A few months ago when my wife asked, “where should we travel next?” I paused and said, “why not Belfast?” (To put things in perspective, we traveled to Bahrain during the Arab Spring so she knew I was serious). She responded with a blank stare, and then proceeded to remind me of the bombs, violence, etc. long-associated with Northern Ireland.
I told her that the era of bombs and daily violence was long gone and that her perception, like many others, is far from the reality that is Northern Ireland today. What better way to change your perception than seeing for yourself? If there is one thing I've learned in my 40 years of traveling, it’s that the media blows everything out of proportion to sell ratings. Just be aware of your surroundings, have a plan B,C and D, don't be naive, and act like a local (if you can) and you'll be fine.
A few weeks and some research later, we hit the Jersey turnpike for our non-stop evening flight across the pond. When we touched down at Belfast’s airport, I was amazed at how efficient operations ran. I’ve been to many airports, both large and small, and this one is at the top of my list. Perhaps the Brits need to export some of that efficiency to Heathrow? But I digress...
As luck would have it, the weather was wonderful. It was the first sunny day the Emerald Isle had seen in a long stretch, and the drive through the countryside into the city was picturesque. Once in Belfast, our home was The Fitzwilliam Hotel, which was the perfect home away from home. Central location, nice amenities, attentive staff…a great all-around value.
As our leprechaun luck continued, the Check-In Clerk said they had a room available right away, which was a huge bonus since we arrived before 10am and were in desperate need of a shower. Once we felt human again, it was time to check out our surroundings.
When I know I'm only in town for a ‘quick hit’, a hired car service is always the way to go. You pay a little more (depending on your destination, a LOT more), but it’s well worth the extra $$ to get the private tour and the local perspective. Paddy Campbell's (no relation) was our choice for such a tour, and 30 minutes later our driver/guide was downstairs waiting to show us Belfast.
The tour was simply amazing. We toured the Catholic and Protestant sides of town (separated by a 40+ft-high Peace Wall with a gate which locks at dusk), and learned about the long history behind the conflict between the two sides. Equally amusing was that our driver grew up Catholic but became so frustrated with all the fighting he happily refers himself as being neither. Make no mistake, even though the violence has died down it has not been forgotten. The people of Northern Ireland are still much divided, but hopefully future generations will be so far removed, the country can begin to unite once again.
While the specifics of the conflicts and areas is for another post, I've shared a few pictures of the cab tour which is something you won't see if you are thinking of seeing Belfast on foot from City Center.
Our next stop was the Titanic Museum which sits on the shipyard where ‘the unsinkable ship’ was built. Is the museum worth the visit? Simply put; yes. There is a ride which explains how the ship was built, a large section devoted to artifacts and the famous passengers on the ship, exhibits documenting the prospering Irish linen industry and all of the linens produced for Titanic, and an exhibit about the movie with the actual costumes on display. For die-hard Titanic buffs, there is an audio tour which will give you every detail and factoid you would want to know.
Conveniently found next door is Kelly Cellar's, which is one of the oldest pubs in town, built in 1720. It’s in an old building with low ceilings, walls covered with antiques, signs and photos dating back decades. There’s usually a lively group of musicians playing classic Irish tunes (sometimes well, other times not so well), and everyone is always having a good time. We sure did!
There’s much more to Belfast than described above – it’s is a great city full of energy with numerous things to do. When looking to Europe for a town on the move, check out Belfast. We will be back for sure.
