FINAL ~ Raya Done 031105

Raya formalities done ...

... so we flee for our car to start another trek westwards to the Atlantic coast, a 250-km drive to The Burren and Cliffs of Moher.

Malaysia Hall 031105c

And inside, pretty maids all in a row ...


 

Malaysia Hall 031105b

Every major city worth its salt would have a Malaysia Hall, and Dublin is no exception! There are hundreds of Malaysian students here, many of them hoping to become doctors. Whatever it is, when done you all come home, okay?

 

And the address is ...


Hand-painted address on a rubbish container for all to see? That's a piece of Malaysiana in Ireland, for sure.

Malaysia Hall 031105a

So we follow suit, and find ourselves at Malaysia Hall, in a sober area of central Dublin.

Cold and wet Hari Raya, but definitely a very colourful one.

FIRST ~ Salam Aidilfitri

1st of Shawal, 1426H, and this is our modest breakfast - rendang ayam & nasi himpit. Thanks, GIRLS (who have now slipped away to Malaysia Hall), and Selamat Hari Raya!

FIRST ~ Off to Belfast 021105

Last day of the fasting month today, and we decide to pay Belfast a visit. Just 160km away, I reckon a couple of hours should do the trick, until I realise that we've just missed the new M1 motorway, but instead find ourselves on the 2-lane N1 country highway! Slow, but it is a scenic route.

Anyway, as we leave Dublin city, we see these cars, probably heading for a swanky downtown showroom! :-)

Entering Belfast 021105

We cross the Irish-Irish border (?) without knowing it. No checkpoint, no signages, nothing, not even a pothole or a hump on the road, just a harmless notice saying County Armagh. It happens soon after passing through the town of Dundalk, in County Louth (Rep. of Ireland). Well, maybe the clues are the odd 'BRITS OUT!' graffitis.

We only realise we are in Northern Ireland when the milestone numbers suddenly become smaller (UK uses miles) and advertisements in £ instead of €. And of course petrol at almost £1 a litre - being pro-active we filled up our car in Dublin at just €1 a litre. :-)

Soon we enter Belfast, infamous for The Troubles. But that's all in the past ... I hope.

Belfast is the back spot.

Downtown Belfast 021105a

Belfast looks like any large British cities, especially the Scottish ones. Maybe there's the Gaelic connection here somewhere.

Downtown Belfast 021105b

Belfast has its fair share of fine old buildings ...

... such as the classical Renaissance-style Town Hall ...

... and this, now the best-looking Tesco I've ever seen ...

... and of Flying Irishman.

Donegall Place 021105

Entrance to Donegall Place, with the Town Hall behind me, ...

... probably the coolest place in town ...

... and where clueless travelers congregate. :-)

FINAL ~ CastleCourt 021105

Time to break fast again, and we find ourselves at CastleCourt Shopping Centre, Northern Ireland's largest.

But it is a challenge looking for halal food, and the thick accent spoken here does not help either. We have to resort to sign lingo!

A fruity kiosk.

I have no friggin' clue what this is.

Waiting to break fast at Subway, so time to catch up with the latest soccer happenings.


Early dinner done, we head back to Dublin, in time for supper.

Belfast was a pleasant surprise. A modern vibrant city, with little signs of The Troubles. I only wish the folks do not have such a thick accent. If we had time we'd have explored the city more and done beautiful County Antrim as well.