I am actually glad to be back, side-by-side with Laura, in our apartment in Glasnevin after a weekend traveling in Northern Ireland. It's good to come back to a place in which I'm more or less settled, to be able to make my own food again with ingredients I chose myself.
But I've been thinking of what to write in this entry for quite a while, wondering where I should begin to recount this trip. Of course, I've been up there for the past two weekends, but this was a historical tour to after a week of learning about 'The Troubles' in history class.
No more skirting around the subject, though. Here it goes...
FRIDAY
1) ABOARD THE PADDY WAGON
At a nice 08:00 hour, we all boardeda bold green bus with "Paddy Wagon" slapped on each side in orange. When we got to our hostel in Belfast, Caroline informed us that we needed to change buses for the mural tour because it wasn't safe for us to go around certain areas in that green moster of a bus. Funny, HAHA. In a sad and dark way.
2) MURAL TOUR
We hear all about how the Protestant/Unionist and Catholic/Nationalist communities are visibly divided in Northern Ireland, especially in Belfast. In our neutrally painted new bus, we drove through both communities, mainly in the areas that are known for their murals.
We passed by Sandy Row, and then stopped at a Catholic area in West Belfast - I don't remember the street. But yes, we were that obnoxious group of 50 people walking along the sidewalks (and sometimes in the streets) and taking pictures of others' political/nationalistic statements.
Then, of course, we had to even the ground and stop by the Protestant street in East Belfast. I think this is Shankill Road.
What I didn't take pictures of are the "peace walls" and gates that divide the two communities. These are kept open during the day, and then shut at night so that the Protestant and Catholic communities that are right next to each other don't interact in the dark and kill each other. Literally. STILL.
3) QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY
This was just a stop for a meal, but this place is purrrty!
4) STORMONT
Stormont is where the N.I. Parliament is. I couldn't take a picture of the front, but I'll show a video. Here someone briefed us on how the Northern Ireland government works, and then politicians from the political parties came in to answer our questions about their parties and their visions for N.I.
5) ULSTER BOXTAY AT I-FORGOT-THE-NAME-OF-THE-RESTAURANT
Most of us ordered the recommended Ulster Boxtay, type of fried potato pancake. It was delicious! Here is mine, a seafood Boxtay!
6) THE CROWN BAR AND ROBINSON'S
The Crown Bar is known for its ornate interior design, as well as its high-walled booths that hid women drinking back in the days when women were forbidden to drink in public. Here we met a few very very funny Welsh men who came to Belfast solely to do what the Irish do best - drink. They followed us to Robinson's for some ridiculous dancing. I'll have to say that I really like Bush Mills whiskey. I can't wait to visit the distillery in the near future!
SATURDAY
1) GIANTS CAUSEWAY
Gorgeous. Beautiful. I would totally go again! Pictures for this say it all, though I have so many more that I will post on FB and not clutter this page, as it is already congested with pictures and words.
Oh wait, first was the Carrick-A-Rede Bridge, a rope bridge that looks way too scary to be safe. Good thing it was closed so I didn't have to feel any pressure to cross it! You can see it if you zoom in and look in that gap.
Now, for Giants Causeway:
2) WALKING TOUR OF DERRY
Our tour guide was a Derry native, who grew up learning and hearing about the worst of 'The Troubles.' It's not a terribly pretty city, but there were a few sights I saw interesting. It is known as 'The Walled City' because part of the city is walled, obviously I guess. The divide here isn't so bad, though most of the place is Catholic because it's closer to the Repulic than other places. Also, instead of being right next to each other, the P and C communities are divided by a river. Nice natural barrier, I suppose.
(This is a mural of a peace dove)
3) DINNER AT THE ICE WHARF
Nothing much. Just dinner and dessert with a lot of sugar, oil and fat.
4) ALAN VISITS
Coming all the way from Ballymoney, though it took a bit of coaxing, but it was well worth it, right?
SUNDAY - Anniversary of Bloody Sunday
1) 'HANDS ACROSS THE DIVIDE'
This is the statue that was built to signify the coming together of the Protestant and Catholic communities in peace. A few of us got up early to go see it, and it really was a very beautiful thing. It still strikes me deep in the heart, though, at how there are some willing to reach out in peace, while there are still many who cannot erase that deep hatred that has been passed down for hundreds of years.
2) DROGHEDA
We stopped by this place to see the shrine of St. Oliver Plunkett, where they also kept his head. That's right - a well-preserved head that looks brown and old and brittle. No pictures, since I felt it would be a bit sacreligious to do such a thing.
Now we're back in Dublin. I was going to share some reflections of all that I learned, but seeing as this entry took about 1.5 to 2 hours to finish, I will leave it here and do some more sharing at another time when there is nothing much to do. For now, I must attend to a paper and some more tea to wash out all the grease I've consumed in the past three days.
Also, I admit that posting these pictures up on FB asap is of priority, so you can see the entire thing. =)
Annnnnd....DONE! Finally!
