Belfast Town

It was a Bank Holiday long weekend in the Republic, so Michael and I took advantage of the extra day and caught the train to Belfast.  There we met James and Amber, who flew over from London and we set about showing them the city.

The weather was remarkably pleasant (ie not raining), so we were able to walk to the St George’s Market where Michael and James each tucked into a Belfast Bap.  Michael had been looking forward to this lunch for days and it didn’t disappoint.  Amber and I chose a much lighter lunch, then, after a brief look at the market, we walked over to the Titanic Quarter.  We left James and Amber to have a look at the Titanic Experience on their own.  It is a fabulous exhibition, however, as Michael and I have visited it twice previously, we decided to venture back into the city.

 

The Belfast Pride Festival was taking place and we were able to watch thousands of people celebrating Northern Ireland’s LGBT community.  It is strange to realise that the people in the north of Ireland do not enjoy the same marriage equality that is the right of people in the Republic.  One can only hope that the situation will change sooner rather than later (as indeed it should back home in Australia).  The parade was very colourful with many weird and wonderful costumes on display.

We met up with James and Amber back at our hotel before heading out for dinner at Molly’s Yard.  Michael and I had dined in this restaurant housed in a converted Victorian stables on our first trip to Belfast.  This visit, the second time around, did not disappoint.  We all enjoyed our meals and it was nice chatting about travels past and future plans.

Amber was starting to feel the effects of her cold, so we dropped her back at the hotel to enjoy an early night whilst the three of us took a walk into the city centre.  Michael and James shared a drink at Kelly’s Cellars, a traditional Irish pub dating back to 1720.  The building has whitewashed walls and uneven floors and a band was playing.  The joint was jumping as they say, so we stood in the courtyard where we were able to still hear the music and hold a conversation at the same time.  We walked around some more before the rain poured down and we called it a night.

The rain was still pouring the next morning so after breakfast we took a brisk walk to the Ulster Museum.  Currently on display is a giant, 77 metres long Bayeux style tapestry depicting key scenes from every episode of the TV show, Game of Thrones.   Each week, new scenes are added after the latest episode is aired.  The series is not to my taste, however even I was impressed with the tapestry.  There were two ladies working on the next panel as we were there and I couldn’t help thinking that Michael’s mother would have enjoyed sitting there working on the tapestry and chatting with the other ladies.

We returned to our hotel where we were picked up for our Black Taxi Tour.  Michael and I were thrilled to discover that our guide was to be Steve, the same guide we had nearly two years ago.  Once more Steve provided a balanced view of the troubles as well as a comprehensive account of the history of Northern Ireland as he took us through both the Catholic and Protestant areas of Belfast.  At the end of the tour Steve asked Amber and James to guess his religious background and they both guessed the opposite to each other.  I think that they enjoyed the tour and gained some understanding of the complex issues that still face Northern Ireland today.

Steve dropped us into the city centre where we quickly showed James and Amber some of the narrow alleys and murals.  Then it was time for lunch at Yardbird, which claims to be one of the oldest buildings in Belfast, dating back to 1780.  There was no time to linger over lunch though, as James and Amber needed to head out to the airport for their flight home.  It wasn’t a long weekend in England, so they could only stay the one night in Belfast.  It was lovely seeing them again as always, and it won’t be very long until I see them again.

Michael and I spent the next day wandering the streets and shops and getting involved in long conversations with the locals.  Belfast people, like most Irish, are very friendly and as soon as they hear our Australian accents, love to tell us about their Australian experiences/connections.  One gentleman told us about his visit to Melbourne in the 1960’s and how he still remembers the stained glass ceiling at the National Gallery of Victoria.  Another elderly gentleman told us all about his daughter who is a doctor in Ivanhoe.  I was pretty chuffed when he asked Michael if I was his granddaughter, less so when Michael responded that he was talking Blarney!  Later, we got talking to a younger man in the coffee shop and he recommended a visit to a nearby whiskey shop.  When we arrived, we found the shop locked, so we popped in to the pub opposite to find out if he knew where the owner was.  The barman told us that the owner would be back soon and while we waited he regaled us with the history of the street and pub.  It was a really relaxing way to spend the morning.

Lunch was at a fabulous old deli, Sawers, which was established in 1897.  We took a seat under the awning outside and watched the weather change minute by minute from sunshine to rain and back again, whilst sharing a charcuterie board and sipping wine.  Then it was time to return to our hotel and collect our bags for the walk to the station.

