Port follows upon Port with hardly any rest in between, and
hardly any leisure to enjoy a tranquil sunset view from the window of my cabin .
Today, we anchor at Belfast and visit the largest city of Northern Ireland,
population about 267,000.
It is in existence since the Bronze Age, but only developed
into a significant settlement during the 17th century. Oliver
Cromwell and later Dutch King William III of Orange started a fledgling
Protestant settlement – Ireland became British.
It has suffered through ‘The Troubles’ of Northern Ireland
between 1971 and the early 1990ies – with many atrocities happening, such as
‘Bloody Sunday’ and Bloody Friday in 1972 alone. Bomb attacks, grenade attacks
– many with not only military but civilian victims as well – took place here.
In 1994 the IRA announced a complete cease fire and a peace process started. Many
murals in Belfast still evoke that part of Irish history.
Today one of its major tourist attractions is the fact that
it is the ‘launching pad’ for the ill-fated Titanic, which was designed and
built by Harland & Wolff Shipyards of Belfast. A large museum, aptly called
the ‘Iceberg’ near the shipyards boasts the world’s largest Titanic themed
tourist attraction. Thank you, Leonardo di Caprio and the Hollywood version of
Titanic….
Belfast is divided into five ‘quarters’, each with a
different character but all well known for their historic architecture, such as
St Anne’ Cathedral, Belfast City Hall and
the ‘leaning’ Albert Clock.
Of course –there are Irish Pubs at every
corner. The most well-known is without a doubt the Crown Liquor Saloon, which
is owned by the National Trust. Mosaics decorate the entrance floor, etched
windows filter the sunlight (if any) into enclosed carved wooden booths, and a
metal ceiling still boast ‘REAL’ gas lighting with net like ‘gas light bulbs’ –
I haven’t seen those since my grandmother’s day. All that and the long granite
bar, backed by hundreds of liquor bottles (full) and topped by numerous beer
spigots, make a for a truly ‘Victorian’ pub experience – especially when
accompanied by a glass of smooth Guinness and a bit of smoked wild salmon.
Unfortunately our stay here was too short to enjoy life
Irish Music, as nearly every bar and pub offers evening entertainment, we had
to be back aboard by 5:30 p.m. Next time….
