Belfast, Ireland

On New Year's day we picked up the rental car and headed north to Belfast.  On the way we stopped off at the Monasterboice Monastery to have a look around.  Although the original monastery structures are long gone, you will find three high crosses and round tower that all date back to the 10th century.

The view from the former monastery is impressive.  I should point out that Monasterboice is located right in the middle of nowhere. 

This really cool rock wall surrounds the entire complex.

The drive from Dublin to Belfast is a quick one.....just under two hours.  If you ever have the chance to visit the two cities, I highly suggest renting a car and exploring the country between them.  The rolling green hills make for a very relaxing drive and a great way to spend an afternoon.

When we arrived in Belfast it was easy to see the city was dedicated to various industries, including ship building and repair.  You may recall that the ship Titanic was built in Belfast and the locals are quick to point out that the ship sailed just fine when it left port!

In addition to the city that built the Titanic, Belfast is also known for its years of violent struggles.  Visiting the city today is quite safe.....it is possibly the safest city in all Europe.  But it wasn't always this way.....and the scars from all of the violence are still very visible today.  First, why the conflict?  In the simplest of terms, there has been a long political struggle between the groups Nationalists and Unionists.  The Unionists, who are predominantly of the Protestant religion, want Northern Ireland to remain as a part of the United Kingdom.  The Nationalists, who are predominantly Roman Catholic, wish for Northern Ireland to be politically united with the rest of Ireland and independent from British rule.  Thankfully most of the steady violence has ceased since the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.

The best way to learn about the history of the political struggle is to take a Black Cab Tour.  The one hour tour will take you all over Belfast showing the historical landmarks while the driver provides a history lesson on the political struggle between the two groups.  Our driver, Paddy, was a true legend.  He has been driving for over 30 years as a cab driver and provided a terrific historical timeline for the city.

First stop: the 18-foot high "Peace Line"....a wall built to separate Nationalists and Unionists neighborhoods.

The political murals that tell the stories from the "Troubles" of the Falls and Shankills road. 

One of many homes that back up to the Peace Line wall.  Note the structure built around the back porch.  It is covered with chain-link fence to help prevent "flying objects" that may occur from "explosions" near or on the wall.  Wow.  I had an electric fence to be mindful of when I was playing as a kid.....another reminder how fortunate we are to grow up in the USA.

A monument dedicated to the victims from the violence over the years.  Note the official Irish flag.  The green represents the native people of Ireland and the Nationalists, the orange represents the United Kingdom and the Unionists, and the white in between represents peace and honesty between the people.  Powerful stuff.

This particular section of the Peace Line wall measures at over 25 feet tall.  The first barriers were built in 1969 after a few tragic clashes.  Interesting that the first barriers were meant to be "temporary"....  The wall stretches approximately 13 miles and includes several gates to cross sides.  The gates are wide open during the day but they do close every evening.

Our cab with the wall in the background.

Looking through one of the closed gates.  This gate is very unique in that there are actually two different gates (the other gate is in the distant background).  The buildings in between the gates are factories and generally places of employment.  With the gates shutting promptly at 6pm each night, there is no "working late"....unless you brought a sleeping bag and some snacks to get you by until the next morning.  

A rainbow in Ireland...priceless.

Us with our legendary cab driver/tour guide: Paddy.

If you have some time, check out an episode from the show ‘No Reservations’.  The host Anthony Bourdain takes the same tour of Belfast with Paddy our cab driver.  It's a great piece!  

No Reservations - Ireland

Next stop.....the Giant's Causeways!