The walk was pleasant but as we neared the station we could see an armoured police vehicle blocking one of the streets.  A short while later, another three police cars arrived and we could see about 30 or so teenagers congregated.  Michael and I had stopped to see what was happening when we clearly heard the thud of either a rock or brick hitting one of the police cars.  We took that as our signal to move along and mind our own business.  The following day I read in the news that officers were attacked and cars had been torched by masked youths apparently angered by the removal of wood from the site of a nationalist bonfire.  Petrol bombs, bricks and bottles were hurled and police and a number of cars were destroyed.  I guess it was just another day in Belfast.

Power and the Passion

 

Michael and I headed over to London to stay for the weekend with Amber and James.  We have this journey down pat now, breezing through the security at Dublin airport, enjoying an efficient flight followed by a trouble free train journey to arrive at their home mid afternoon.  Naturally it was lovely to see them again and we spent our time catching up with their news and enjoying a few different gins.  Dinner was at a fabulous gastro pub within walking distance of their home, called the De Beauvoir Arms.  It was so nice dining in a pub without the distraction of televisions on every wall and the food was delicious.

 

On Sunday morning, we took a lovely walk along the canal to Victoria Park to see the newly opened market.  There were all kinds of seasonal fruit and vegetables for sale as well as an array of meats, cheeses, fish and baked goods.  Everything looked lovely and fresh however I knew that Amber had arranged a lovely lunch for us, so I refrained from purchasing anything other than a cup of coffee.  Michael couldn’t resist buying a Scotch egg for his morning tea.  The next stop was the Hackney City Farm.  Yes, there is a farm in suburban London.  We saw pigs, goats and chickens along with donkeys and geese.  It reminded me of the Collingwood Children’s Farm in Melbourne, where we used to take the boys when they were little.

 

Amber booked a wonderful restaurant for our lunch – ROKA Aldwych.  Situated right opposite Australia House, it is a Japanese robatayaki restaurant.  The meal was unbelievably good, with dish after dish being delivered to our table with unlimited wine as well.  It would definitely be worth a return visit and the service was amazing.  I waddled out of there and certainly didn’t need any dinner that evening.  James and Amber continued home whilst Michael and I took a much-needed walk down Regent Street.  The street was closed to traffic for the day and food stalls and entertainment had been set up along its length.  It was good to have the opportunity to walk down the centre of the street, as we were able to have a good look up at the building facades as we walked.  There are some really lovely features, like mosaics, on some of the buildings, which you don’t really get to see when you walk along the footpaths.

 

The main reason for our weekend in London was to see Midnight Oil in concert.  Michael and I caught the train to Hammersmith and we didn’t need directions to the Apollo Theatre, as it was directly opposite the train station.  The theatre itself is a beautifully restored Art Deco style building, which opened in 1932.  The band came on stage and the crowd instantly came alive.  The music was awesome and Peter Garrett has not lost his touch, belting out hit after hit and dancing in his unique style.  I swear that man has unnaturally long forearms!  He is still politically motivated aiming a number of barbs at Trump, May and Australian politicians.  The song lyrics are just as relevant today, which is a little depressing when you realise that some things have not changed since the ‘80’s, like the plight of the indigenous population and environmental concerns.  It was a fun evening and it was good to see old and young people appreciating the music.  My only disappointment was that they didn’t play my favourite Oil’s song, King of the Mountain.  Still, I can’t complain, as they played just about every other hit song over the course of the evening.

 

Our time in London was drawing to a close but there was still one special, magical treat to come.  My Mother’s Day gift from James was Afternoon Tea at The Ritz.  I had been looking forward to this for months, as James had to tell me in advance so that I could pack a suitable outfit.  I had purchased a dress (the first time that I have worn a dress since leaving Australia), new shoes and handbag, and was feeling pretty swish.  James looked especially handsome in his suit and I felt a little guilty that Michael wasn’t joining us.  What can I say about the occasion, other than it was perfect?  We dined in the spectacular Palm Court, which is decorated with beautiful mirrors and chandeliers whilst a pianist played softly in the background.  The food was superb – delicate finger sandwiches, fresh scones with clotted cream and strawberry conserve and gorgeous, little cakes.  There were silver pots of tea and fine china plates.  A serving cart was brought to our table and we were served thin slices of gateau.  It was a thrilling experience and will always be a special memory of my time in London.  Thank you James.