To Belfast and back

On the eve of the national holiday, Rob and I headed for Belfast. We were on some kind of 'Amazing Race' episode. We needed to experience the political tour of the city in a black taxi and had to deliver a package to a family relative. Only then, could we make it back home.

First, we walked around Belfast city centre, where the architecture is so beautiful. You could never guess that there was a war going on for 30 years a mere 5 minutes drive away. After, we were taken to the "Troubles" neighborhoods. We saw a bunch of murals, left our mark on the dividing "Wall of Peace" and were awestruck by the caged backyards preventing rocks from hurting kids and breaking glass windows.

After, we found rather easily our drop off point. The house was located not too far from Ulster University in Jordanstown where my lovely spouse has been teaching. To our surprise, the occupants were present and if I understood correctly it was the brother of Rob's aunt.

Later on, we went out to find the famous Crown Bar for a pint and to Ginger for a most delicious dinner: mussels, squid, steak and lamb. All local.

Finally, we jumped into the car to get back home, not without missing the motorway junction and getting lost on secondary roads to to point of finding ourselves just outside the guarded gates at military barracks. We politely asked for directions, since several guns were pointed directly at us... I guess you are not supposed to get lost in that part of town. After finding our way for a brief moment, and getting lost again, we were soon escorted by a police car all to the A1. We eventually made it back home, safe and sound.

Thank goodness it was not an elimination round.