Throwback Thursday (TBT) Part I – Northern Ireland 2013

In honour of family members and friends who will visit Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in 2015, I thought I’d share some snippets of our journey to this very verdant (read: green) land.

Our first stop on the island came via ferry from Cairnryan, Scotland to Belfast, Northern Ireland. This was a most decadent way to travel – there was an arcade, a spa, a cafeteria, a lounge/bar and a kids centre. I personally did not spend a lot of time on deck (why stand in the wind when you can sit inside on a comfy chair I ask you) but my family did. The arrival into Belfast was a sight because the port area is still so vibrant with gantry cranes, other vessels, buildings and so on. The main purpose of our visit to Belfast was the Titanic Museum. This is undoubtedly the most spectacular (modern) museum I have had the pleasure to visit. It was still quite new when we visited and therefore required a reservation to enter. It was worth every penny we spent on admission and every crowded room we entered. Many types of new technologies (touchscreen, 3D imagery) as well as old (photographs, display cases, models of artifacts) were used to enthrall the visitor. And enthralled we were. It is an excellent testament to a significant piece of Belfast and world history.

 

Arriving in Belfast (from the ferry)

Titanic Museum

Titanic Dry Dock

Tim Horton’s Takes Over The World! (Or just Belfast)

 

Our accommodations were located just a short walk from the museum at the very family-friendly Premier Inn-Titantic Quarter. Although at the time there was an absence of eateries near the hotel, I would say that because of the ongoing revitalization of the area, the surroundings would look somewhat different today.

We also had the pleasure of making the acquaintance of a distant family member on my husband’s side who lives in Belfast. He kindly took us on a lovely drive down the coast to enjoy dinner in a quaint little town called Bangor. With its marina, old pubs and narrow streets, it would be a lovely place to spend a day just strolling about.

Now let me also share with you our “feelings” about Belfast pre and post visit. Our preconceived notion of Belfast was that of a city fraught with sectarian tension all day, every day. There was no obvious evidence of that in the few areas of the city we explored. People went to attractions, they went out for a meal, then went to the train station to travel to other parts of the island. Pretty regular day-to-day stuff. We understand that bad sentiments do surface on occasion and sadly, it is that which is captured in the media for the world to see. Please do not discount going to Belfast because of the eight-second news bites that do not present the whole picture of what happens every other day of the year. We look forward to one day returning.