Saturday (Day 8): I started off the day by going on a walking tour of West Belfast. The tour is led by former political prisoners and was roughly 4 hours long. My uber driver dropped me off at the wrong location, so I spent the first half hour or so wandering around, but I finally was able to meet up with my tour guide! This tour was really interesting because the first half was led by a Republican, advocating for reunification with Ireland, while the second half was led by a Loyalist, supporting Northern Ireland’s status within the United Kingdom. Not only did I hear 2 conflicting perspectives regarding the country’s political history, but I also learned of the opposing terminologies and expressions regarding the conflict. For example, one side calls the conflict the War while the other calls it the Troubles. I also got to see the famous Peace Wall! I thought that this monument was ironic as West Belfast uses physical gates that close shut at 7PM and open at 6AM to segregate the Catholic and Protestant populations. I genuinely learned so much important context for my research through this tour!
Following the tour, I walked to Crumlin Road Gaol, where I had lunch at the on-site restaurant. Exploring the jail was a really unique and powerful experience as the jail housed prisoners up until a few decades ago; many of these prisoners were imprisoned during the conflict. Afterward, I made my way to the city center and enjoyed the pleasant weather and the street performances, ranging from drums to traditional Irish music and even American pop songs!
For dinner, I had traditional Irish stew and toffee pudding at the Crown Bar, a Victorian-era establishment in Belfast. The preserved 19th century decorations made me feel like I was dining in a living museum!
Sunday (Day 9): Today, I spent my morning at St George’s Market in the city center! There, I ate a delicious traditional Ulster Fry and even sampled fresh oysters from one of the food vendors! A group of talented local teens played traditional Irish music, and the market’s bustling aisles were a treasure trove of local vendors offering an array of ceramics, paintings, clothes, and handmade keychains.
Next, I walked over to the charming Cathedral Quarter before heading to the harbor to visit the Titanic Museum. As Belfast was the city where the Titanic was built, the interactive museum provided a comprehensive story of the ship’s construction, its passengers, and its tragic sinking. I found this in-depth experience to be especially meaningful because it gave me a better understanding of this tragedy beyond what I knew from the movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet.
Overall, my weekend in Belfast gave me a deeper appreciation for this remarkable city!
Thanks for reading ❣️