The Day the Sun Shone in Belfast

After breakfast this morning we hopped in the hire car and navigated our way to the Titanic Belfast experience. We allowed ourselves 3 hours to view the exhibition and have lunch in the cafe, and the timing was perfect. 

We enjoyed all the well-presented information on each level, including an amazing ride into the simulated skeleton of the ship to experience the sounds, sights and cramped conditions the team of ship builders worked in for hour after hour, day after day. With no OH&S they worked at extreme heights without scaffolding or ropes, no helmets, no ear protection or safety glasses. It was both incredible and terrifying to imagine the conditions under which they carried out the demanding work. 

Then there were the details of the interior; the palatial first class suites compared to the more spartan third class accommodation; the china, the linen, curtains and furniture. It really was a massive floating hotel with all the trimmings. 

The most moving part was the huge list of names projected onto a wall, of those who were saved and those who lost their lives. This, accompanied by the personal stories of the survivors and the records of the US Senate Inquiry into the sinking, provided a very human element to the whole experience. We all agreed this was well worth the visit.

Following lunch we drove to the St George’s Market where we enjoyed browsing the stalls for half an hour or so. Wallsy bought himself a t-shirt which references the Titanic and the fact that it was fine when it left Belfast! We headed back to our apartment as the market was closing at 2, had a refreshing cuppa and regrouped. 

Glimpsing some rare sunshine, we decided to walk across to the Ulster Museum, Botanic Gardens and Queens University for an explore. The museum was very extensive, covering the social, political, geographic and natural history of Ireland. We spent an hour there, but could have taken much longer if we had been able to muster the mental capacity and the energy!  We opted instead to make the most of the sunshine and took a walk through the Botanic Gardens and around the magnificent Queens University building and grounds. 

We based our choice of dinner venue on the fact that Julie liked the look of the outside of the building … and it turned out to be a great choice. We enjoyed delicious fish and chips and a dessert all for £22.95 a head. It had rained while we were indoors eating,  but fortunately stayed dry for us to walk back home. 

It seems like the rioting has settled down, although we have heard a helicopter buzzing around tonight, perhaps just checking potential hot spots. Tomorrow we move on from Belfast for further Northern Ireland adventures.