ Nationalist side. PJ conjectured that the Unionists may have lost out during the peace negotiations in part because they were resistant to the entire process.

During The Troubles about a third of the buildings were bombed. During the Celtic Tiger boom years, which began after the peace accords, rebuilding in the downtown area began. This explains the interesting mix of post-modern architecture next to Victorian era buildings.  If you are into architecture, Belfast is definitely a place to see.

Belfast also boasts its resoonse to the leaning Tower of Pisa.

Behold, the leaning Tower of Prince Albert. 

It actually does lean although it was recently stabilized.

We also went to Stormont, which is the seat of Northern Ireland's power sharing government. It's an impressive building in an impressive landscape.

Unfortunately, we weren't able to go inside.

This is the drive up to Stormont. Can you imagine walking this during the horse and buggy days?

We also went to the Titanic museum, which would have been interesting if you really knew nothing about it.  The only thing I thought was interesting was the description of the growth of the city leading up to the building of the Titanic.

Afterwards, PJ dropped us off at Queens College.

This is a beautiful building.

Marcos and I walked through the Belfast Botanical Gardens (see the Gallery) and then just wandered around the city.  We ended up on a local history tour of the Clifton Street Cemetery led by Joe.

Joe telling us about Henry Joy McCracken who started the United Irishmen which eventually evolved into the Irish Republican Army.  Henry's sister, Mary Ann, is also buried here. She is reponsible for preventing Ireland from becoming a slave trading nation.

Joe gave a wonderful tour which gave us a little more information about the history of the city and its people. The short of it is that the people who invented color printing (the RGB/CYMK system), christmas cards, spam, and milk of magnesia are all buried here. I  addition, 7412 victims of the potatoe blight and untold numbers of victims of the 1832-33 cholera epidemic are buried in mass graves on this site.  We got lucky to be in the right place at the right time.

We then walked back to the hotel for a good night's sleep.