Anyway, as we leave Dublin city, we see these cars, probably heading for a swanky downtown showroom! :-)
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
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! :-)
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.
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.
Downtown Belfast 021105a
Belfast looks like any large British cities, especially the Scottish ones. Maybe there's the Gaelic connection here somewhere.
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!
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!
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.
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.